Information About the Isle of Iona
Iona, a tiny island with a great history in Scotland.
St Columba, famous for bringing the Christian Faith to Scotland, settled on Iona in 563AD.
A varied coastline and a wealth of history attract over 120,000 visitors per year to Iona.
Beaches range from soft and sandy to shell-covered and stony. The former are great for swimmers, whilst the latter offer collectors a rare source of beautifully coloured pebbles - for example, the Iona greenstone.
'The Bay at the Back of the Ocean' is a beauty spot only a short walk from the ferry port. The cattle on the Machair, a fertile grazing land, enjoy a view of open sea that stretches 2,000 miles westwards.
The Machair also makes up a part of the 18-hole golf course, so a round here includes cattle as the natural hazards! The ninth green in particular is a favourite for the Machair's resident Bull!
The south of the island is full of rock and some of the marble to be found there has green streaks running through it, said to represent St Columba's tears on leaving Ireland.
The inland countryside is littered only with granite boulders and sheep munching the lush grass.
History - St Columba became an exile after an ill-fated battle in Ireland. It is said his original intention was to convert as many people to Christianity as died that day. To mark the 1400th anniversary of his death in 1997, celebrations of his life centred on Iona Abbey.
Torr Abb is a rocky mound on a spot in front of the Abbey that is believed to be where St. Columba's flagstone bed was located. Also in the foreground are The High Crosses, carved of stone from the mainland in the 8th century and possibly used as pulpits in the early days of the church.
Historic crosses stand at various locations across the island. Macleod's Cross is some three metres high and stands by the roadside, whilst another carved example in front of the Abbey commemorates the fourth century bishop Saint Martin.
The remains of Saint John's Cross, possibly the first ever Celtic ringed cross, are now held together by Perspex. The museum in which they can be found today was once the Abbey's infirmary. A replica of the cross occupies the original's position in the Abbey grounds.
Saint Oran's Chapel is the oldest building still intact on the Isle. Its graveyard is not so well preserved so it is impossible to confirm without major excavation exactly who is buried there.
In the chapel cemetery there are the graves of as many as 48 Scottish, 4 Irish and 8 Norwegian Kings. Legend suggests the site was a desirable resting place since it was prophesised that when the rest of the world sinks beneath the waves, Iona will remain.
What is certain is that the 16 American sailors who perished in a shipwreck in 1865 are buried there. John Smith, Tony Blair's predecessor as Labour Party leader, was also laid to rest on Iona.
The Nunnery was established around 1200AD, when a Benedictine monastery was set up on Iona. It was restored in 1938, but it remained roofless and now the ruins are home to the gardens maintained by the Cathedral Trust. The mixture of architecture here is fascinating, the diversity of colour matched by the eye-catching flowers.
The Iona Heritage Centre houses a fascinating exhibition of local history and is open from Easter to November six days a week. Geologists come to view some of the oldest rocks on earth.
Famous names to have visited the Isle include Sir Walter Scott, James Boswell and even Prince Albert, who came ashore in 1847. Although Queen Victoria saw fit to stay aboard the Royal Yacht, the visit helped to make Iona a fashionable holiday destination.
Iona was given to the National Trust for Scotland in 1979 by the Fraser Foundation in memory of Lord Hugh Fraser of Allander. The previous owner of the Isle had been the Duke of Argyll, but he had to sell up when he fell upon hard times.
Location Information - approximately three miles long and a mile wide, Iona has a population well short of 200. It is dwarfed by The Isle of Mull which is about a mile away to the north east, beyond which is Scotland's west coast.
To the north west on a clear day, it is possible to see the outlines of Coll, Tiree, Rhum and Eigg beyond the hills of the Treshnish Isles. Thirty-five miles to the south the Paps of Jura also come into view.
Iona is officially a part of Argyll, but in reality has a community with an identity of its own.
How To Get There - to get to Iona a ferry must be taken to the Isle of Mull, where a frequent bus service transports passengers across to Fionnphort. Visitors to Mull may take their vehicles, but Iona only permits residents' cars. The crossings to both Mull and Iona are often very busy at peak times in summer.
Where To Stay - many people stay on Mull and take a day trip to Iona, which is a rather rushed affair and fails to do the Isle justice. At least one night on Iona is recommended in order to get a real feeling for the tranquillity and timelessness of the way of life.
Activities - boat trips and cruises include neighbouring Staffa, where Fingal's Caves are located - famous for being the inspiration for one of Mendelssohn's finest Overtures.
Loch or sea fishing can be arranged during a stay on Iona, which could be combined with seal watching at St. Columba's bay.
The Iona Shop is located in Oban, but there are places on the island that produce and sell the local arts and crafts - except on The Sabbath Day, which is still strictly adhered to by the islanders.
Dances and ceilidhs ('kay-lees' - distinctly Scottish get-togethers) are an integral part of life on Iona, as is bird watching, with many different species visiting the Isle.
Wild flowers are particularly striking in May and June, the best examples of which are discovered by walkers. The terrain can be quite tough but tackling it provides otherwise inaccessible and quite breathtaking views.