Saints and Sacred Places

A Pilgrimage to Scotland & Northern England

Led by:

The Rev. Mary Laymon
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Terrace Park, OH

May 22 – June 4, 2015

DAY 1: Friday, May 22, 2015 - Depart the Cincinnati Airport on United Airlines to Chicago O’Hare.  There we will transfer to our Aer Lingus trans-Atlantic flight into Dublin, Ireland where we connect to our flight into Glasgow, Scotland. M

DAY 2: Saturday, May 23, 2015 - We arrive at the Glasgow Airport where we will be met by our driver.  Our pilgrimage begins as we drive south along the coast of the Firth of Clyde on our way to the Torhouse Stone Circle.  We enjoy afternoon sconces and tea and have some time to get settled in before dinner and overnight in Newton Stewart. D

DAY 3: Sunday, May 24, 2015 - After breakfast we travel to the town of Whithorn to visit the archaeological dig where St. Ninian founded the first Celtic Christian community here in the 5th century.  On the nearby shore, hundreds of pilgrims have inscribed prayers on the rocks at St. Ninians Cave.  Here we will celebrate Holy Eucharist.  We visit the Cairn Holy, a 4,000 year old sacred site, and the Whithorn Trust where we learn more about the history of St. Ninian and Whithorn.  We continue to Galloway Forest Park, one of only four “Dark Sky Parks” in the western world and the only Dark Sky Park in the United Kingdom.  Once the sun sets on the three hundred square miles of rugged wilderness, we will be under the darkest sky in all of Europe.  We will stand in awe, wonder, and amazement at the vast universe which will be revealed above us.  We have the rare chance to witness shooting stars, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Aurora Borealis, and Stellar nurseries, where new suns of distant planets are born.  Dinner and overnight Newton Stewart. BD

DAY 4: Monday, May 25, 2015 - This morning our journey continues to Luss.  St. MacKessog brought Christianity to Luss in the ‘Dark Ages’.  We visit Luss Church and the church yard which includes simple cross-slabs which may date to as early as the 7th century AD.  After enjoying lunch in Luss, we continue to Oban, “little bay” in Gaelic.  We have the afternoon to shop and explore Oban on our own.  Dinner and overnight Oban. BD

DAYS 5 - 8: Tuesday, May 26 - Friday, May 29, 2015 - Retreat Days:  Iona and St. Columba:  We will be free to explore on our own.  Places that may be of interest are St. Oran’s Chapel, built in the 11th century, and surrounded by the Reilig Odhrain, the sacred burial ground which is said to contain the graves of 48 Scottish kings including that of Macbeth’s victim, Duncan.  We may visit Nunnery Church, the Church of St. Ronan, the Abbey, and St. Martin’s Cross which dates to the 8th century.  It is the finest High Cross in Scotland and is decorated on one side with the serpent-and-boss and on the other with Holy figures.  We can enjoy an optional boat ride to Staffa for a visit to the natural basalt beauty of Fingal’s Cave to see the many varieties of sea birds living here.  Each evening we are invited to join in community worship at the Abbey.  Dinner and overnight Iona. BD

DAY 9: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - Morning prayers and reflection before saying “goodbye” to Iona as we board the ferry back to the mainland.  From Oban, we travel into England heading toward Lindisfarne, known by many as Holy Island.  First, we will journey into Sir Walter Scott Country.  Dinner and overnight Berwick-upon-Tweed. BD

Note: Access to and from Lindisfarne is via a causeway and therefore governed by tides..

DAY 10: Sunday, May 31, 2015 - Lindisfarne:  St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert:  Today we meet with Graham Booth from the Community of Aidan and Hilda.  Graham will guide us as we begin our walk across the tidal causeway, the ancient route of pilgrims across the sand and mud flat from the mainland to Holy Island, Lindisfarne, with its Priory and Castle.  In 635 AD, St. Aidan came from Iona and chose to found his monastery on Lindisfarne, one of the most important early centers of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England.  The Christian message flourished here and spread throughout the world.  Dinner and overnight Lindisfarne. BD

Day 11: Monday, June 1, 2015 - We continue exploring Lindisfarne with Graham Booth.  During our time on the island we will enjoy a boat excursion to the Farne Islands.  The islands have strong links with Celtic Christianity and St. Cuthbert who lived on the islands as a hermit in the 7th century.  Pending confirmation we will visit the Northumbria Community.  Dinner and overnight Lindisfarne. BD

Day 12: Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - Today will be a quiet day to explore, relax or visit sites and have dinner on our own. B

Day 13: Wednesday, June 3, 2015 - We travel north today back into Scotland stopping along the way to see the beautiful border abbeys.  We visit Jedburgh Abbey, the most impressive of all the border abbeys.  We will continue to Melrose Abbey where St Cuthbert, who followed Aidan as one of the most beloved abbots of Lindisfarne, began his monastic life.  Melrose Abbey was once the richest abbey in Scotland and the location where the heart of Robert the Bruce is buried; and Rosslyn Chapel, dedicated to St. Matthew in 1446.  The chapel is known for the quality and variety of the stone carvings inside which cover almost every square inch of stonework.  The chapel is believed by many to be the burial place of the Holy Grail and was a featured location in the popular novel, The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown.  We continue to Edinburgh where we enjoy a “farewell to Scotland” dinner.  Overnight Edinburgh. BD

Day 14: Thursday, June 4, 2015 - We depart the Edinburgh Airport aboard Aer Lingus for our flight to Dublin.  There we will transfer to our flight into Chicago, O’Hare where we connect to our United Airlines flight to the Cincinnati Airport arriving in the afternoon. BM

Price: $5,459.00* .   Price based on double occupancy.  Pricing based on a minimum of 10 pilgrims. Air from Cincinati, OH.

* Pricing does not include airline taxes and fuel surcharges currently at $637.72 per pilgrim and subject to change until the tickets are issued.  The price is not guaranteed and may change upon confirmation of the air space and due to the fluctuation of the British Pound and the US dollar.  We make every effort to avoid any increase and will only do so if the value of the dollar falls against the British Pound.  Your pricing was based on the exchange rate of $1.57 to the British Pound.  Single supplement:  $689.00

Roommate needed. If a roommate cannot be found, I understand that I will be charged for the single supplement.

Optional activities, sites visited on free time and sites not listed in the itinerary are not included in the cost of the pilgrimage and are to be paid for at the time of your visit.

Tips for the driver and guide are NOT included.

Worldwide Pilgrimage Ministries provides the following basic travel insurance for you at no additional cost:
◊ Accident and Sickness Medical Expense    $50,000
◊ Common Carrier A D & D                              $25,000
◊ Trip Delay, Missed Connection                       $1,000
◊ Medical Evacuation/Repatriation                $250,000
◊ Baggage/Baggage Delay                        $1,500/$250
◊ Emergency Assistance

It is recommended that you purchase additional coverage.  Go to our website www.worldwidepilgrimage.com and click on Travelex Insurance to read the coverages and rules regarding existing conditions or call 800-228-9792 Location # 09-1983.  An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

A non-refundable deposit of $500.00 per person due with application and copy of passport.

Final payment due January 30, 2015

Terms and Conditions:
◊ 1. PRICES ARE CASH.  AMERICAN EXPRESS ACCEPTED FOR FINAL PAYMENT ONLY ADD'L 3%.
◊ 2. Names as on passport.  If name is incorrect and tickets reissued, $50 fee plus change fees from airline.
◊ 3. $100 deviation fee plus any additional airfare, hotel, tour or admission charges.

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until January 29, 2015: $500.00 plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ January 30, 2015 or later: NO REFUND

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, M Meals on Aircraft

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.