St Columba’s Cave, Ellary

A mile from the end of the road, the gloom of this holy cave is illuminated by a long pilgrimage tradition, and is now visited by the Dalriada Way

Highlights

• Deep cave with ancient altar and carved cross
• Long pilgrimage tradition, part of the Dalriada Way

This deep cave hides an altar of flat stones, where St Columba himself might have celebrated the Eucharist. An early medieval cross is carved into the rock above the altar, now helpfully outlined in white paint to stand out from the cavernous gloom.

The cave lies near the mouth of Loch Caolisport, said by tradition to be the route that St Columba took from Ireland. Dripping with antiquity, this mould-lined natural chapel is dark even on a sunny day. It has a long history of devotional and secular use, the cross carved in the wall a testament to the former. More recently, fishermen have used it to store their nets.

A waterfall tumbles into a secluded dell just along from the cave entrance (on the right as you leave). This spot has all the elements of a primitive settlement for a monk at one with the natural world. If St Columba did come this way, the natural chapel would have suited him well. In 2018, I spent a night here alone, seeking to recapture the spirit of Celtic retreat into the wilderness. The experience was rather unpleasant, which may have been the point: missionaries proving that the Christian God would keep them safe wherever they went.

A tall stone wall stands beside the path to the cave, all that remains of a medieval church built to mark St Columba’s passing.

Directions

Near Ellary, Loch Caolisport PA31 8PB

W3W: waltz.animals.ditching

GPS: 55.9315N 5.6020W

Drive west along the B8024 towards Loch Caolisport. In Achahoish village, turn right at the sign saying “Achahoish Church and Ellary 4.” The cave is 3 miles along this single-track road, signposted on the right, at the back of a small bay. It’s a minute’s walk from the road to the cave. The postcode is for Ellary itself, and the cave is a mile before you get there. The road beyond Ellary to Castle Sween is impassable, despite what some maps may indicate.