This will be the fifth collaboration between Kayleen Asbo and Stephen Carpenter. Testimonials from the recent pilgrimage to Scotland organised by Kayleen and Stephen in October 2024 included:
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your many efforts and inspirations to guide us through the heart of Scotland and engage our own hearts in the process. Our pilgrimage surpassed all my expectations — one rich experience after another with the strands of our Celtic braid, the precious and beloved community that arose from our shared experiences."
"The pilgrimage that you planned and facilitated was rich and full beyond my wildest expectations. You artfully and successfully wove together our five themes of music, poetry, graphic art, scenery and friendship, and I experienced unanticipated wonders and delights in each category. Even the logistical aspects of our trip — accommodations, mode of transportation, drivers and tour guides — enhanced and contributed to the magic."
Join Kayleen and Stephen for "Magical Iona" in May 2025 - an intimate pilgrimage in Scotland as we immerse ourselves in the Celtic path of beauty. Following in the ancient steps of wisdom seekers across the centuries, we will weave together a tapestry of song, poetry, art, nature and friendship while we listen for the still small voice within. This is a contemplative journey designed to provide an oasis of tranquility and a cradle for creativity. In the monastic spirit of this place, our days will be bookended by times of silence and song and we will introduce practices of creative writing and art journaling, culminating in your own illuminated "soul book" that will help you find the still point in our turning world.
Itinerary
Sunday 11 May 2025 – A comfortable private coach will pick you up from the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at Glasgow Airport at 10.00am. Passing stunning scenery, we will arrive at the seaside town of Oban for lunch then board the ferry to cross over the Island of Mull together, arriving at the St Columba Hotel on Iona where we will stay for four nights. As voyagers across the centuries have done, we will inaugurate our pilgrimage at St Oran's Chapel with a Vesper service of song, silence and offerings of intentions before savoring a three-course meal in a private dining room overlooking the sea as the sun sets.
Monday 12 May – A day to explore the beauty and spiritual history of Iona. At the three standing stones, we will learn about the Celtic legends of this "Isle of Women" a site sacred to ancient Druids centuries before Christianity arrived on these shores. In the ruins of the Nunnery chapter house we will discover the rhythm of monastic life designed to "tune our hearts to the Good" and we will practice this by chanting psalms in the chapel. After lunch, we will walk down to the Bay where St. Columba arrived in the 6th century to found a monastery revered for its artwork that birthed the Book of Kells. In the afternoon, we will create our own earth art mandalas looking out on the vast azure sea and gather the famed green and white stones of Iona for a collective poetry project. In the evening, we bathe in the light of the rising full moon.
Tuesday 13 May – Today after our circle of contemplation, we visit the Isle of Staffa and the spectacular Fingal's Cave, site of legends and seed of inspiration for writers across the centuries from James MacPherson to J.K. Rowling. The sight of the dark basalt columns jutting out of the sea is cause for awe - and we will likely encounter communities of puffins and dolphins leaping in delight as well. The natural wonders we encounter will find expression in our art journals as we play with writing our own poems of joy and learn ancient Benedictine chants of praise of the earth in St Oran's Chapel at Vespers. Dinner at the hotel at 7.00pm, will be accompanied by Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and between courses we will learn how he translated the sights and sounds we have seen that very day into the world's first "concert overture". After dessert, those who wish, will say farewell to a glorious day by partaking in the candlelit evening service at the Iona Abbey.
Wednesday 14 May – A walk to the north of Iona. For those who are able, we will climb to the top of the highest point on the island after learning about the legend of Brigid, the Cailleach and the Well of Youth. Afterwards, we take a flat and gentle stroll to the White Strand of the Monks where we will create a labyrinth in sand. Our afternoon and evening will allow for a deepening into the contemplative rhythms of song, silence and art journaling.
Thursday 15 May – From Iona, we will follow the Cailleach's path through stunning scenery of mountains and glens along the shores of breathtakingly beautiful lochs. We check into the luxurious Cameron House Hotel for one night. Our day will end with a festive three course dinner in our own private dining room.
