A Visit to Iona

Iona is a small island off the west coast of Mull just across from Fionnphort. Its tourist magnet is the Iona Abbey...dating from around the 13th Century and restored from 1938 onwards by the Iona Community, the Abbey is the site of the monastery established by St Columba in 563 AD. So, like just about every other tourist that has ever visited Mull, we went to visit Iona. We set off from Tobermory on a long drive that covered the length and breadth of Mull until e arrived at Fionnphort. Here we had to leave the car and take the ferry as foot passengers as no visitors can bring cars on to the island without a permit.

On the road to Fionnphort

Leaving Fionnphort for a quick trip to Iona

After leaving the ferry, we walked up to the Abbey to have a look...and took one of the weirdest guided tours ever. Our guide was Alessendro, a young Italian who could speak English...sort of. After a tour of the Abbey we had afternoon tea in one of the hotel. We then inspected the Nunnery on our way back to the ferry. While crossing back over to Fionnphort and our car, the rain that had been threatening most of the day finally started..

Iona Abbey

In and around Iona Abbey

 

Iona Nunnery

Our ferry coming to collect us in the rain