United Kingdom
Through Presbyterian Journeys, the great history of the United Kingdom and its churches comes alive. From the cathedrals of Edinburgh to the monasteries of Iona, your community catches a glimpse into the very foundations of Presbyterianism. You will experience the Church of Scotland’s beautiful history with its unique liturgy and tradition.
What better way to learn more about the history of your faith than to visit the faith-communities of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales? While your community walks in the footsteps of the Presbyterian Church’s great pioneers, you will learn as much about your collective past as you will about yourselves.
Inspirational Ireland and Scotland: A 10-Day Tour to Ireland and Scotland
Dublin / Wicklow / Glendalough / Belfast / Isles of Mull & Iona / Edinburgh / Lindisfarne
Day One:
- Depart via scheduled air service. The destination is Dublin, Ireland
Day Two:
- Arrive in Dublin
- Meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager who will assist the group to an awaiting chartered motorcoach for a panoramic tour of Dublin. We will see Trinity College, Christchurch Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and O’Connell Street.
- Late-afternoon hotel check-in
- Evening Welcome Dinner and overnight
Day Three
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Enjoy a half-day tour of Wicklow and Glendalough, located south of Dublin in County Wicklow. The steep wooded slopes of Glendalough the “valley of the two lakes” harbor one of Ireland’s most atmospheric monastic sites — established in the 6th century. Here we see the Round Tower, Cathedral, St. Kevin’s Cross and Kitchen, and Gatehouse
- Lunch, on own
- Return to Dublin for time at leisure for additional sightseeing, shopping, or other activities
- Evening dinner and overnight
An 11-Day Pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland
Dublin / Wicklow / Glendalough / Newgrange / Down / Armagh / Belfast / Isles of Mull & Iona / Stirling Castle / Edinburgh / Lindisfarne / Edinburgh
Day One:
- Our journey begins with an overnight flight, with full meal/beverage service and in-flight entertainment, to Dublin, Ireland.
Day Two:
- Welcome to vibrant, soulful Dublin! Upon arrival in “Dublin’s Fair City,” we meet our Faith Journeys Tour Manager and transfer by motorcoach for a panoramic Dublin City Tour. Our first stop will be Christ Church Cathedral, site of Dublin’s first wooden church, built by King Sitric Silkenbeard (first Christian Viking King of Dublin in 1038). The present Cathedral, dates from 1172. Next, we visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Built in 1192 in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. It stands adjacent to the famous well, where tradition has it, St. Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin. This grand, Gothic cathedral owes part of its renown for being the burial site of its former Dean, Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels. Next, we continue on to our hotel and enjoy a group meal before getting some sleep.
Day Three
- Today’s first stop is the sprawling campus of Trinity College and its famous library. The building is home to the 8th century Book of Kells, a splendidly illuminated version of the Christian Gospels. We also get the chance to visit the Long Room. Once the principal library of the University, it now contains over two hundred thousand books and manuscripts. Next, we board our motorcoach for the short drive into the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough, located south of Dublin. Known as “the Garden of Ireland”, it is the site of a 6th century monastic site founded by St. Kevin. Set in a glaciated valley with two lakes, the monastic remains include a superb round tower, stone churches and decorated crosses. The Visitor Center has an interesting exhibition on Glendalough detailing the history, archaeology and wildlife of this part of Wicklow and includes an audio-visual presentation. Later, we return to Dublin to enjoy the balance of the day at leisure, before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations.
Presbyterian History & Heritage: An 11-Day Tour to Scotland
Oban / Isles of Mull & Iona / Fort William / Drumnadrochit / Inverness / Perth / Edinburgh / Haddington / Stirling / Glasgow
Day One:
- Our tour begins with an overnight flight to Glasgow, Scotland
Day Two:
- Upon arrival in Glasgow, we’ll meet our Faith Journeys tour manager and transfer by motorcoach to St. Conan’s Kirk, located on the banks of Loch Awe. Continue to Oban (meaning The Little Bay) for a Welcome Dinner and overnight. Despite its small size, Oban is one of Scotland’s most popular resorts and occupies a beautiful setting at the Firth of Lorn in a near-perfect horseshoe bay, protected by the island of Kerrera. To the north is the long low island of Lismore, and the mountains of Morvern and Ardgour.
Day Three
- Today’s excursion to the Isles of Mull and Iona begins with a ferry ride to Craignure on the Isle of Mull, island home to over 250 different bird species. Minke whales, porpoises and dolphins are among the sea life visible from boat tours off the coast of Mull. Another ferry (from Fiannphort) will take us to the Isle of Iona, the center of Irish monasticism for centuries and presently known for its tranquility and natural beauty. We will visit Iona Abbey, of particular historical and religious interest to pilgrims and visitors alike because it is the best-preserved ecclesiastical building surviving from the Middle Ages in the Western Isles of Scotland. Though modest in comparison to medieval abbeys elsewhere, it has a wealth of fine architectural detail and monuments of many periods. For example, in front of the Abbey stands the 9th century St Martin’s Cross, one of the best-preserved Celtic crosses in the British Isles. According to tradition, the monastery was founded in 563 by the monk Columba (also known as Colm Cille) and his twelve companions who went into exile on Iona and founded a monastery. Known as a great center of learning with a hugely successful scriptorium, the religious settlement of Iona played a crucial role in Scotland’s conversion to Christianity. The Iona Cathedral and the religious settlement are now under the administration of the National Trust for Scotland (1979). But long before St Columba landed here in 563, the island was a Druid shrine known originally as “Hy.” The abbey graveyard contains the graves of many early Scottish Kings (including Macbeth), as well as kings from Ireland, Norway, and France. We’ll return via the same ferries to Oban for dinner and another overnight stay.
Contact Us
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