St Columba’s Argyll & Iona Tour & Walk on Private Adventures

Itinerary for St Columba’s Argyll & Iona Tour & Walk in private groups.

3/4 day option

St Columba’s cave and picnic on the beach and onto some atmospheric Celtic chapel ruins with finely engraved stone slabs.

Dunnadd Hill Fort - epicentre of the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada.

Kilmartin Glen with its prehistoric cairns, standing stones and cup and ring markers.

Ferry to Mull and drive across the south of the island to reach the ferry to Iona.

Iona Abbey and the iconic high crosses - Augustinian nunnery - tombs of ancient kings and more.

Walk to Bay of the Coracles over to the south end of Iona.

Drive to Lochbuie, ranking among Mull’s finest scenic places and certainly unspoilt. Walk to a medieval castle, an ancient stone circle and a chapel.

Check out the ‘Celtic Retreat’ tab if interested in the early Celtic Christian tradition.

Itinerary for St Columba’s Argyll & Iona Tour & Walk in small groups

7 Days

Although the theme is about connecting with the places associated with Scotland’s apostle and telling his story, we’ll explore regions rich in scenic beauty and tranquillity and a culture steeped in pagan history. This journey explores the quiet and beautiful Argyll and some of its islands including Mull and Iona, then ferrying on to mainland at Ardnamurchan, by which time we’ll have seen half of the exceptional west coast of Scotland. Via Scotland’s ancient trade route, The Great Glen, we’ll travel the shores of Loch Ness to Inverness, before heading south back to base by the Cairngorm mountains.

Additional things experienced on this longer tour.

Drive to the ferry to cross over to Ulva for walks through the woods and along the coast to appreciate the rural history and geology of the island.

Walk the sands of Calgary Bay.

Drive up to Tobermory and ferry across to the Ardnamurchan peninsula.

Visit Castle Tioram on a tidal island and walk through the beautiful Caledonian pine forests along the shores of Loch Moidart with a picnic lunch.

Visit the Church of St Mary & St Fillan in what has to be a contender for the most beautiful setting of any church in Scotland. Option to visit the Jacobite exhibition at Glenfinnan.

Walk up Glen Nevis to see a spectacular gorge and waterfalls.

Up the Great Glen along the quiet eastern shore of Loch Ness.

Walk to the Falls of Foyers in an impressive steep gorge and set in Caledonian pine woods.

Climb to the hill fort at Craig Phadrig where Columba had a confrontation with the king of the Picts.

Visit Rosemarkie on the Black Isle visit the Groam museum with spectacular Pictish stones and a short jaunt up the delightful Fairy Glen with its attractive waterfall.

Drive to sleepy Cromarty, caught in a time capsule, and walk its streets, vennels and harbour

Drive south to the Cairngorms. Walk to look down upon Loch an Eilean through beautiful pine forests.

Over the Drumochter Pass to Pitlochry with a stop to visit the Cathedral town of Dunkeld and a riverside walk to the Hermitage. Grading: Easy round walk of 1km along the level.

Check on ‘The Retreat’ tab if you’re interested in the early Celtic Christian movement