Bray Head

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For the hill of the same name in County Kerry, see Bray Head, County Kerry.

South side of Bray Head, viewed from Greystones harbour

Bray Head (Irish: Ceann Bhré) is a 241 m (791 ft) hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year. Every Good Friday, hundreds of local people climb to the top of the head in a Good Friday procession doing the stations of the Cross, as they go along with the final station being held at the holy year cross.^{[citation needed]}

The headland and adjacent lands were designated under a Special Amenity Area Order in March 2008.^[1]

The Dublin-Wicklow railway line runs outside of Bray Head along the coast, sometimes travelling within feet of the cliffs. This line, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is referred to as Brunel's Folly, due to the ongoing maintenance costs associated with maintaining a cliff-face line. The line has had to be diverted on four occasions. It is approximately a 45 minute rail trip between Dublin and Bray Head.

The slate sea-cliffs at Bray Head have been established as a minor rock-climbing location since the 1970s, though a few of the climbs were originally recorded in the 1940s. The 2009 guidebook lists 27 single-pitch climbs, generally in the lower grades, up to HVS.^[2]^[3]