A Pilgrimage ​to the Heart of Scotland
​October 7-15, 2024

Plus an additional Celtic Extension from the Highlands to the Hebrides, October 15-18

" I was left stunned by the beauty I discovered and so grateful for the masterful way Kayleen and Stephen brought together so many magical experiences of art, music, nature and history. It was truly unforgettable"
-2022 Pilgrim

 Join Kayleen Asbo (of Mythica) and Stephen Carpenter (of Carpenter Holidays) for a nine day journey in Scotland  as we weave together a  Celtic tapestry of nature, history, art, music, poetry and friendship-- plus an option to etend your journey to take in a special Celtic celebration including Iona and Loch Lomond!

​We will begin our journey in Edinburgh (one of the most charming capitals of Europe) and continue to mystical Perthshire, the cradle  of Celtic Spirituality ,  We will be following in the footsteps of Celtic saints and artists, Druid hermits, Romantic poets and the composer Felix Mendelssohn, whose own journey inspired two of his greatest symphonic masterworks: the "Scottish" Symphony in A Minor and the "Hebrides" Overture.   Our own journey will also weave together the influence of Celtic myth, history and symbol in contemporary art, from the sculptures of  Andy Goldsworthy to the masterworks of  Phoebe Anna Traquair, John Duncan and Charles Rennie MacIntosh. Drawing on their work as a source of inspiration, we will have periods of our own creative practice: singing, creating earth art and writing.

7 October 2024: Welcome Circle and Opening Dinner

We open our pilgrimage at  our hotel, the Edinburgh Holyrood, conveniently located just a 5 minute walk from some of Edinburgh's most important cultural monuments: Holyrood Palace (where Mary, Queen of Scots lived) and close to Holyrood Park, with its majestic volcanic mountain that is the legendary site of Camelot and King Arthur's Round Table.   We will take the short walk from our hotel to the iconic Scottish Parliament Building,  a modern masterpiece that evokes archetypal symbols of the Ancient Celtic past before continuing on to Holyrood Park. Here, we will have an opening ritual of intentions and dedication at Saint Margaret's Loch and  (for those sure of foot) climb to the evocative ruins of the 12th century Benedictine Chapel of Saint Anthony to chant before returning to our hotel for a festive opening three course dinner together.

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October 8:St Cecilia's Hall, National Museum and Gallery
​After breakfast, we will take a historic walk from our hotel up the "Royal Mile" , passing by the Holyrood Palace, the National Poetry Center, the National Storytelling Center and walking in the footsteps of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, JK Rowling and so many more. Arriving  in the late morning for a private guided tour at  St Cecilia's Hall in Edinburgh, we will marvel at its collection of rare historical instruments and then savor a salon of music and story, discovering the deep connections between Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Scotland. 

 In the afternoon, we visit the National Museum  and National Gallery of Scotland to discover how Pictish and Celtic stone work reached across the centuries to inspire the  Celtic Renaissance and Andy Goldsworthy.

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October 9:
Abbotsford and Melrose Abbey
We journey to Abbotsford for a private tour of the majestic home, vast library and fairytale gardens of Sir Walter Scott whose Romantic novels inspired so many 19th-century artists and composers, including Felix Mendelssohn. After lunch, we drink in the Romantic ruins of Melrose Abbey where we will have a short introduction to  Gothic Architecture and Gregorian chant.
At dusk, we have a private tour of Phoebe Anna Traquair's magnificent "Song School" frescoes followed by a Choral evensong at Saint Mary's Cathedral.

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October 10: 
​Mansfield Traquair, Royal Botanical Gardens and Celtic Music
In the morning we will visit the extraordinary Mansfield Traquair which has been described as "Edinburgh's Sistine Chapel" . We will lunch al fresco then savor the beauty of the land art installations of Andy Goldsworthy at the historical recreation of the Medieval Herb Gardens and the memorial chapel to the Queen Mother at  Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens. Our evening will consist of a celebratory dinner at the Patrick Geddes center, capped with a toe-tapping and infectious performance of live Celtic music by the renowned Celtic band Flytt.

