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Day 1 – Thu, July
12: Depart from your home city.
Depart from your home city on your
flight to Scotland.
Day 2 – Fri, July 13: Arrive Edinburgh: Sightseeing Tour/ Welcome Dinner (D)
Arrive Edinburgh. Clear Immigration
and Baggage Claim. Meet local tour representative in Arrivals Hall. Transfer to
the hotel. Lunch on your own.
In the afternoon we depart
for a Sightseeing Tour of Edinburgh to various landmarks along the
Royal Mile, a wide street that runs from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of
Holyroodhouse, home for centuries to many of Scotland's ruling families. We
visit Edinburgh Castle, perched on a prominent position on top of a
former volcano; there has undoubtedly been a fortress there since long before
recorded history. The castle has been at the centre of Scottish history for over
800 years and was captured and recaptured many times during the centuries of
wars between Scotland and England. Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to the future
King James VI in the castle in 1566. The castle withstood attack in both the
1715 and 1745 Jacobite Uprisings. Legend says there is the ghost of a headless
drummer that has been sighted, as well as a piper playing on the battlements -
and not just during the Edinburgh Military Tattoo! The Castle is also home of
the Scottish Crown Jewels, the oldest Royal Regalia in all of Britain. They are
displayed with the Stone of Destiny, the coronation stone of the Scottish
kings.
We also view the Palace
of Holyroodhouse, still a royal residence of the Queen and full of hundreds
of years of Scottish history. Then we explore Mary
King's Close, a warren of underground streets in Edinburgh, sealed
off from the outside world more than two centuries ago. Its most famous ghost is
Annie, a playful child spirit who has been known to tug at the skirts of female
visitors.
Return to the hotel. “Welcome to Scotland” Dinner. Overnight
Edinburgh.
Day 3 -
Sat, July 14:
National Wallace Monument/
Bannockburn Heritage Center/
Stirling
Castle/Linlithgow Palace
(B/L)|
Today we visit several
places full of Scottish history and lore, including two castles
associated with Mary Queen of Scots.
Depart after our hearty
breakfast to The Bannockburn Heritage Center, situated at one of
the most important historic sites in Scotland. On the battlefield nearby, in
June 1314, King Robert the Bruce, and some legends say with the help of the
famous Knights Templar, routed the forces of King Edward II to win freedom for
the Scots from English domination. Near the Center is the famous Borestone site
which by tradition was Bruce’s command post before the battle; it is marked by
an impressive equestrian statue of Bruce by Pilkington Jackson.
We then
continue to the National Wallace Monument to renew our acquaintance with
Scotland's national hero and Hollywood legend, Sir William Wallace at the
spectacular 220' high National Wallace Monument. Learn all about the turbulent
events leading up to the Battle of Stirling Bridge and become one of the
observers at Wallace's trial in London as you step into a recreation of
Westminster Hall. Listen to the unique talking head of Sir William telling his
own story and speaks with other key figures from the Wars of Independence,
including Robert the Bruce.
Lunch
at a local restaurant, and then continue to Stirling Castle, built on a
great basalt rock dominating the surrounding countryside. We may catch a glimpse
of a beautiful woman in a pink silk gown known as The Pink Lady while there.
Some say the apparition is Mary Queen of Scots; she was crowned in the old
chapel in 1533. Others say she is the ghost of a woman searching for her husband
who had been killed when Edward I captured the castle in 1304. A Grey Lady who
has also been known to appear is assumed to be an attendant to Mary Stuart;
legend says she saved her from death when the draperies on the royal bed caught
fire.
We end our day at Linlithgow Palace,
the castle of the Stewart kings of Scotland from the 15th century and
where Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1512. Queen Margaret's Tower at the top of
the stair towers is said to be haunted by Mary of Guise, waiting for the return
of her husband, James V. And, accompanied by a slight smell of perfume, this
phantom lady in a white dress has on occasion been mistaken for a real person.
Mary Queen of Scots is reported to frequent the chapel.
Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own.
Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 4 - Sun, July 15: To
Oban and Mull (B/D)
We check out of the hotel and depart after
breakfast to Oban, known as the Gateway to the Isles, and the
capital of North Argyll. A busy ferry and railway terminal and a popular tourist
destination, it has a wide range of shops and supermarkets, banks etc, many
excellent restaurants, and more. Lunch on your own.
