Sacred Scotland
featuring the Ancient Islands of Orkney and Iona
with Kathleen McGowan
September 22 to October 5, 2022

This tour is now SOLD OUT

 
Scotland is one of the most untouched regions in the western world, which means it has been able to retain its mythical past. From Rosslyn Chapel to the magical island of Iona, Scotland has thrilled millions of people over several millennia, yet it still feels “untouristed” and pure. On our 2022 journey to Sacred Scotland, you will be guided to this land’s most sacred sites, both ancient and modern, and we will step into the footsteps of William Wallace, the Celtic initiates, those who entered the Celtic Fairy Realm, and many more legendary and historical figures.

We will visit locations from Kathleen’s books, where humans entered the fairy world – and vice versa – and where the veil is still very thin between our world and the Otherworld.

Your Host on the journey is:

Kathleen McGowan
International bestselling author of The Magdalene Line series, including The Expected One and The Book of Love, both inspired by her own adventures and experiences in Europe for almost twenty years, and The Ballad of Tam Lim, a retelling of a Scottish faery tale. An expert on the early Christian and Celtic traditions, in which she was raised, Kathleen will take you to many of the locations which have inspired her previous and current books. We will visit the locations from this book, where humans entered the fairy world – and vice versa – and where the veil is still very thin between our world and the Otherworld. Don’t wander off!

Sacred Scotland Tour Includes:

• 13 nights accommodations
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Daily breakfast
• 4 lunches
• 12 dinners with wine
• Guided sightseeing including entrance fees
• Transportation throughout Scotland
  

Tour Highlights:

• “Welcome to Scotland” dinner
• Visits to Skara Brae, the Circles of Stennes and Ring of Brodgar in Orkney
• The Fairy Glen in Rosemarkie
• The prehistoric burial site at Clava Cairns
• 3 days in Iona, one of the most sacred and mystical locations in the world
• Visit the Rob Roy country of Loch Lomond
• Merlin’s Caledonian Forest in the Trossachs National Park
• Edinburgh sightseeing tour
• Visit The Rhymer Stone near the Eildon Hills
• Rosslyn Chapel, the magical chapel just outside of Edinburgh.
• A Ghost Walk through Edinburgh
• “Farewell to Scotland” pub dinner

SCOTLAND TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1- Thursday, September 22: Arrive Inverness (D)
Arrival in Inverness and proceed on your own to our reserved hotel accommodations. After time to freshen up, we will join Kathleen for our Welcome to Scotland dinner at our hotel

Day 2-Friday, September 23: To Orkney (B/D)
Today we travel via Scrabster north up the rugged north-east coast and take a ferry to the Islands of Orkney. In this timeless place, where the quality of the light and the air are so special, we feel on the edge of the world. The islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years, originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribe and is home to some of the best-preserved ancient sites in Europe – stone circles, earth houses, round barrows and prehistoric villages that reveal to us a simple but noble way of life in ancient times. Overnight and dinner in Orkney

Day 3-Saturday, September 24: In Orkney. Visit the historic village of Skara Brae (B/D)
This morning we visit the windswept prehistoric village of Skara Brae. The Neolithic settlement is one of the best-preserved groups of prehistoric houses in Western Europe. Uncovered by a storm in 1850, Skara Brae gives a remarkable picture of life 5,000 years ago, Skara Brae was inhabited before the Egyptian pyramids were built, and flourished for centuries before construction began at Stonehenge. We will explore this prehistoric village and see ancient homes fitted with stone beds, dressers and seats as we marvel at the exquisite stonework within the mound and view the runic art etched into the pillars of the chamber. After lunch, we will have some free time to explore the village. But it is not its age alone that makes it so remarkable and so important. It is the degree to which it has been preserved. The structures of this semi-subterranean village survive in impressive condition. Nowhere else in northern Europe are we able to see such rich evidence of how our remote ancestors actually lived. Dinner at our hotel this evening.

Day 4-Sunday, September 25: In Orkney (Stone Circles of Stennes & Ring of Brodgar (B/D)
After breakfast, we Step back in time over 5000 years at what may be the earliest Henge monument in the British Isles. The enormous Stones of Stenness are all that remains of a great stone circle on an ancient ceremonial site. Today they consist of four upright stones up to about 18 feet in height in a circle that originally held 12 stones. The focus of the interior was a large hearth. The stones were originally encircled by a large ditch and bank. After lunch, we continue our exploration with a walk among the enigmatic stones of one of the most spectacular prehistoric monuments in the British Isles. The Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle and Henge is an enormous ceremonial site dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. The Ring of Brodgar comprises:

• A massive stone circle, originally consisting of 60 stones – 36 survive today
• At least 13 prehistoric burial mounds
• A large rock-cut ditch surrounding the stone circle

The Scottish geologist Hugh Miller, visiting in 1846, wrote that the stones “look like an assemblage of ancient druids, mysteriously stern and invincibly silent and shaggy.” Return to our for dinner and our overnight.

