Pictures from England

Exploring Our Celtic Spirituality

A Pilgrimage to Scotland and Northern England

Led by:

The Rev. Patrick Skutch
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church Youth

June 3 - 12, 2007

Trip map

Day 1, Sunday, June 3, 2007 – We depart from Atlanta for our trans – Atlantic flight to Glasgow, Scotland.  Dinner and Breakfast on board the aircraft. DB

DAY 2, Monday, June 4, 2007 - We arrive in Glasgow in the morning and are met by our driver and guide and board our motor coach for a scenic ride across some of the most beautiful countryside of Scotland—heading North along the shore of Loch Lomond.  Once we arrive at Oban, we will take the ferry to the Isle of Mull.  We will drive across Mull to our second ferry and our short sail to the enchanting Island of Iona.  We will join the Iona Community tonight for evening prayer and have dinner and overnight on Iona. D

DAY 3, Tuesday, June 5, 2007 - After breakfast we make our way to the abbey for morning prayer and then adjourn to St. Oran’s Chapel for singing.  Iona is a small island off the west coast of Scotland where, in 563, Columba founded a Celtic monastery that was very influential in its own times.  According to one legend Columba was condemned by a Synod in 561, possibly due to his part in a dispute over the ownership of a copy of a Gospel which resulted in the deaths of many in the battle of Cooldrevne.  Possibly because of the difficulties of separating his family political interests and his religious calling or possibly as a penance, he left his beloved Ireland with a group of twelve for exile on Iona, in 563, where he established a monastic community and become the first Abbot of Iona.  In the middle ages it was the site of a Benedictine abbey and over the centuries has attracted many thousands of people on their own pilgrim journeys.  Free time to walk and pray is built into the schedule — a must on the Isle of Iona.  At noon, we will join in front of St. Martin’s Cross and begin a hike around the island with a guide from the Abbey.  We will see ruins of the original abbey and the adjacent cemetery where 48 Scottish Kings are said to buried.  We share in storytelling, debriefing our experiences, and browsing in the quaint shops.  After dinner we again join evening prayer in the Abbey.  Dinner and overnight on Iona. BD

DAY 4, Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - After morning prayer in the Abbey, we again pause in the acoustically lively little Chapel of St. Oran for some group singing.  Weather permitting, we will carry box lunches to the North End Beach where we will picnic and enjoy some time for meditation, journaling, or just enjoying the beauty of this rugged island.  The area of the North End is seldom visited by pilgrims and offers the perfect place for reflection.  In the afternoon, we will sail to the island of Staffa for a visit to the natural basalt beauty of Fingal’s Cave and to see the many varieties of sea birds living here.  Again, we move to the Abbey for evening prayer.  Dinner and overnight on Iona. BLD

DAY 5, Thursday, June 7, 2007 - This morning we ferry from Iona to Mull and head back from Oban to Kilmartin, where we will visit the Kilmartin House Museum and surrounding prehistoric stones, which antedate Stonehenge.  Then we continue on to Edinburgh, Scotland’s second largest city, enjoying a bit of night life—perhaps some traditional Scottish music at Sandy Bell’s Pub or a traditional Ceilidh (storytelling/music-sharing party).  Dinner on your own. B

DAY 6, Friday, June 8, 2007 - Today we explore Edinburgh.  We will visit St. Giles Cathedral, the historic City Church of Edinburgh which is located on the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, home to the royal family when they are in Edinburgh.  We will explore Edinburgh Castle where the views from the Battlement are breathtaking.  We will see St. Margaret’s Chapel, Queen Mary’s Apartments and the Crown Room.  Dinner and overnight in Edinburgh. BD

DAY 7, Saturday, June 9, 2007 - We leave Edinburgh bound for the rolling hills of Northumberland and cross the tidal causeway to Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island.  The island has been inhabited since the Iron Age and Christianity was brought to the island by St. Aidan when he established a monastery here in AD 635.  St. Aidan came from Iona where he was a monk in the monastery founded there by St. Columba.  St. Aidan was not the first person on Lindisfarne, but his is the first known name mentioned in relation to the island.  Under its greatest Abbot, Cuthbert, Lindisfarne became one of the greatest centers of learning in Christendom.  We will visit Lindisfarne Priory, Lindisfarne Castle and have time for reflection and prayer in this quiet, holy place.  We will return to the mainland and overnight in Wigwams at Berwick – upon – Tweed.  We will prepare our own dinner in the Wigwams. BD

DAY 8, Sunday, June 10, 2007 - This morning we visit the charming environs of Durham, exploring the shops and touring the magnificent Durham Cathedral, wherein the graves of St. Cuthbert and the English historian, the Venerable Bede, are found.  Hear the stories of Cuthbert before traveling to Whitby, a seaside town and site of the famous Synod of Whitby.  Hear the stories of St. Hild and St. Wilfrid before returning to Durham for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 9, Monday, June 11, 2007 - We leave Durham and travel through the Border Country back into Scotland toward Glasgow, passing the site of Old Yeavering Then on to Scots View above the site of Old Melrose Celtic Abbey and to the later ruins of the Norman Abbey.  We leave for Glasgow, arriving in time to visit the Cathedral.  We will have our farewell dinner and overnight in Glasgow. BD

DAY 10, Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - We breakfast in Glasgow, then make our way to the airport for our return flight to the United States arriving back into Atlanta this afternoon. BL

Price: $2,499.00.  Price is based on double occupancy without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Roundtrip air from Atlanta, GA.  Air transportation available from other cities.

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.