The town's south pier is the
embarkation point for our ferry to Mull, an
island of magic and peace, that bewitches us with its amazing geology and its
Celtic and Viking past. Perhaps the most captivating thing of all is that the
sea seems everywhere you look and every twist in the road presents yet another
dazzlingly beautiful seascape. Silent and lonely, full of rushing,
tumbling burns, high peaks, dramatic views, waterfalls, wildlife, history and
atmosphere…Mull offers us a haven of peace and relaxation from the cares and
pressures of modern life.
The islands have been
continually inhabited since after the Ice Age, with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
living in caves, Neolithic farmers leaving behind burial cairns and stone axes,
and Bronze age 'Beaker' people leaving their mark with burial cairns, standing
stones, stone circles, and corded beaker pottery and knife blades. The Iron Age
people built many defensive settlements on these islands. The early Christian
period began in the 5th Century, with 563 noted for the arrival from Ireland of
St Columba. Then in 795 the Vikings first sacked Iona, with raids continuing for
several centuries. Vikings eventually became settlers in the isles. The Middle
Ages saw the construction of castles and chapels. During the 17th to 19th
centuries, clan chiefs and other lairds built 'big' houses, while the majority
of islanders lived in tiny black houses in small townships.
Over the centuries Mull's
population increased to 10,638 in 1831 but first the Potato Famine and then the
Highland Clearances rapidly reduced this number. By the 20th Century much of the
population had emigrated and there were more sheep on Mull than people. Today
Mull and its neighboring islands have a population of nearly 3000. Farming,
fishing and forestry used to be the economic mainstays of the island; now
tourism is responsible for much of the island economy. Many of the population
are Macleans, MacLaines, MacKinnons, Macquarries and MacDonalds, descendants of
Mull's ancient clans. Over the years Scots from almost every other clan have
moved to Mull, as well as others, and so the population today is a mixture of
true 'Muilich' and 'incomers' who all agree that they love Mull!
After arrival in Mull we
visit Duart Castle, home of the Clan Maclean and base of their sea power
for over 400 years! One of the most spectacular and
unique sites on the West Coast of Scotland, the position of Duart was well
chosen, as the castle stands on a crag at the end of the peninsular jutting out
into the Sound of Mull. Check into our hotel. Group dinner.
Overnight Mull.
Day 5 -
Mon, July 16: To Iona/ Return to Oban or Mull (B/L)
After breakfast we depart for Fionnphort and the short ferry crossing to
Iona, just a few minutes away, for a full day of exploration to
experience the peaceful ambience of this special little island, with its
heritage center, famous abbey and its burial ground of Scottish monarchs and
political leaders. No cars are allowed on the island; you can get around
easily on foot or hire a mountain bike.
A small
island, barely three miles long and a little over a mile wide, Iona's place in
religious history was guaranteed when St Columba arrived with his 12
disciples and founded a monastery there in 563 AD. The Irish monk then set about
converting practically all of pagan Scotland and much of northern England.
Iona went on to become the most sacred religious site in Europe and has been
a place of pilgrimage for several centuries. Iona is known as the 'Cradle of
Christianity in Scotland', and was a center of the arts. The monks produced
elaborate carvings, manuscripts, ornate gravestones and Celtic crosses. Their
greatest work was the beautiful Book of Kells, which dates from 800 CE,
and which is now on display in Dublin's Trinity College.
The first of
the Viking raids began in 806 CE, when many monks were slaughtered at Martyrs'
Bay, followed by another in 986 which destroyed the work of many years. The
relentless pressure from the established church ended with the suppression of
the Celtic Church by King David in 1144. In 1203 Iona became part of the
mainstream church with the establishment of a nunnery for the Order of the Black
Nuns, as well as a Benedictine Abbey by Reginald of the MacDonalds of the Isles.
Iona became overshadowed by the royal city of Dunfermline, and its final demise
came with the Reformation when buildings were demolished and all but three of
the 360 carved crosses destroyed. The abbey lay in ruins until in 1899 the
island's owner, the eighth Duke of Argyll, donated the buildings to the Church
of Scotland on condition that the abbey church was restored for worship. Then in
1938 the Reverand George Macleod founded the Iona Community as an evangelical
Church of Scotland brotherhood, with the abbey buildings as its headquarters,
and by 1965 had succeeded in rebuilding the remainder of the monastic buildings.