Day 5-Monday, September 26: To Rosemarkie and Inverness (B/L/D)
We board our ferry from Orkney to Scrabster where we meet our coach and continue south with a stop in Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, where we follow a stream through an enchanted wooded glen, with two beautiful waterfalls. The Fairy Glen was once the scene of a well- dressing ceremony, where the children of the village decorated a pool, next to a spring, with flowers. This was said to ensure that the fairies kept the water supply clean. The village is well-known for the Pictish stones that have been found there, both fragmentary and complete. These stones are housed in Groam House Museum, which we will visit. Rosemarkie was the local center of religion, and pilgrims came from all over the country to visit its St. Boniface’s shrine. We will have a packed lunch and then continue to Inverness with a late afternoon arrival. Overnight and dinner at our hotel.

Day 6-Tuesday, September 27: To Clava Cairns and Oban (B/L/D)
We leave Inverness to visit Clava Cairns, the site of an exceptionally well-preserved group of prehistoric burial cairns that were built about 4,000 years ago and we discover one of Scotland’s most evocative prehistoric sites – the exceptional remains of an ancient cemetery, set on a terrace above the River Nairn. The cemetery remained a sacred place in the landscape for millennia, and provides many clues to the beliefs of Bronze Age society. We will enjoy a pub lunch before we take the ferry to Oban for dinner and our overnight

Day 7-Wednesday, September 28: To Iona (B/L/D)
After breakfast we depart for Mull, home of the storied MacLean clan – Kathleen’s maternal ancestors. We also make a stop in Dervaig to visit the Kilmore Church. Continue to Fionnphort where we take the passenger ferry for the short ride to Iona, one of the most sacred and mystical locations in the world. Before Christianity, it was the heart of the Druid religion; afterwards, it became the center of Celtic Christianity. We have a packed lunch before arrival. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 8-Thursday, September 29: In Iona (B/D)
Today, we start our touring with a visit its famous abbey, the holy mountain of the druids, its holy wells, the Druid’s Cell and St Columba’s Bay where people collected green stones. We will also make a trip to nearby Staffa, to see the magical Fingal’s Cave, an entrance into the otherworld which artists have continuously fallen in love with. Weather and sea conditions permitting, there will be a boat trip around Iona for sunset followed by dinner at our hotel.

Day 9-Friday, September 30: In Iona (B/D)
A full day at leisure to explore the island and be completely absorbed by its magic. For many centuries, Iona has been an island of special significance for all Christians. In AD 563, Columba and his followers arrived here from Ireland to spread the gospel in Scotland and the north of England. The restored medieval abbey continues to hold daily services today and St Oran’s Chapel and Reilig Odhram is reputed to be the burial place of 48 kings of Scotland, including Macbeth. There are many sites to visit in this timeless land such as St Columba’s Chapel and the 12th century Nunnery. Dinner at our hotel.

Day 10-Saturday, October 1: To Loch Lomond (B/D)
After breakfast we re-board our ferry and leave for Fairy Knowe and Doon Hill. Here legend recalls the Scottish mystic Rev. Robert Kirk was stolen away by the Fairy Queen after spending his adult life cataloguing fairy activity in the Scottish Classic “The Secret Commonwealth.” We visit the graveyard of his reputed burial and have a light lunch in Aberfoyle. We journey to Loch Lomond via Rob Roy Country, the land of the “Scottish Robin Hood” celebrated in a classic work by Sir Water Scott. Overnight and dinner at our in spectacular Loch Lomond area.

Day 11-Sunday, October 2: To Edinburgh (B/D)
As we depart Loch Lomond for Edinburgh, we make a stop at the Trossachs National Park, where parts of the ancient Caledonian Forest can be found. Here, according to legend, Merlin ran wild for 30 years after a battle where the last Pagan king of Britain, and all of Merlin’s friends and relations, were slaughtered. Continue to Edinburgh and check into our hotel.

Day 12-Monday, October 3: In Edinburgh (B)
After breakfast, we explore Edinburgh, making our way up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle, the great medieval fortress that dominates the city. Built upon a sacred rock in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, we will explore its rich history. The Castle also hosts the famous Stone of Destiny, the legendary stone on which Jacob had a vision of angels, and which Scotia, a daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti brought from Egypt to Ireland. We will then make our way to Holyrood Palace at the foot of the Royal Mile, visiting the Queen’s Scottish residence, which saw so much Scottish history and is one of the more haunted places in the world. This was the home of Mary Queen of Scots, and her presence is felt heavily within these walls. Next to it is Holyrood Abbey, named after the “Holy Rood,” a piece of the True Cross that was held here for centuries. Return to our hotel where you have the balance of the day  to explore the city on your own and indulge in some of its fascinating shopping around Princes and George Street. Lunch and dinner on your own this evening to enjoy some of the town’s wonderful restaurants.

