Iona Itinerary Wednesday, May 9 Arriving in Scotland Arrive in Oban in the afternoon and check into our hotel. The hotel is a short walk from the train station. We will gather for dinner, introductions, and some reflections on pilgrimage as we prepare for our short, scenic trip to Iona the next morning. Thursday, May 10 Landing on Iona We will take a one-hour ride on the Caledonian McBride Ferry from Oban to the isle of Mull. We will be met by a bus which will take us on another hour-long trip across Mull, a spectacularly beautiful island, to Phionnfort where we will catch another ferry for the ten-minute ride to Iona. The ferry will drop us 100 yards from the Argyll Hotel where we will spend the next six nights. We will gather for a short introduction to the island and then have time to wander the village and beyond to get a feel for where we have landed. Friday, May 11 What do we leave behind: St. Columba The focus today will be on what we have left behind to make this pilgrimage. We will hear about the Celtic monks who left home for an unknown place where they hoped to meet and serve God in some new way. For those who would like to walk, we will journey in the afternoon to Columba s Bay where St. Columba landed when he left Ireland behind to find a new home. Saturday, May 12 Letting go and being led: St. Brendan s boat ride It is not always enough to just leave things behind. It is as important sometimes to imagine where we hope to end up. This pilgrimage can be such a time for each of us. The island and the sea and being immersed in nature invite us into reflection on what matters. We will focus today on letting Iona speak to us and lead us in our time here. Sunday, May 13 Believing in our own goodness: Pelagius It can be difficult to trust that we have within us what we need. Jesus said he had food the disciples did not understand. He was filled from within. Pelagius, an Irish monk whose assertion that God created us each with resources to live into the life God imagined for us, will be our guide. Monday, May 14 Thin Places and Awareness: John O Donohue For many centuries Iona has been sought out by pilgrims as a thin place, a place where the veil between things temporal and eternal is permeable. We come expecting to find God and signs of the holy a little easier to see and hear and feel. It is this sense of divine presence in and through all creation that is calling people to Celtic spirituality. We will spend some time with the writings of the late John O Donohue, a leader in bringing Celtic themes to modern pilgrims. We will take a walk to the hermit s cell, one of the island s thin places.
Tuesday, May 15 Listening to the Spirit: John Philip Newell s Writings What are we hearing from the Spirit? How does God speak to us in this place? How might our conversations with ourselves and with God continue and remain connected to this holy Island? This will be a day with some silence and time for listening for what might be rising from within. You will know the island and the village well and will know the sights or settings or paths that call you to something inside you. John Philip s small prayer books may speak to you after your time on Iona. They can be a helpful connection to this thin island that has drawn pilgrims like us for a thousand years. Those who visit the island often say that it calls to them long after they have gone. Some say that if you visit once you will return. This might be a good day for a last trip up Dun I, the highest hill on Iona, for a long look at where we have been. Wednesday, May 16 Departing We will make our way by ferries, bus and train to Glasgow where we will spend the night at the edge of George Square near the train station. We will gather for dinner and some farewell fellowship before heading to the airport on Thursday. The day is filled with travel, but you will know from the outward journey that you will be traveling through some of the most beautiful landscape in the world. Maybe it will look different or feel different after your time on Iona. Many are drawn to Iona and this part of the world simply by the beauty of the place. The scenery will be a parting gift of our pilgrimage. Thursday, May 17 Fly home or to your next destination The bus to the airport stops a couple of blocks from our hotel and cabs are easily found in George Square. Other Resources on Iona Worship: The Iona Community leads worship every evening at 7:30 in the 13th century abbey, which is open to everyone. Our program will not interfere with your attending worship. Dinner will be in our hotel at 6:00. The abbey also provides a Sunday morning service which we may attend. The Abbey is always open for worshipers but is ticketed for its museum and for those touring the buildings. You will have a ticket that is good for the entire week. Boat Trips to the island of Staffa, which has some amazing rock formations and caves, can be booked from Iona. Shops and Restaurants: There are a few craft shops and a fine art gallery selling contemporary and historic paintings of Iona. There is a small store with snacks and sandwiches, a pub, and a restaurant in the village. The Columba hotel and the Argyll both serve lunch. The Iona Heritage Center has information about the history of Iona and gifts.
Cost $1900 per person double $2200 per person single Included in the Cost of the Pilgrimage: Hotels in Oban, Iona and Glasgow for the eight nights listed. All travel between Oban and Iona and back to Oban you will need to purchase a round trip ticket at the airport from Glasgow to Oban and back which includes the bus ride from the airport to the train station and back again. All breakfasts and dinners lunches are available on Iona and are not included since people may be out wandering during the day. Soup, sandwiches and hot food are available in the village at reasonable prices. Admission to the Iona Abbey site and museum for the length of our stay. Map of Iona listing all the historic and pilgrimage sites, all pilgrimage booklets, handouts, etc. Not Included: Airfare and train to Oban The train for Oban leaves Queensferry station in Glasgow at 12:20 pm. You should plan to arrive in Glasgow by 10:00 am. As you come out of the security area you will see the information counter ahead of you and the friendly folks there can help you buy a round trip ticket to Oban in the nearby machine. This will cost about $60. You will find travelers from our group gathering at the train station as we all hope to be on the same train to Oban. You could certainly make your way from Edinburgh or other directions but you would still want to make the 12:20 to Oban to be there in time for dinner with the group. Payment Initial deposit of $50 A payment of $250 is due by August 1 Another $700 is due by November 1 The balance is due by April 1 Cancelations can be refunded less a $200 fee until March 1. Between March 1 and May1 cancelations that cannot be rebooked by the hotels will be charged 50% of the full price.
Booking Your Spot on the Pilgrimage You can sign up by return e-mail and by sending a check for $50 made out to the Center for Spiritual Deepening to: CSD, St. Aidan s 8531 Riverside Rd. Alexandria, VA 22308 Your spot will be reserved when we receive your initial deposit of $50. Please let us know if you have dietary restrictions. Our hotels in Oban and Glasgow have handicapped accessible rooms, however at the Argyll on Iona all rooms are up one flight of stairs. Reservations will be accepted on a first come-first served basis. We are limited to 24 pilgrims for this trip.