Now the abbey complex has been completely restored and the island of Iona, apart
from the abbey buildings, is owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
The present
abbey dates from around 1200, though it has been rebuilt over the centuries and
completely restored in the 20th century. The oldest part is the restored St
Oran's Chapel, to the south of the abbey on the right, which is plain and
unadorned save for its splendid 11th-century Norman doorway. It is said that
Columba was prevented from completing the building of the original chapel until
a living person had been buried in the foundations. His friend Oran volunteered
and was duly buried. Columba later asked for the face to be uncovered so that he
could bid a final farewell to his friend, but Oran was found to be alive and
claimed he had seen Heaven and Hell, describing them in such blasphemous terms
that Columba ordered he be covered up immediately!
Surrounding
the chapel is the Reilig Odhrain, the sacred burial ground, which
is said to contain the graves of 48 Scottish kings, including Macbeth's victim,
Duncan, as well as four Irish and eight Norwegian kings. The stones you see
today are not the graves of kings but of various important people from around
the West Highlands and Islands.
Beside the
Road of the Dead, which leads from the abbey church to St Oran's
Chapel, stands the eighth-century St Martin's Cross. This is the
finest of Iona's Celtic high crosses and is remarkably complete, with the
Pictish serpent-and-boss decoration on one side and holy figures on the other.
Standing in front of the abbey entrance is a replica of St John's Cross, the
other great eighth-century monument. The restored original is in the
Infirmary Museum, at the rear of the abbey, along with a fine collection of
medieval gravestones.
No part of
St Columba's original buildings survives, but to the left of the main entrance
is St Columba's Shrine, the small, steep-roofed chamber which
almost certainly marks the site of the saint's tomb. You get a good view of the
whole complex from the top of the small grassy knoll opposite the abbey
entrance. This is Torr an Aba, where Columba's cell is said to have been.
The Abbey itself has been carefully restored to its original beautiful
simplicity and inside, in a side chapel, are marble effigies of the eighth Duke
of Argyll and his third wife, Duchess Ina. Info - The abbey is open all year and
at all times. Admission is free but you're asked to give a £2.80 donation at the
entrance, where you can pick up a plan of the abbey.
Venture
beyond the main village, Baile Mór, and find a quiet spot, particularly
on the west coast with its sparkling silver beaches washed by turquoise sea.
The passenger ferry from Fionnphort on Mull lands at Baile Mór, Iona's main
village, which is little more than a row of cottages facing the sea. There are
over a dozen places to stay but, as demand far exceeds supply during the busy
summer season, it's best to book in advance at one of the tourist offices on
Mull, or in Oban. There's also a post office, a very good craft shop and general
store in the village.
Just outside
the village, on the way to the abbey, are the ruins of the Augustinian
nunnery. Just to the north, housed in the parish church manse, built by
Thomas Telford, is the Iona Heritage Center, which features displays on
the island's social history. Return to the mainland and our hotel. Dinner on
your own. Overnight Mull.
Day 6 - Tue,
July 17: Return to Edinburgh/ Free Time (B)
After breakfast we check out of the hotel
and make our return trip to Edinburgh. Lunch on your own along the way. We
arrive in the afternoon. You have free time to explore and enjoy the
capital city!
Perhaps you’d like to visit
at St. Giles Cathedral, the most romantic church in Scotland, dating from
the 12th century, with a visit to the Thistle Chapel, built in 1911 for
Scotland’s order of the chivalry, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the
Thistle. Or how about some retail therapy along Princes Street?! If you have
Scottish ancestry, perhaps you’d like to purchase a scarf of your clan tartan.
OR, if not, then go for it anyway! Anyone can wear the Stewart tartan!
Dinner on your own. Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 7 - Wed,
July 18: Balantrodoch and Rosslyn
Chapel/ Farewell Dinner (B/L/D)
A full day steeped in
Templar lore and mysteries! First stop is Balantrodoch, the ancient
Templar outpost, now known as Temple to see many Templar gravesites and
the ruins of an old chapel. Ceremony to connect with past Templar Grand
Masters. Continue to Village of Roslin. Lunch. Visit world-famous Rosslyn
Chapel, where it is said many Templar relics and documents are hidden. See
symbols that are keys to the esoteric history of the Knights Templar and
Freemasons, as well as the mystery of the Holy Grail. Mark will share
cutting-edge information about these numerous hidden mysteries. Ceremony
to connect with the Holy Grail, including Prayers for World Peace!
