peace comes dropping slow

MONDAY - Six go island hopping . . . to Iona

Not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind today.  Blue skies, turquoise waters and calm sparkly seas in the Sound of Iona.  People thought I was joking when I got to work today - but HONESTLY, the weather was just amazing.

Caught the ferry on foot from Fionnphort over to the tiny island of Iona, gannets diving all around us for fish and the sea bed clear as anything.

Beautiful little harbour village and check out the cute Post Office on the beach!

and five of you were lucky enough to get a postcard posted at this very moment - cos they were they only ones who's addresses I knew off by heart, having forgotten my address book!

We passed the old nunnery and the Primary School scarecrows and the Peter Rabbit allotments

Made the pilgrimage to John Smith's grave - very lovely and peaceful and glinting in the sun.  Loved the inscription.

and the view

Wrote my journal in the sun

Got some shots of the gargoyles in the Abbey cloisters

Then some of the ancient gravestones and celtic crosses in the Abbey museum

and the Abbey itself, with it's beautifully coloured local stones

and it's celtic crosses against Toledo blue skies

and dark mysterious interior

Then we took our picnic across to the northern tip of the island and the most amazing beaches - the pictures will have to speak for themselves as I know I can't do justice to the incredible colours, the rocks, pebbles, shells and the backdrop of the Hebredian islands all around us.


Just what I imagine tropical waters to look like  . . .

Fantastic patterns in the sand dunes too.

as well as Sea Campion (or so I am told) nestling in the rocks

This was the view as we ate our butties - wild, remote - could have stayed there forever

and not another soul in sight (thank goodness)

a final twin baa-ahhhhhh factor

and farewell to Iona it was

and next you'll have to read about how we went wild in Mull on Monday!!!  Just click here