"If you did not have Jackie as a guide to go round with you,, you would have missed the whole point - you would have taken lots of pictures of pretty things and that would be about it The carvings are a physical manifestation of spiritual mysteries and also reveal the connection to the earth” Bruce Cain Prof Engineering, Mississippi

Alternatively just ask Jackie to arrange your self-drive tour with your accommodation booked for you.

Saturday 12th July - Wednesday 16th July 2008

(For groups they may also book for tours outside these dates)

Itinerary

Day One:

Evening meal in hotel followed by orientation led by Jackie Queally of Celtic Trails

Day Two: Journey via Tweedale to Southwest Scotland .

Visit St Mungo’s Church one of Scotland's oldest church sites, where Mungo who founded Glasgow met Merlin! There are several enthralling local sites in a remote Tweed valley connected with the legendary Merlin who Mungo is alleged to have converted to Christianity (according to Mungo’s biographer Jocelyn in the 13^th century). This is the area connected to the oldest recorded mention of Merlin, and the local legend is full of stories of his amazing powers of healing, divining and miracles.

Reach our destination close to the earliest Christian crosses in Scotland , the Kirkmadrine Stones on the Rhins of Galloway.

Hotel based near Portpatrick

Day Three: The Whithorn area

Spend day exploring the legacy of St Ninian who at the turn of the fourth/ fifth century was the first missionary in Scotland , sending many of his itinerant monks over the short sea crossing here to Ireland . St Patrick was the most famous of these monks.

Visit Ninian’s Cave with early Christian engravings on its walls, the ruins of his early church cell on Whithorn peninsula, the museum of early stones in Whithorn, and St Modwenna’s valley.

Hotel based near Portpatrick

Day Four:  Glasgow  

St. Mungo founded Glasgow in the early sixth century so we visit the award- winning Museum of Religion close by St Mungo’s Cathedral that features St Mungo’s Tomb. The City Chambers has a magnificent series of wall paintings depicted Mungo’s life, and there are other sites near the centre of Glasgow with religious relics worth visiting if time permits.

Hotel in Fife

Day Five: Culross and Dunning

Morning talk on the Culdees in Scotland.led by Jackie Queally

Visit to Culross that was a Culdee settlement from at least the fifth century onwards.

St Mungo was born there in the most extraordinary circumstances, and the village is truly enchanting today. We visit the ruins of a parish church with Templar stones in its walls, and walk on an old country byway to St Serf’s Abbey that was built in 1217 but dates back to the time of St Serf who trained Mungo as a priest.

The local area has many early Culdee settlements and in the Ochill Hills the church of Dunning was home to St Serf 462- 532 circa who trained Mungo for his mission. St Serf allegedly dispelled a dragon in Dunning that was terrorising the local inhabitants. The church at Dunning displays a wonderful cross that as borrowed for display in the entrance to the Early Carvings section of the new wing of the Museum of Scotland when it opened.  

Pre tour day: Visit Lindisfarne  (if tidal times permit visit Melrose Abbey that morning)

Jackie Queally +44 (0)7879 838401