The Holy, Holy Isle

With the unpredictable weather and the need to take two ferries, we have not been able to reach Iona until yesterday. It's strange, but the people in the ferry ticket offices are quick to say that the ferries have been cancelled. But in reality they are running. We just went to the terminal and asked to get on yesterday morning and we were squeezed on by the crew.

The first leg takes you from Oban to the Isle Mull. That part is about an hour. We then have to drive across Mull to Fiornphort, about 1 and 1/2 hours, to catch the little 10 minute crossing to Iona. The road is single track and takes you through highland like country which is golden brown. Thanks to John and Von for that picture.

It was grey but dry on the way over.

Iona, THE Holy Isle, is very small and exists pretty much for the Abbey. We had left without breakfast so lunch happened first. Then the walk over grassland to the spot where St Columba built his first church as a Holy site to uphold the Christian faith.

It was very blowy by now and we were bundled up and head down as we approached.

This structure has been added to and replaced since the 500's AD. So it is a mixture of 1100 to 1800 with subtle signs of the older still to be seen. 

 The church is still in use by the local people and as such is protected in some areas. 

 The cloisters are intact from the 1100 era. They are a lovely peaceful place that the monks used for their work and quiet reflection.

The two main crosses are in the little museum and are the oldest relics of the abbey. The first is St Oran's Cross, the first high cross. And St John's, the first ringed cross. Both from the 700's. The Isle was a great centre of learning and writing. The Book of Kells, which we saw in Dublin 3 years ago, was written here. As it became more populated, it became target for those pesky Vikings. Frequent attacks by those guys caused the Abbey to disperse about 1000 years ago. In the 1100's the Benedictines moved onto the site and rebuilt.

Just being there was such a moving experience. We spent about 2 hours, each on our own, just looking and thinking of the history and the work of these early saints.