A Pilgrimage From Edinburgh to Iona
September 20-30, 2023
" I don't have words to describe how extraordinary this trip was, a wonderland for the imagination that nourished my soul in so many profound ways. I was left drunk on 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 ten day journey in Scotland as we weave together a tapestry of stunning nature, fascinating history, art, poetry and music. The Celtic imagination holds nature, art, music, poetry and friendship as the five-fold pathway to the divine, and that is exactly what we will be exploring during our Autumnal adventure in 2023.
We will begin our journey in Edinburgh, one of the most charming capitals of Europe, where we will feast on the land art of Andy Goldsworthy at the Royal Botanical Gardens, the masterworks of Phoebe Anna Traquair at a private tour of the Mansfield Traquair, nicknamed the "Sistine Chapel of Scotland" and the delights of Pictish and Celtic stone carvings.
We will begin our journey in Edinburgh, one of the most charming capitals of Europe, where we will feast on the land art of Andy Goldsworthy at the Royal Botanical Gardens, the masterworks of Phoebe Anna Traquair at a private tour of the Mansfield Traquair, nicknamed the "Sistine Chapel of Scotland" and the delights of Pictish and Celtic stone carvings.
Sacred sites we will visit include:
Iona: We will spend three nights on this magical island, a site for centuries of Druid pilgrimage where St Columba arrived in the sixth century and established a Celtic monastery renowned for its illuminated manuscripts. Weather permitting, we will create offerings of land at on the shores with the famous green and white stones and share a labyrinth walk on the beach
Melrose Abbey: Standing in the ruins of this majestic Cistercian monastery, we will feel the echoes of the centuries as we learn to sing the Gregorian chant "Salve Regina"
Dunkeld Abbey: The resting place of St. Columba's relics for several centuries, the abbey stands now in the midst of the Trail of Trees, bringing together once again the power of nature and contemplation within the Celtic spirit.
The Holy Isle of Lindisfarne: Truly an enchanting island, accessible only at certain hours because of tides, this was the site where another famous Illuminated manuscript was created, the Lindisfarne Gospels, and is now a village of great charm.
Click below to download and view the complete itinerary.
Iona: We will spend three nights on this magical island, a site for centuries of Druid pilgrimage where St Columba arrived in the sixth century and established a Celtic monastery renowned for its illuminated manuscripts. Weather permitting, we will create offerings of land at on the shores with the famous green and white stones and share a labyrinth walk on the beach
Melrose Abbey: Standing in the ruins of this majestic Cistercian monastery, we will feel the echoes of the centuries as we learn to sing the Gregorian chant "Salve Regina"
Dunkeld Abbey: The resting place of St. Columba's relics for several centuries, the abbey stands now in the midst of the Trail of Trees, bringing together once again the power of nature and contemplation within the Celtic spirit.
The Holy Isle of Lindisfarne: Truly an enchanting island, accessible only at certain hours because of tides, this was the site where another famous Illuminated manuscript was created, the Lindisfarne Gospels, and is now a village of great charm.
Click below to download and view the complete itinerary.
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As we journey from Edinburgh to Iona in the comfort of a private luxury coach, we will be drinking in the extraordinary scenery that inspired Felix Mendelssohn to compose his "Scottish Symphony" and "Hebrides" Overture.
We will have time for a languid stroll and high tea on the shores of "Bonny Loch Lommand" , a hike through Birnam Wood Forest (made famous by its appearance in Shakespeare's Macbeth). On our moderate walks. we will see stunning waterfalls, looming mountains and quaint hermit huts, and, with luck, we will be able to disembark. from our boat to explore "FIngal's Cave" on the Isle of Staffa. In every site we stay, you'll be invited to create art inspired by nature (and Andy Goldsworthy!)
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Our host, and trip director Stephen Carpenter, spent his career in orchestra management, starting in Scotland in the early 1980s with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and later the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In 1988 he moved to London to take on the role of Chief Executive first of the City of London Sinfonia and then the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment . His passion for Felix Mendelssohn led him to begin researching Mendelssohn's experiences in Great Britain. Now in addition to serving as the orchestral manager for Chineke, a pioneering and award winning youth orchestra in London dedicated to multicultural diversity and social change, Stephen directs his own cultural tour company. Carpenter Holidays including planning and leading "Mendelssohn in Scotland" which follow exactly in Mendelssohn's footsteps nearly 200 years after his visit in 1829. 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 the UK, and Mythica students have consistently raved about his extraordinary hospitality, professionalism and attention to detail as well as the musical expertise and enthusiasm which are such a gift. |
Costs:
Tour price: £3,500 per person sharing a double or twin room
Single room supplement: £690 per person
Deposit: £1,000 due on booking
Tour price includes: Accommodation, breakfast daily, nine dinners, three lunches, musical performances in Edinburgh and Dunkeld; tours of Blair Athol Castle, Mansfield Traquair, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the National Museum of Scotland, Abbotsford, and Iona Abbey, coach transportation throughout, all tips for guides and coach driver, ferry crossings to the Isles of Mull and Iona and boat trip to Staffa and Fingal's Cave, the services of Stephen Carpenter and Kayleen Asbo as tour managers, Celtic music singing circles and guided journaling activities.
Excluded is your travel to and from Edinburgh, a few lunches, two dinners on your own and any drinks you order with meals.
Tour price: £3,500 per person sharing a double or twin room
Single room supplement: £690 per person
Deposit: £1,000 due on booking
Tour price includes: Accommodation, breakfast daily, nine dinners, three lunches, musical performances in Edinburgh and Dunkeld; tours of Blair Athol Castle, Mansfield Traquair, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the National Museum of Scotland, Abbotsford, and Iona Abbey, coach transportation throughout, all tips for guides and coach driver, ferry crossings to the Isles of Mull and Iona and boat trip to Staffa and Fingal's Cave, the services of Stephen Carpenter and Kayleen Asbo as tour managers, Celtic music singing circles and guided journaling activities.
Excluded is your travel to and from Edinburgh, a few lunches, two dinners on your own and any drinks you order with meals.