Friday 16 May – After a sumptuous breakfast, we explore the enchanting landscape of Loch Lomond. We will learn the stories of Celtic women saints, including Saint Kentigerna. This 8th-century Irish princess became a hermit who after her widowhood, founded a monastery on the island of Inchcailloch which stands in the middle of Loch Lomond. We depart in the afternoon for Glasgow where, after an early buffet supper in our Hotel, a farewell gala performance of Mendelssohn and Brahms awaits us in the elegant Royal Concert Hall.
Saturday 17 May – Our voyage draws to a close after a breakfast and a morning circle of gratitude where we reflect on how we will take the seeds of beauty we have discovered into our lives.
Programme
Friday 16 May 2025, 7.30pm - Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Brahms Violin Concerto in D
-interval-
Mendelssohn Symphony No 3 in A minor (Scottish)
Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor
Nicola Benedetti, violin
Travel Information
Whether you are coming from the UK, the USA or elsewhere, you will need to make your own travel arrangements to Glasgow.
Please also note that it is essential that you arrange your own travel insurance. It is recommended that you obtain insurance that will cover you in the event of illness or accident before the holiday preventing you from being able to travel, as well as the more usual medical cover whilst you are actually on the trip. It is also a requirement of joining the Magic of Iona holiday that all travellers sign a liability waiver confirming that Carpenter Holidays and Mythica LLC shall not be held liable for theft, loss, injury, illness, or damage to person or property during the holiday. A copy of the liability waiver can be downloaded from the "Document(s)" section at the bottom of this page.
Glasgow is easily reached by train or air from all major UK cities. Regular services take around 4 1/2 hours from London Euston to Glasgow Central station. There are also regular flights from all London airports to Glasgow which take around 1 hour.
Whatever travel arrangements you make, bear in mind that our coach will depart promptly from Courtyard Marriott Hotel at Glasgow Airport at 10.00am on Sunday 11 May. If you wish to stay at this hotel on Saturday 10 May (ie the night before we depart), please book direct with the hotel on this link.
Price per person
Early Bird Rate up to and including November 30:
$3,980 (paid to Carpenter Holidays as £2,950) per person based on sharing a double or twin room
Single supplement: $650 (paid to Carpenter Holidays as £490)
The above prices will increase by $400 (£300) from December 1 (although the single supplement will remain the same)
The above rates are based on payment via bank transfer. Details of the bank account of Carpenter Holidays will be sent to you after you have completed your booking form. It is also possible to pay via PayPal, but a 5% surcharge will be added to the above prices. Let us know in the booking form how you wish to pay for the holiday (via bank transfer or PayPal).
Payment schedule:
Non-returnable deposit of £1,000 due on booking
Balance due by 31 December 2024
Tour price includes: Accommodation, breakfast daily, six dinners, entrance fee to Iona Abbey, tickets for Glasgow Royal Concert Hall concert on Friday 16 May (best seats), 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.
Excluded is your travel to and from Glasgow, all lunches when you are free to make your own arrangements at the carefully selected stopping points. Drinks with meals, except on Thursday 15 May at the Cameron House Hotel, when drinks are included. Also excluded is travel insurance which travellers will need to organise themselves.
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellation costs up to 100 days before departure of the trip: deposit
Cancellation costs between 100 days up to 50 days before departure of the trip: 50% of the total invoice
Cancellation costs from 50 days up to the day of departure before departure of the trip: costs of the total invoice
To Book
Booking is through Stephen Carpenter, at Carpenter Holidays.
Please complete the Booking form which you can download from the "Document(s)" section below. Once completed, email it to stephen [at] carpenterholidays.com or send it by post to:
Stephen Carpenter
67 Stuart Road
London
SW19 8DJ
Once you have submitted the booking form, your deposit will be due. If you elect to pay via bank transfer (see booking form), you will be sent our bank details. If you elect to pay via PayPal (when a 5% surcharge will apply), a PayPal payment button will be provided. The initial payment via bank transfer will be £1,000, followed by the balance of £1,950, plus single supplement of £490 (if applicable), due by the end of December.
PayPal payment for the full holiday is £3,612 which includes the single supplement and 5% surcharge. PayPal payment can be made on the following link:
If you have any questions about the Magical Iona holiday, please do not hesitate to contact Stephen by email as above, or by phoning him on +44 (0)20 8946 6821 or +44 (0)7730 817891.