Day 13-Tuesday, October 4: In Edinburgh (B/L/D)
We start our day as we make our way to Rosslyn Chapel, the magical chapel just outside of Edinburgh. For years, the small and enigmatic chapel has featured in a number of publications, especially  The Da Vinci Code, but also in many non-fiction books. Kathleen’s “Berenger Sinclair” was inspired by the family that built this chapel and has remained the chapel and nearby castle’s owners. There are hundreds of magical carvings, art work and so much more that will initiate us into the true history and purpose of this sanctuary. After lunch at a local pub, we continue into the Borders, one of the great unspoiled regions of Western Europe, for an afternoon visit to the land of Tam Lin and Thomas the Rhymer. Both stories speak of a time when the otherworld was still very much accessible and people frequently had encounters with the fairies – on occasion, some of these otherworldly denizens took earthly men to their realm, only to find out that returning to our dimension was not the easiest of options! We will visit The Rhymer Stone near the Eildon Hills, the place where Thomas entered the otherworld, as well as Tam Lin Forest and its famous well, where Tam Lin disappeared with the Fairy Queen. We will tour the current Bow Hill Estate, the private garden and park that retains some of the spectacular trees and plants that grow here. Return to Edinburgh. Later in the evening, be prepared to experience Edinburgh’s most historically fascinating stories. The evening begins with a stroll through the dark closes and wynds of Old Town Edinburgh, before descending into the haunted Blair Street Underground Vaults. Finally, we’ll retire to a candlelit cellar for a dram of Scotch whisky and an intimate evening of ghostly storytelling.The air filled with cries and taunts, and a crowd of thousands baying for the blood of two men. Venture down medieval closes and descend into the haunted Blair Street Underground Vaults of Edinburgh on this ghost tour. Your cloaked Storyteller will lead you through the dimly lit caverns. Afterwards, time to “catch your breath” with a farewell dinner and a glass of wine (or beer) at a local pub before returning to our hotel for our overnight. 

Day 14-Wednesday, October 5: Tour Ends in Edinburgh (B)
After breakfast, you make your way independently to the airport for your flight home.

 Hotels (or similar):

• Inverness: Penta Hotel (1 night)
• Orkney: Orkney Hotel (3 nights)
• Inverness: Penta Hotel (1 night)
• Orban: Columbia Hotel (1 night)
• Iona: Argyll (3 nights)*
• Loch Lomand Area: Buchanan Arms Hotel (1 night)
• Edinburgh: Kimpton Charlotte Square (3 nights)

*We have a limited allotment at the Argyll Hotel and the overflow will be accommodated at nearby B & Bs, with dinners taken with the group at the Argyll

Please read the Terms and Conditions for this program.

** Bonus! SAVE! You will receive a 5% discount if ALL payments are made by check or money order. These discounted prices are noted in red.

*Special No Interest + No Payments for 6 Months Plan Now Available!
Body Mind Spirit Journeys now offers the “PayPal Credit” Plan (Click here for details)

PRICING

ALL INCLUSIVE PRICES FOR 14 DAYS (LAND ONLY)

Price Per Person
Per Person Double Occupancy $5,999 by check, $6,319  by credit card
Per Person Single Occupancy $6,999 by check, $7,369  by credit card

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS

ALUMNI SPECIAL DISCOUNT (For Previous Passengers on Kathleen’s International Tours)
Per Person Double Occupancy $5,849 by check, $6,159  by credit card
Per Person Single Occupancy $6,849 by check, $6,999  by credit card

COUPLES SPECIAL DISCOUNT (Price Per Couple–Please note this refers to two people sharing ONE bed)
Per Couple Double Occupancy: $11,698 by check, $12,328  by credit card

ALUMNI COUPLES SPECIAL DISCOUNT (Price Per Couple–Please note this refers to two people sharing ONE bed)
Per Couple Double Occupancy: $11,598 by check, $12,209  by credit card

Post Tour Optional stay at the Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel in Edinburgh
(Rate Per Night and includes breakfast & taxes)
Per Person Double Occupancy: $159 by check, $169 by credit card
Per Person Single Occupancy: $279 by check, $293  by credit card

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

FIRST NON-REFUNDABLE PAYMENT (Due as soon as possible in order to ensure a place on the tour)
Per Person: $1,500 by check or money order, $1,579 by credit card

FINAL PAYMENT
BALANCES for payments is due on or before July 22, 2021 as per your invoice

There is a limited number of rooms and configurations available. If you are willing to share a room, please let us know and we will do our best to match you up with a roommate with advanced introductions.

After you register online you will automatically be re-directed for payment by mail-in check or securely online by credit, debit card or PayPal.

This tour is now SOLD OUT

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Air Reservations
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Jen will be happy to answer your questions and assist you in making your airline reservations to join your BMSJ Spiritual Journey.

Photo credits:

Rosemarkie waterfalls © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Dervaig church by shirokazan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Iona St. Martin’s cross by Colin Smith / Iona, St Martin’s Cross and the Abbey
Aberfoyle Main Street by  John McLeish, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Edinburgh Castle by Nacckers, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons