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Iona
The peaceful Isle of Iona, with its gleaming white beaches, old abbey and nunnery has been a place of pilgrimage for almost 1500 years.
It was on Iona that St Columba, the Irish missionary monk founded a monastery in 563 AD. From here, he and his followers journeyed north and east preaching Christianity to the Picts. Iona later became the pre-eminent religious centre of early Scotland. Many Scottish, Irish and even Norse kings were buried here.
Today you can visit the restored Benedictine abbey and its delightful cloisters. Owned by the Iona Community this is a place of retreat for Christians of all denominations. Outside the abbey are three fine 8th–9th century standing crosses – the survivors of several hundred such crosses apparently destroyed at the Reformation. For more information on how to get there, go to the Caledonian MacBrayne website.
