This twelve-day pilgrimage provides a deep dive into the Scottish roots of the Presbyterian Church as well as its contemporary expression in the Church of Scotland. Pilgrims will also connect with the contemporary Iona community in Glasgow and on Iona. Highlights include Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Isle of Iona with its evocative abbey, and key Celtic sites in Kilmartin Glen and Lindisfarne. Itinerary is representative and is subject to change based on guide and site availability. 

Travel insurance is available from Trawick International during the registration process, or up to 48 hours before departure.

• You should be able to walk, with luggage, for up to half a mile on uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.

• On most days, you will be out of the hotel between 9am and 5pm, with breaks along the way and some free time to rest.

• You should be able to walk 12,000 steps per day and stand while listening to our professional guides

• You should be able to sleep in hotels located in city centers, which may have road noise. Air conditioning in Europe is less effective than in the US and may not cool your room as much as you're used to back home.

• You should, after a brief orientation, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.

Pilgrims depart from Dulles International Airport on United flight 978 at 10:25pm, arriving in Edinburgh at 10:35am +1. Flight numbers and schedule are subject to airline changes.

We arrived in Edinburgh this morning and leave directly for Glasgow. After lunch (included), we’ll visit Govan Church, home of the Govan Stones – carved stones, crosses, and sarcophagi dating to the Viking period in Scotland. We’ll check into our hotel in the mid-afternoon, giving you some free time before our opening dinner (included). Overnight at Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow. 

We’ll get a slightly later start today, giving you a chance to rest after your travel and first day in Scotland. We’ll start in the mid morning with a walking tour around Glasgow, including St. Mungo’s (Glasgow Cathedral), George Square, and other sites of interest. After touring, you’ll have the afternoon and evening free to explore Glasgow and enjoy lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight at Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow. 

Today we will visit one of the oldest remnants of human activity on the British Isles: Kilmartin Glen with over 350 monuments, standing stones, stone circles, cairns, and an ancient fort. Leaving Glasgow in the morning, we’ll arrive in Kilmartin Glen before lunch. We’ll start at the museum for an orientation to the site and to explore the exhibits. We’ll have lunch together (included). Then a local guide will provide interpretation while your spiritual guide will provide moments for reflection and meditation. We’ll depart in the late afternoon, arriving in Oban in time for dinner. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at Premier Inn Hotel, Oban.

After breakfast, we board the ferry to Mull, then journey across the Isle of Mull before taking a second ferry to Iona. Upon arriving on Iona, our luggage will be transferred to our hotel. You will have free time to enjoy lunch (on your own) before re-gathering for an orientation of the island and a mini-retreat to set the tone for your time on the island. Dinner is included. Overnight at St. Columba Hotel, Iona.

We start our day with worship at the Iona Abbey. Following worship, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Abbey, Nunnery, and village. After lunch (included), our guide will lead a nature walk towards the south end of the island, discussing the natural history, geography, and geology of the island and the region. Dinner is included at St. Columba Hotel, Iona.

This morning we'll join the Iona Community for their Sunday worship at Iona Abbey. After worship, the day is yours to explore Iona. You’re welcome to spend more time at the Abbey for prayer or reflection, to gather in small groups to share your experiences, hike, or play a round of golf, or journey to Staffa to visit Fingal’s Cave and see some puffins. We'll regather for dinner (included) at the St. Columba. Overnight at St. Columba Hotel, Iona.

Today, we repeat our arrival travels in reverse, leaving Iona on a small ferry, traveling across the Isle of Mull, crossing from Craignure to Oban, and boarding our private coach for Edinburgh. We’ll stop along the way at Glencoe, site of the Massacre of Glencoe, and lunch (on your own). We’ll arrive in Edinburgh in the late afternoon, giving pilgrims time to settle into their hotels and make their own plans for dinner. Overnight at Apex Grassmarket Hotel, Edinburgh.

Today we depart Edinburgh to explore the borderlands, home to many saints and stories of Celtic faith. Tides permitting, we’ll arrive on the Holy Island, Lindisfarne, in the mid morning. Lindisfarne was founded by St. Aidan, who was from St. Columba’s monastery on Iona. Lindisfarne was home to St. Finan, St. Eata, St. Colman, and St. Cuthbert, with other famous monks studying on the isolated island. We’ll connect with members of the Community of Aidan and Hilda, or with a local expert on the island’s religious history. Lunch is on your own. Our departure back to Edinburgh depends on the tides, so other activities are TBD. Dinner (on your own) and overnight at Apex City of Edinburgh

We’ll begin with a walking tour of the Royal Mile, including the exterior of the John Knox House, John Knox’s grave, and St. Giles Cathedral. We’ll take in the noontime service at St. Giles before breaking for lunch. After lunch (on your own) we’ll visit Edinburgh Castle. A portion of this visit is guided, but you will have time to explore the castle independently. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at Apex City of Edinburgh.

Today, we’ll start with a visit to Greyfriars Church in the Grassmarket. Greyfriars is a congregation that continues to actively seek their call to serve their neighbors, most visibly through the Grassmarket Community Project. We’ll meet with a member of the clergy and a representative of the Grassmarket project, and enjoy lunch at the Grassmarket Cafe, one of the social enterprises founded by the church. After our visit and lunch, you will have the balance of the afternoon to explore Edinburgh. We’ll regather in the evening for our closing worship and dinner (included). Overnight at Apex City of Edinburgh

The group departs Edinburgh today at 12:30pm on United 979 to Dulles, arriving at 3:35pm. Flight numbers and schedule are subject to airline changes.