Trip to Scotland

[MacRobert's Reply]

On church history, Chaps, you could consider visiting Whithorn in Galloway where Ninian built his White House (Canada Casa) and evangelised the Southern Picts; Iona, where Columba (Com Cille) established his base for evangelising among the Northern Picts; Glasgow where Kentegern had his mission in the Kingdom of Strathclyde; Queensferry where Queen Margaret instituted her ferry for pilgrims traveling to Dunfermline and St Andrews; and nearby Inchcolm (the Iona of the East).

In the North of England you could visit Hilda's Whitby of Synod of Whitby fame; and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) where Aidan and Cuthbert evangelised among the Northumbrians and Mercians.

If you are passing through South Queensferry and I am around, I would be happy to be your free guide. PM me as and when.

[Chaps]

Thanks all for the information. And "MacRobert's Reply" thank you for the great leads with regard to church history and I will be in touch as I continue to plan the trip.

[Calgacus]

Not areas in which I have much expertise, but there's St. Andrews Cathedral, dominating the beautiful town of the same name-

http://www.visitscotland.com/info/se...hedral-p248231

...and Arbroath Abbey, historically significant, if not in quite such a pretty town.

http://www.visitscotland.com/info/se...-abbey-p247571

[ClanHanson]

I just returned from a 9 day trip to Scotland a few weeks ago. It's one of the greatest trips I've ever been on. I highly recommend going to the Isle of Skye and swinging through the highlands if you get the chance. Edinburgh is a great city, it's just too bad that the Royal Mile has turned into a Middle Eastern Bazaar. Hopefully Scottish officials crack down on that, because otherwise it's a fantastic city to explore! Good luck and have fun, but please don't buy Pakistani bagpipes like many tourists do...

[Dundonian.on.Islay]

Well if you're looking for whisky Islay is a good place, 'the queen of the hebrides' has 8 distilleries which all conduct distillery tours regularly, or if you visit in the last week of may theres the feis ile, where each distillery has an open day, as for church history, admittedly I don't know much about the religious side of things but theres is Kilarrow parish church known as the round church in Bowmore, theres also the Kildalton cross carved in the later half of the 8th century and a few other places.

Heres a wee link with info about Islay,

Www.islayinfo.com

[cessna152towser]

If you are into churches you really need to include the south of Scotland.
Scottish Borders has Jedburgh, Melrose, Dryburgh and Kelso Abbeys, all of which are cared for by Historic Scotland, and if you are on a walking holiday these are linked by the Four Abbeys Way. Or you could walk St. Cuthbert's Way and cross into England and over the causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne with its Lindisfarne Priory and St. Mary's Chapel.
Dumfries has Lincluden Collegiate Church and Sweetheart Abbey.
The south of the country is something of a drought area for production of single malt whiskies, but you could combine Glenkinchie Distillery with the Border Abbeys or Bladnoch Distillery with Glenluce Abbey over in the south-west.
I'll add some links to my photos of these Abbeys and Churches:-
Melrose Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505655
Kelso Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505653
Jedburgh Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505649
Dryburgh Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505603
Glenluce Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505623
Lincluden Collegiate Church:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/a...7/@/page:11:18
Sweetheart Abbey:- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/a...7/@/page:12:18
Lindisfarne:-http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/504105
Various Border Churches:-http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/503973
Blanchland Abbey (North of England, an hour's drive from Scottish Border):- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/503427
and not forgetting Paisley Abbey, founded 1163, where William Wallace received part of his education and only two miles from Glasgow Airport:-
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/album/505659

[cessna152towser]

Sometimes the smaller and less well known sites also have an interesting history. I visited the ruins of Old Dailly Church while doing some ancestry research. Site of a church from around 1200 until abandoned about 1800 and there are still Covenanters' Graves in the grounds.
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/351051/24527765

[Chaps]

Again, thanks for these ideas and keep them coming. I have a year to plan and I want to make sure I have a good understanding of all the options. I know I can't see everything, so I will rely heavily on your recommendations. Thanks.