Return to the hotel.
“Farewell to Scotland” dinner at the hotel. Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 8
– Thu, July 19: Depart Edinburgh/arrive your home city (B)
Morning group transfer to
the airport for your international flight to your home city. Arrive same day.
Note: This itinerary is subject to
change due to conditions beyond our control.
Day 8 - Thu, July 19:
Edinburgh/to Wick (B/D)
After breakfast, we check
out and depart for our drive north. We may pass by the world famous landmark,
the William Wallace Memorial outside of Sterling, built to commemorate a true
giant, whose unquenchable thirst for Scottish freedom was immense, and still
reverberates throughout the country to this day. We continue through the wild
and mountainous Scottish countryside of the Grampian Mountains, north to
Inverness, where we stop for lunch on your own.
Then on up and around the
inland waters of Moray Firth, along the northeastern coast to Wick, which
for nearly 500 years was the administrative center of Caithness, in the heart of
Templar Land in northern Scotland. The name comes from the Norse for Bay; it was
the Vikings who first used the mouth of the River Wick where it flows into Wick
Bay as a harbor for their long ships and trading vessels. Wick today still has
the feel of a town that revolves around its harbor and its seafaring traditions.
For much of its life, most of Wick's trade and fishing took place via the tiny
hamlets of Papigoe and Staxigoe, which we will pass through on our way tomorrow
to Noss Head in Sinclair Bay on the North Sea. Today's Wick is an interesting
mix of influences and elements. The harbor remains both active and interesting,
while the town center has considerable character.
Check into our
accommodations. Our special guest tonight during our group dinner at our
hotel tonight is Laird Ian Sinclair, KGCTpl., Commander of the Scottish
Knight Templars, a consummate storyteller and font of Knights Templar lore,
who will welcome us to the area and share some of the local history with us. Overnight
Wick.
Day 9 - Fri,
July 20:
In Wick – Templar History, Sinclair-Girnigoe Castle
(B)
After
breakfast we depart to the Prince Henry St. Clair Preceptory and Clan
Sinclair Study Center for a morning lecture with Ian Sinclair and Mark
Pinkham, who will share exciting information on Templar history, including the
voyage of Prince Henry Sinclair, the Earl of Orkney, to North America 100 years
before Columbus! Lunch on your own.
After
lunch we visit Sinclair-Girnigoe Castle, built in the 1400 and 1500’s,
the only castle in Scotland with World Monument status. Current excavations by
York University have revealed startling information that is rewriting Templar
history in the Caithness area, which Ian and Mark will share with us. Perhaps
Lord Berriedale, the son of the present Earl of Caithness whose family built
this former Templar stronghold, will join us as we explore the palpable energies
of these ancient structures on this wild, windswept promontory jutting out into
the North Sea.
We
return to Wick. Dinner on your own. Free time. Overnight Wick.
Day 10 - Sat, July 21: In Wick - Free time, IOGT Initiations, Celebratory Dinner
(B/D)
Andrea and Mark will meet
individually with those who will be receiving the initiations into the IOGT, or
advancing to the next degree. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon we return to
the nearby IOGT Templar Preceptory for Initiations and advanced Accolades
in The International Order of Gnostic Templars. Everyone is invited to
attend this auspicious event. We return to town later in the afternoon. Our
Templar Celebratory Dinner is at MacKay’s Hotel, known for its excellent
local cuisine. Overnight Wick.
Day 11 - Sun,
July 22:
Return to Edinburgh, Farewell Dinner (B/D)
We depart Wick this morning
by motor coach for our full day’s journey back to Edinburgh, with a stop for
lunch on your own, as well as your last chance for Retail Therapy. We arrive in
the capital late afternoon, and check into our hotel. At our Farewell Dinner
at the hotel we share our experiences in Templar Land, say our fond Good-byes to
each other, sharing hugs and laughter. Overnight Edinburgh.
Day
12 - Mon, July 23: Depart Edinburgh/arrive your home city (B)
Morning group transfer to
the airport for your international flight to your home city. Arrive same day.
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