Mountain Access Project (MAP)

Ireland’s natural environment provides an outstanding setting and resource where people can enjoy outdoor recreation. Through Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors - National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, our ambition is to improve how recreation and access is managed in upland areas and address the impact on some of our most iconic mountain ranges.

The Mountain Access Project (MAP) was launched in 2008 to facilitate access to upland areas for recreation.

First developed over a decade ago, the Mountain Access Project (MAP) is based on the provision of permissive access in a defined mountain area where all parties agree on management issues such as entry points and the provision of stiles and parking where needed, and where landowners would be indemnified for any claims that might arise from the provision of such access.

The MAP aims to build a sustainable management model for recreational access to the uplands, based on permissive access to predominantly privately owned land.

Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors was developed in collaboration with Comhairle na Tuaithe and is a collaborative cross-Government, stakeholder-led strategy. It reflects the views of stakeholders, the public and the whole of Government and it sets the stage to strengthen and support the sustainable development of the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland for years to come. The delivery of the strategy is being co-led by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and Sport Ireland.

Embracing Ireland's Outdoors has committed to enhancing access to outdoor recreation amenities, including the expansion of the Mountain Access Project to other uplands areas. DRCD and Comhairle na Tuaithe have developed guidance for the Mountain Access Project to aid other local groups in the management of key upland areas using good practice models.

On June 27th 2024, the Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys launched a call for Expressions of Interest for new areas to join the Mountain Access Project.

The Mountain Access Project is hosted and driven by a local stakeholder group that is representative of the upland area and includes private and public landowners, community organisations, recreational users and recreational service providers.

The Department is now inviting expressions of interest from stakeholder groups interested in joining the Mountain Access Project.

Completed Expressions of Interest should be emailed to cnat@drcd.gov.ie by close of business on Friday 27th September 2024.

Next Steps

A further commitment under Embracing Ireland's Outdoors will see the piloting of an Upland Recreation Scheme, similar in nature to the Walks Scheme, which will be rolled out through the Mountain Access Project in 2024.

Upland Insurance Policy

In 2021 a public liability insurance policy was secured, to provide public liability cover to private landholders that allow access for recreational activities on the designated areas of Mount Gable (Binn Shléibhe) in County Galway and the MacGillycuddy Reeks in County Kerry. The policy has been renewed annually since then. As the landowners on Mount Gable have chosen not to proceed with the MAP in their area, this area will no longer be covered under the Upland Insurance Policy when it is next renewed.

Croagh Patrick is arguably Ireland’s best-known and most iconic mountain. Many centuries of footfall on the route from Murrisk to the summit led to the development of an erosion scar that was visible across a wide area. The Croagh Patrick Stakeholders’ Group was formed as a community response to concerns over the condition of the mountain and instigated the Sustainable Access and Habitat Restoration Project to address the erosion on the mountain. Funding of €480,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Development has been agreed to enable the works with additional financial support from Mayo County Council.

The aim of the project was to provide sustainable access to Croagh Patrick by addressing the substantial erosion/scarring of the mountain and the significant damage to the path caused by the more than 50,000 visitors every year, while also aiming to provide a high quality experience for all visitors, recognising the mountain’s prominence as a cultural and spiritual icon and its popularity as a recreational destination.

The project commenced in December 2020 and over 4km of path repair has now been completed. The works included clearing sections of loose stone and cobble, creating stone pitched paths including building revetment walls to keep cobble and stone off the path, resurfacing, installing cross drains, creation of stone steps and landscaping. Most of the repair work was done by hand and where at all possible stone was gathered (manually) from the hillside.

The works have substantially improved safety on the mountain as well as addressing the impact of recreational use on the habitat of the mountain.