Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

View of Iona Abbey, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Iona which has played a pivotal role in the development of northern Christianity.

St Columba travelled across the Irish Sea in 563 AD and established a monastery on the current site. This would have been a very modest affair compared with both the current building and those built by monks of the Benedictine and Cistercian orders in the Middle Ages. The island had suitable resources for the self-sufficient life style followed by the monks.

A brief chronology of the Abbey is as follows:

• Initial establishment in AD 563 which served as a catalyst to expansion of Christianity in Ireland and northern Britain.
• In response to Viking raids just prior to AD800 the majority of the Iona community transferred to Kells in Ireland.
• A Benedictine Abbey was founded at the end of the 12th/early 13th centuries, possibly at the instigation of Reginald, son of Somerled.
• Most of the buildings of the Abbey together with those of the adjacent Augustinian Nunnery survived the 1560 Reformation.
• The Abbey site began to attract visitors in the 18th century.
• Considerable restoration and repair work was undertaken in 1874-6 on behalf of the Duke of Argyll.
• Further work was undertaken  1902-10 including re-roofing te building following which the Abbey was used by the local Church of Scotland congregation (Presbyterian).
• In 1938 Dr George MacLeod founded the Iona Community which in turn resulted in further estoration and repair work on the various buildings. This Community continues its work today.

Iona remains a popular visitor destination although access entails two ferry crossings and slow drive drive along the narrow roads of Mull. However, the effort will prove a reward for visitors with a wide range of interests including spiritual and non-spiritual. No visitor vehicles are allowed on the (tiny) island.

This image showes one of the free standing crosses which became popular during the early 8th century.

View of Iona Abbey, Scotland

This is the restored Nave

Inside historic Iona Abbey, Scotland

Fingal's Cave, Staffa, Scotland

 This evening, I am focusing on Staffa, a fascinating, uninhabited island off the West Coast of Scotland. Staffa was formed by volcanic action some 60m years ago. The columns are made from dark grey basalt.It is believed that the molten rock was heated to around 1200 degrees C and then cooled, hardened and fractured into stone pillars. These pillars have underlying geometric shapes but vary in detail because of the disparate cooling rates.

The name Staffa is of Old Norse origin and means ‘wooden building staves’. ( The Norwegian Vikings controlled parts of the West of Scotland for hundreds of years up until the 13th century.)

The sea caves have been formed by wave action. The island gained international recognition after a visit by the composer, Felix Mendelssohn who visited the island in 1829 and was inspired to compose Hebrides Overture (‘Fingal’s Cave’). continue reading…

This evening, I moving my focus away from the current arctic weather conditions here in Britain to track back to a tour of the Isle of Mull earlier this year which entailed a visit to the very impressive Duart Castle which is closely associated with Clan MacLean. Here is a summary of the key features:

• Positioned on a rocky promontory called Dubh Ard or Black Point.
• Originally dates from the 13th century.
• Home to Clan MacLean for many centuries apart from a short break after the Battle of Culloden in 1746 when the castle was garrisoned by English soldiers.
• In 1911 Sir Fitzroy Maclean repurchased and restored the castle.
• Castle now  home to the Chief of Clan MacLean, Sir Lachlan MacLean.
• Visited by MacLeans from all over the world.
• Features of the castle include the ancient keep, dungeons, battlements, Edwardian kitchen, Clan Chiefs history.
• Tea-room and shop.
• Castle grounds which afford views of the birds, wildlife and local scenery.

A superb visitor attraction, especially when the weather is dry/sunny.

I invariably include Duart Castle in my tours of Mull and Iona and will be visiting the site at least once in 2011.

Duart Castle, Scotland

  continue reading…