Sacred Britain Tours | Highlands and Islands of Scotland

<BODY> <H1><A HREF="scotland1.html">A Sacred Celtic Pilgrimage to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland</A></H1> <H3>June 2nd-13th 2009</H3> <P CLASS="sansmed">Plus a special visit to Rosslyn Chapel <BR>of <B>Da Vinci Code</B> fame</P> <BR><BR> <P><I>Scotland appeals to our soul, and the Highlands and Western Isles particularly so.</I></P> <P><I>Names like Iona, the Isles of Skye, Mull and Arran all conjure images of a mythical Celtic landscape imbued with some special ethereal quality we want to experience.</I></P> <P><I>The royal city of Edinburgh, Rosslyn Chapel and Loch Ness, shrouded in mystery and legends of former times, entice us to want to explore the deeper mysteries.</I></P> <BR> <P>Join us in exploring the energetic sacred sites set within the stunning natural beauty of 'Bonnie Scotland'. This is an experiential journey where we spend quality time at each site to truly get a feel for the presence of each place.</P> <P>We will sometimes conduct ceremony honouring the ancestors of this land and connecting to the Spirit of Place. With this attitude a door is opened that allows healing to occur. This will also be a fun and dramatic journey as we share laughter and experiences and take the local ferry-boats during the Islands section of the tour.</P> <P>We start our adventure in the capital of Scotland, the Royal city of <B>Edinburgh</B>. Visit the historic sites such as the castle or get a feel for modern-day life in this great city. On our first full day we will have a special guided tour of <B>Rosslyn Chapel</B> with its many secrets. Our guide will help us uncover some of these secrets as we are immersed in the energies of this special atmospheric <B>Knights Templar</B> sanctuary. She will also take us to <B>Gilmerton Cove</B> to explore a little-known network of passages under the main street.</P> <P>Then we're off to the stunning beauty of the <B>Central Highlands</B>. The truly ancient guardian <B>Fortingall Yew Tree</B> welcomes us into the magical <B>Glen Lyon</B> valley which is watched over by the spirit of <I>Mount Shiehallion</I>. Our local guide will take us to the most powerful sacred sites in the area and explain their importance within the locality and the country as a whole. For those who like a 'wee dram' there is the chance to visit a local distillery and sample 'spirit' of another kind.</P> <P>Venturing further north we take lunch by the banks of <B>Loch Ness</B>. Then we leave the mainland and take our first ferry over to the <B>Isle of Lewis</B> in the Outer Hebrides. Here the elegant stones of <B>Callanish</B>'s main stone circle stand proud like a neolithic cathedral amidst the island's raw beauty and are often referred to as 'Scotland's Stonehenge' and for good reason because this 5,000 year old temple/observatory is awe-inspiring.</P> <P>We will get an understanding of life through the centuries as we visit a <I>broch</I>, a sturdy communal dwelling from 2,000 years ago, a <I>black house</I> typical of those lived in by peasant farmers since Viking times, a 20th century <I>white house</I> and <B>Dunvegan Castle</B>, which has been the home of the MacLeod Clan chief for the past 800 years.</P> <P>Our journey south involves island-hopping by local ferry boats and takes us through the <B>Isles of Skye</B>, <B>Mull</B>, <B>Iona</B> and <B>Arran</B>, stopping at a variety of sites along the way. Iona Abbey with its acoustic chapel, the exquisite Nunnery gardens and the six stone circles on Mull's <B>Machrie Moor</B> will all touch us in profound ways.</P> <P>We'll also return to the mainland to discover the charming fishing port of <B>Oban</B>, known as 'the gateway to the islands'. We take some time to explore some of the special powerful places in the sacred <B>Kilmartin Valley</B>.</P> <P>As our journey draws to a close we remember the holy wells, stone circles, faery glens, chambered cairns, serpent mound, abbey, chapel, castle, underground passages, gardens, lochs, glens, mountains, islands, ocean, ferries, pub, tea rooms, chocolate shop, friendships, laughter and insights!</P> <P CLASS="sans">This tour is being co-led by Glenn and Cameron Broughton and <A HREF="experts.html" TARGET="_top">Rev Karyl Huntley</A>.</P> <BR> <P ALIGN="right" CLASS="sansbig"><A HREF="scotland-itin.html" TARGET="_top">Click here for the itinerary for this tour</A>  </P> </BODY>