BISHOP S HOUSE. Booking information pack. Isle of Iona PA76 6SJ. [t] [e] [w]

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1 BISHOP S HOUSE Booking information pack Isle of Iona PA76 6SJ [t] [e] iona@island-retreats.org [w]

2 Bishop s House B O O K I N G I N F O R M A T I O N PA C K Many thanks for your interest in booking Bishop s House Iona. This pack contains useful information about the house, chapel and our facilities, which we hope will be helpful. Bishop s House was founded in 1894 by Alexander-Chinnery Haldane, then Bishop of Argyll and the Isles. Interestingly, it was Anna, his wife s, wealth which enabled the establishment of Bishop s House. Bishop Haldane s vision was that it be a place of prayer, contemplation, study and the celebration of the (communion) on Iona. This is still the charter of the house today. To this end the house incorporates at its heart St Columba s chapel, where the is celebrated daily. Bishop's House is a perfect location for group and individual retreats on Iona; we are located at the edge of the village and yet near to the Abbey, and we offer a real haven of peace away from the tourist throng. Set in our own grounds reaching down to the shore, the House overlooks the sound of Iona. Bishop s House is accommodates up to twenty-three guests in eight twin and seven single rooms. All bedrooms have wash basins and tea-tray facilities. The house has a large lounge and library, both of which can be used for retreat talks or meeting and informal worship spaces, as well as the chapel. We hope to see you soon at Bishop s House. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us, and if you are passing by, we are happy to show you round. Bishop s House Iona is managed by Island Retreats Limited Diocese of Argyll & the Isles, Scottish Episcopal Church Charity No.: SC

3 AC C E S S I B I L I T Y For our guests comfort, and to ease any mobility issues, we have disabled access showers in both the North and South Wings of the house, and a stair lift in the North Wing. We also have a mobility scooter and a twoseater SMART car (generously donated by the Friends of Bishop s House) and we are happy to offer the use of these to any guests who would benefit from them. MEALS Bishop's House has a fine tradition of good wholesome home cooking. If you have specific dietary needs and food allergies, please alert us as soon as possible. While we try to cater for individual dietary requirements we do not have the facilities to meet the needs of those with certain diets or requirements eg vegans or those with a serious food allergy. Please speak to our chef if you have any concerns or would like more information on our meals/ingredients. Packed lunches can also be provided on request. These should be ordered the night before, and if you are part of a group, then sorry, but if half or more vote for a packed lunch, then all have a packed lunch! (You are very welcome to enjoy your lunch indoors or in our garden, though ) MEAL TIMES Breakfast: Monday Saturday Sunday 8.45am 9.00am 1.00pm 6.00pm* Lunch: Dinner: Monday Sunday * A 7 pm dinner may be available on request, eg on arrival, if you re catching the last ferry (18:15). USEFUL ITEMS It is helpful on Iona to bring waterproofs and a torch many locals find a head-torch particularly useful as it leaves their hands free (and can also be used in your bedroom if you don t want to disturb a sleeping roommate). If you are planning on exploring the island at all, a sturdy pair of walking boots with good ankle support and nice cushioning walking socks are also highly recommended.

4 THE CHAPEL There are daily services in St Columba s chapel which is at the heart of Bishop s House. All services are open to the public as well as to guests staying with us. You are welcome to use the chapel or the prayer gallery at any time for private prayer. All are welcome at Bishop s House, regardless of their beliefs. ST COLUMBA S SERVICE TIMES Monday Tuesday 5.00 pm Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Evensong SUNDAY SERVICES A number of Sunday services are held on the island, and all are open to everyone. There can be variations in time or location depending on availability of clergy. Episcopalian Bishop s House Roman Catholic Mass 9.30am Michael Chapel Iona Community Communion 10.30am Iona Abbey Church of Scotland Sunday Service 12.00pm Iona Parish Church Evensong 8.15pm Bishop s House Quiet Service Iona Abbey A D D I T I O N A L G U E S T FAC I L I T I E S As well as the Chapel, our guests have access to our library with open coal fire and the guest lounge. The lounge has a small kitchenette for preparing teas and coffees, a television with DVD player and DVD s, jigsaws, board games. A digital projector and drop-down screen are also available. And in the library, you ll also find some craft supplies as well as a fascinating assortment of reference books, theology and fiction.

