Itinerary Sacred Sites of Scotland June 12th - June 24th 2011 (13 days)

Experience The Sacred Power Sites of Scotland and Celtic Spirituality.

Experience the incredible rugged beauty! This unique land inspires the imagination. You travel by coach and ferry to the isolated lands of the Sacred Isle of Iona, Isle of Skye, Arran, Whithorn, Kilmartin Valley, Callanish Stone Circle, Findhorn, Clava Stone Circle, and the sacred valley of Glenlyon. Here we meet Barry Dunford the author of The Holy Land of Scotland and Vision of Albion, The Key to the Holy Grail. You Experience Whithorn, St Ninian's chapel, Whithorn Priory and the Peter stone. You visit the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, the Grampian Mountains and Scone. You will delight in the mix of stunning landscapes and mountains, as we quest this sacred land.

Barry Dunford has written two books and an illustrated DVD based on the books (for sale in our online store!). Here is an excerpt from his DVD, with some fascinating information about some of the places in Scotland we will visit.

June 12th -  Sunday - Day 1:

We have an early morning arrival at Glasgow Airport , where your coach will be waiting for an 8 AM departure on our adventure. We visit Whithorn, St Ninian's chapel, Whithorn Priory and the Peter stone. We experience the Whithorn peninsular and tune in at the Torhouse stone circle, Drumtrodden standing stones and other ancient local sites.
Overnight in Whithorn.

June 13th & 14th– Monday/Tuesday - Day 2/3:

This morning we continue to enjoy the sites of Whithorn and in mid afternoon we travel to Arran and the The Holy Isle, located in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of central Scotland, inside Lamlash Bay on the larger island of Arran.The island is around 2 miles long and around half a mile wide. Its highest point is the hill of Mullach Mor.The island has a long history as a sacred place, with a spring said to have healing properties, the 6th Century monk Saint Molaise hermits cave, and evidence of a 13th Century monastery. Indeed the earlier Gaelic name for the island was Eilean Molaise, Molaise's Island. This became corrupted to Elmolaise, Limolas, and finally Lamlash the name now associated with the adjacent bay and town.

It is now owned by the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community, who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The settlements on the island include the Centre for World Peace and Health, founded by Lama Yeshe Losal,  on the north of the island. We will visit this Centre, weather and tides permitting.

In the afternoon we experience Arran sacred site, Machrie Moor and its magnificent collection of Stone Circles, Standing Stones and Cairn.
We spend two nights at our hotel on Arran.

June 15th – Wednesday -Day 4:

We have an early morning departure from Arran for Kilmartin Glen. You experience the very important Celtic sites of Kilmartin including Temple Wood Stone Circle. Then we travel on to Oban where we catch the ferry to Mull/Iona.

We spend two nights at our hotel (dinner at the hotel).

June 16th – Thursday - Day 5:

We spend a full day on Iona, Saint Columba's holy island. Iona is often referred to as 'The Cradle of Christianity in Scotland'. Here you will experience attunements on the sacred sites and have time to embrace the area. We explore the Abbey, Nunnery and Saint Martin's cross. Optionally in the afternoon, you may wish to unwind or take a boat to Fingal's Cave on nearby Staffa Island.
We return to our hotel for dinner.

June 17th – Friday - Day 6:

We take an early morning ferry from Mull , a silent island of panoramic views as you journey by ferry to the mainland. We experience a beautiful drive via the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle, over the Skye Road Bridge and on to Uig for dinner.
We overnight at our hotel in UIG.

June 18th – Saturday - Day 7:

We take the morning ferry from Uig to Tarbert in the Outer Hebridies where you experience the powerful Callanish stone circle, 'The Stonehenge of the North', dating back to 3000BC. The layout of the stones is unique and looks like a Celtic cross.
We also visit the two satellite stone circles adjacent to Callanish.

We overnight in Stornoway.

June 19th – Sunday - Day 8:

We continue to enjoy Stornoway and its sights. We experience the essence of the Scottish Isles. Our ferry departs Stornoway to Ullapool. Upon arrival we transfer to Inverness where we will overnight.

June 20th – Monday - Day 9:

We journey to the Clava Cairns ancient burial and initiation temple. In the afternoon you visit Findhorn for a guided tour of the community and the world famous vegetable gardens. Thirty seven years ago three people, who believed they were brought together by divine inspiration, founded it. You journey through the scenic and dramatic Grampian Mountains and Scone to Fortingall.
We spend two nights at our hotel near Fortingall.

June 21st & 22nd – Tuesday/Wednesday - Day 10/11:

We meet Barry Dunford. With Barry, our local guide, we experience Fortingall in the very heart of Scotland steeped in Celtic myth and legend.

Central to the area is Glenlyon which is 32 miles long, the longest and one of the most beautiful and dramatic glens in Scotland.

You experience many sacred sites all within a 20 mile radius of Glenlyon:

	The Croft Moraig (Field of Mary) megalithic stone circle, believed to date from around 3000 B.C.
	The "Praying Hands of Mary", a megalithic standing stone in Glenlyon which is on an earth energy alignment, or leyline, with the Croft Moraig stone circle.
	The holy mountain Schiehallion which translates from the gaelic as "the Fairy Hill of the Caledonians". Strange tales are told about this awe inspiring mountain of quartz crystal.
	The famous Fortingall yew tree, the oldest tree in Europe, believed to be about 5,000 years old.
	The St. Mary's grail chapel with a remarkable heraldic mural painted on its barrel roof ceiling which displays amazing and unique hidden symbolism.

In the late afternoon we journey through the scenic and dramatic landscape to Edinburgh where we will overnight.

June 23rd – Thursday - Day 12:

Today, we visit the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel. We explore and meditate on the mysteries of the Essenic Jerusalem Temple scrolls, said to be buried here. In the afternoon, you travel to the beautiful Melrose Abbey founded by Saint Aiden in 660AD. Melrose is also the burial place of Robert the Bruce's heart.
We journey to Glasgow Airport where you overnight and we have our farewell dinner.

June 24th – Friday - Day 13:

We bid farewell to Scotland and transfer to Glasgow airport for our homeward journey grateful for all that we experienced.

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Purchase: 13 Day Tour June 12th - June 24th 2011

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