Kintyre - Keil Caves to Dunaverty Castle

This out and back seaside stroll follows a section of the Kintyre Way and connects historical sites on the southern tip of the Kintyre Peninsula around Southend.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.48 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 1h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 24 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 27 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 20 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m

Photos

Description de la randonnée

(S/E) From the car park turn left (East) and walk the short distance to the entrance to Keil Caves, St Columba's Well and St Columba's Footprints.

(1) Go through the gate and walk up the steps (North-East) to the well and footprints, there is a good view across Dunaverty Bay from here. Retrace your steps back down to the gate. (1) Go through the gate and turn left (East), following the road past the cemetery.

(2) When you reach the public toilets, take the steps down the right (East) and walk past the toilet building onto the beach. The path follows the edge of the beach around the Dunaverty Bay.

(3) When you reach the end of the beach, take the track up to the top of Dunaverty Rock, once the location of Dunaverty Castle. Retrace your steps back to the beach, rejoin the road at the toilet block (2) and turn left (South-West) back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 8 m - Keil Caves Car Park
  2. 1 : km 0.17 - alt. 15 m - Gate to Keil Caves
  3. 2 : km 1.49 - alt. 5 m - Public Toilets
  4. 3 : km 2.24 - alt. 4 m - Dunaverty Rock
  5. S/E : km 4.48 - alt. 8 m - Keil Caves Car Park

Practical information

Transport: There are several car parks along this stretch of coast, but the one right next to Keil Caves is the largest. The 444 bus service from Campbeltown serves Southend stopping between the toilets (2) and Keil Caves (1) Monday to Saturday but there are only a few buses each day.

Facilities: There is a tearoom in Southend itself and public toilets during the walk (2).

Accessibility: This walk includes a lot of steps and also a stretch of walk on a beach which has relatively soft sand.

In the nearby area

  • Beaches, the one opposite the car park, Carskey Bay, is a lovely wide arc of very soft sand, you may need the handrail to get back to the road.
  • Keil Caves
  • St Columba's Footprints, Well and Chapel
  • Dunaverty Rock

Other walks in the area

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.