5 G E T T I N G TO I O N A Iona is a small island close to the far south west tip of the island of Mull. The island is accessible by ferry and coach from Oban, which is the recommended port of departure for all travellers. (Sorry, there s no short cut from Glasgow!) BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO OBAN Trains run regularly from Glasgow s Queen Street station, see the ScotRail website for timetables and prices. Oban can also be reached by coach, departing from Glasgow s Buchanan Street bus station, see the CityLink website for timetables and prices. BY CAR TO OBAN Oban is around two hours drive from Glasgow, or three hours from Edinburgh (via Stirling). Drivers may find a route planner helpful. Please exercise caution if you are looking to meet a particular ferry; all it takes is for a couple of slow HGVs and your journey could be delayed by half an hour. FROM OBAN Ferries run regularly from Oban to Craignure on the isle of Mull, see the Caledonian-MacBrayne website for timetables and prices. The Ferry Terminal is a two minute walk from both coach and train stations. The Oban/Craignure ferry journey is around 45 minutes. Car drivers who are bringing their car to Mull are recommended to book in advance. Cars must be on the quayside no less than half an hour before departure! AT CRAIGNURE Coaches run regularly from the Ferry Terminal at Craignure to Fionnphort (pronounced Finnafort ), the village from which you catch the ferry to Iona. Not every Craignure ferry is met by a bus! See the West Coast Motors website for timetable and prices. Car drivers should follow the signs for Fionnphort. The travel time is about one hour sometimes more as much of the road is single-lane and a bit twisty, with passing places. AT FIONNPHORT Visitors are not permitted to bring their vehicles onto Iona, but a free long stay carpark is provided in Fionnphort. If you are mobility impaired and have a blue badge you can get a permit to bring your car onto the island, but this is not always advisable. Please contact Bishop's House for advice. UPON DISEMBARKING ON IONA! Bishop's House is the last building on the village street. Coming off the ferry head up the hill, take the first right turn, go past the post office, and keep going until you reach Bishop's House. We do our best to meet all our guests with our quadbike and trailer, to help you the last stretch to the door after your (possibly long) pilgrim-journey to us. P I L G R I M AG E Iona is known as a place of pilgrimage, and there are many opportunities to participate in this aspect of the island. If you are coming to Iona on pilgrimage, you may like to consider visiting the Scottish Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Oban, on your way to or from Iona. There are also numerous opportunities to take a led pilgrimage around the island during your stay. The Iona Community offers an onroad pilgrimage for their guests on Tuesdays that is generally open to the public as well. There are, additionally, a few island residents who offer customized pilgrimages or led walks which are off-road, around the island.

6 THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE St John's Cathedral, Oban, is the Mother Church of the historic Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, within the Scottish Episcopal Church. A composite of three churches spanning the centuries, the Cathedral has a dignity and a presence that is quite remarkable. The combination of Gothic masonry and twentieth century girders and riveting has resulted in an interior of genuine, contemporary spirituality. If you are passing through Oban on pilgrimage and would like to hold a service in the Cathedral, please contact the Provost, who will be happy to welcome you. provostoban@argyll.anglican.org Telephone: Website: PERSONALIZED PILGRIMAGES Jana McLellan, Joyce Watson and Sarah Macdonald are available to lead pilgrimages/led walks customized to suit your groups time, interests, and desired activity levels. They are all experienced pilgrimage/prayer leaders with a wealth of knowledge about the island. Jana McLellan: janamclellan@btinternet.com Joyce Watson: joyce@iona76.plus.com Sarah Macdonald: sam_maccyd@yahoo.co.uk IONA COMMUNITY PILGRIMAGE Every Tuesday resident staff members of the Iona Community lead an on-road pilgrimage around the island which includes meditations on discipleship. The pilgrimage is about 3 miles, starting at Midday and ending around 4.00pm. To participate, you will need a packed lunch and good walking shoes (and wet weather gear). OTHER IDEAS We are inspired by, and building relationships with, a number of local artists and writers in the Argyll and Bute area. If you would like to get really creative, and undertake a workshop during your time with us, then we would be very happy to put you in touch with local artists/sculptors/crafters, who offer great workshop experiences in: willow; felting; book-binding; candle-making; creative writing; working with drift-wood, and sketching/visual arts and I m sure there s more! People s availability is often limited (as you may be aware, islanders often combine two or three jobs in order to make a living), so if you are thinking about a workshop, do start the ball rolling sooner rather than later. The Warden is very happy to make the introductions to help you get started on your chosen creative path!

7 Also, we are hoping to build up some resources to help you incorporate some new ideas into your retreat While generally finding that less is more in terms of a retreat programme, it is still wonderful to offer people the opportunity to look, learn, abide and spend time with God in fresh, simple ways. If you are thinking about leading your own guided walk/pilgrimage round the island, then an excellent resource is Around a Thin Place: an Iona Pilgrimage Guide, by Jane Bentley and Neil Paynter.

BISHOP S HOUSE. Booking information pack. Isle of Iona PA76 6SJ. [t] [e] [w]

BISHOP S HOUSE. Booking information pack. Isle of Iona PA76 6SJ. [t] [e] [w] BISHOP S HOUSE Booking information pack Isle of Iona PA76 6SJ [t] 01681 700 111 [e] iona@island-retreats.org [w] www.island-retreats.org Bishop s House B O O K I N G I N F O R M A T I O N P A C K Many