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October 11 : The Heart of Scotland
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​We depart for Perthshire, known as the Heart of Scotland. We will walk  to the enchanting Braur Falls made famous by poet Robert Burns. 
After lunch, we have a tour of historic Blair Castle  and Gardens before checking into the gracious Dunkeld House Hotel. Here you will find a warm welcome, an excellent swimming pool and spa facilities, and plenty of cozy nooks to curl up with a book and glass of sherry or whiskey in front of a fire .  We will have a  late afternoon chamber music concert by the Raysol Quartet before our elegant three course dinner.

October 12: Forest Walks and Poetry Paths
Today we visit the Hermitage, an ode to poetic legends of Celtic bards set amidst some of the most stunning scenery you are likely to ever encounter. For those seeking more  exercise and inspiration, we will follow the 1.5 hour trail across the "Rumbling Bridge"  to a stirring series of waterfalls  (which Mendelssohn himself sketched and was  frequently depicted by the Pre Raphaelite painter John Everett Milais). In the afternoon, you can choose to be pampered by enjoying the spa facilities or high tea at the hotel or join in an art journaling session by the fire.

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October 13: Dunkeld Abbey and  Poetry Paths
​Those seeking to immerse themselves in a traditional Anglican service can attend  Sunday  mass at Dunkeld Abbey. in the morning.

The more outdoorsy and adventurous are invited to another afternoon hike to explore the Corbennic Poetry Path, a 90 minute  gentle ramble through the scenic countryside with 33 installations of art reflecting poems about nature.

Inspired by what we've learned about the Celts, the poetry paths of Perthshire and the land art of Andy Goldsworthty, when we return to our hotel, we  will forage in the forest along the banks of the River Tay to create our own "earth art" offerings in gratitude for the beauty of the land.

In the evening, we will share a candlelit music service at Dunkeld Abbey that will bring our day to a gentle close before another lovely three course dinner at our hotel.

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​October 14: Stone Circles, Lochs and Aberfeldy
We discover the magnificent vistas of Loch Tummel in a day dedicated to the wonders of nature as we take in the breathtaking "Queen's View", savoring the rich autumnal colors of the lush landscape. Bring your art journals as we  travel today in Felix Mendelssohn's footsteps  as we, too, will try to  sketch this paradise as he did. Stephen will beguile us with the story of how the scenery and history of this area kindled  Mendelssohn's musical imagination to become the great  "Scottish" Symphony, a work which will now be unforgettably wed with the landscapes we traverse.
More waterfalls await us in Aberfeldy, named one of the most charming villages in all of Scotland!
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October 15:   Departure

After breakfast and a final closing circle, we will bid farewell to this land of enchantment and our new community of friends.

We will drop you off at either the Edinburgh Airport or Edinburgh train station at mid-day. Please make your travel plans accordingly.

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Our host,and trip director Stephen Carpenter spent  his career in orchestra management  in Scotland  and England. which has given him a fabulous background in logistics. Having  just retired as the orchestral manager for  Chineke Orchestra a pioneering and award winning youth orchestra  in London dedicated to multicultural diversity and social change,  he will be able to devote himself  more fully to his greatest passion: leading cultural tours in Europe that follow in the footsteps of great composers. Read more at www.carpenterholidays.com, ​

​Mythica was delighted to begin our partnership with Stephen for our first musical journey in the fall of 2019. This will be our fourth collaboration in Scotland. Mythica students have consistently raved about Stephen's extraordinary hospitality, professionalism and attention to detail as well as the musical expertise and enthusiasm which are such a gift as he share both stories and musicians with us that create an unforgettable experience of cultural depth..

Tour price: £3,800 per person based on sharing a double or twin room
Single supplement: £690

Price includes: Accommodation, breakfast daily, seven dinners, one lunch, music recitals in Edinburgh and Dunkeld, tours of Abbotsford, Melrose Abbey, Mansfield Traquair and Blair Castle, coach transportation throughout, all tips for guides and coach driver, the services of Stephen Carpenter and Kayleen Asbo as tour managers.


Excluded is your travel to and from Edinburgh, most lunches when you are free to make your own arrangements at the carefully selected stopping points, except at Abbotsford on 9 October when we will have lunch together, one dinner on Wednesday 9 October. Drinks with meals. Also excluded is travel insurance which travelers will need to organize themselves.

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