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Machrihanish and Southend

St Columba’s Footstep and Well

St Columba's footprint, can be seen between Kiel Cave and St Columba's Chapel (now in ruins) at Southend,
The footprints are reputed to be those of St Columba, who came to Kintyre around AD 563 with a dozen followers, and is said to have landed here. Columba came from Antrim, just 12 miles away across the Irish Sea.
One of the footprints, the one closest to the sea, is definitely of ancient origin, though it is impossible to say when it was carved. The other, further inland, is of recent vintage.
As there was a major fortress of the Kingdom of Dalriada at nearby Dunaverty from the 500s it is quite possible that at least one of the footprints might well be associated with it. The Footprint is also known as the Fealty Footprint which is where some historians believe that the first kings of Scotland were crowned.
Below are views from the Footsteps across to Dunaverty Rock in the first and towards Northern Ireland in the second.