Coos! Whenever we see these Highland cows the whole bus cries out, Coos! Highland cows are not milked commercially or even used for meat. They’re like house pets. I think my out of control hair makes me totally look like a coo.
Day 2 – Oban to Mull to Iona to Oban.
Today we have an early start, beginning the day crossing on the ferry to Mull for a chance to explore dramatic coastlines and wild beauty. We take the small ferry to Iona, the birthplace of Celtic Christianity, and ancient burial ground of Scottish Kings. Here we can visit the historic abbey with its intricate carved crosses in the churchyard, or explore rocky headlands and sandy coves.
There’s an opportunity to take a small boat for an optional trip to the island of Staffa and view the dramatic basalt columns immortalised by Mendelssohn in his Hebridean Overture “Fingal’s Cave”. (Staffa trip costs approx GBP £40, payable locally). We then return on the ferry to Oban for our second night.
Overnight – Oban
The view from the front steps of the B&B where we are staying. The second B, the Breakfast part is stretching it a little since we get a small box of a few cold things to eat in our rooms.
On the ferry to Mull. The program says we’re going to explore dramatic coastlines and wild beauty, and it was gorgeous, but mostly a long drive to the next ferry that took us to Iona.
Lismore Lighthouse that appears on many souvenirs.
Arriving at Iona with our first view of the legendary Abbey, founded by St Columba in 563.
We decided not to do the extra boat ride to Staffa, 50 minutes there and 50 minutes back in rough water on a small boat for one hour at the island, Everyone who went was glad for the experience and everyone who didn’t go was glad to be feeling well. Iona is a small village with a few shops and most importantly catering to the pilgrims coming to the Abbey.
From wikipedia = “The Iona Nunnery was an Augustine convent of nuns in the Inner Hebrides. It was established sometime after the foundation of the nearby Benedictine monastery in 1203 by Ranald, son of Somerled. Bethóc, daughter of Somerled, and sister of Ranald, was first prioress. The ruins of the nunnery stand in a peaceful precinct adjacent to Iona’s main (and only) village, Baile Mor. They form the most complete remains of a medieval nunnery extant in Scotland. After the Reformation, the priory was dissolved and reduced to a ruin.”
Several hotels on the island advertise their organic gardens. You can see large greenhouses in the background.
Dunsmeorach, a historic property that served as the private family home of Lorna and the Reverend George MacLeod. I like how this path looks.
This Abbey’s claim to fame. “Iona Abbey (and its adjacent historic cemetery, Reilig Odhráin) is traditionally reputed to be the final resting place of roughly 60 kings, including 48 ancient Scottish monarchs, 8 Norwegian kings, and 4 Irish kings, though specific individual graves from the early medieval period are no longer identifiable.”
The Abbey from the site of the burial grounds.
Another WOW, one of the harpists we saw at the Fringe is here to play a concert!
We are back on Mull, heading home, to find The Three Lochs situated in the glen of Glen More. The three individual lochs are:
- Loch an Eilein (the farthest loch in the background)
- Loch Sguabain (often referenced locally or maps as Loch Ellen, the middle loch)
- Loch Àirde Glais (the closest loch in the foreground)
We had four ferry rides this day. Oban to Mull to Iona to Mull to Oban.
Duart Castle, a magnificent 13th-century clifftop fortress located on the Isle of Mull.
