Following Celtic Footsteps: A Pilgrimage with the Celtic Saints of Britain
July 5-17, 2026
Marti and I will be leading this pilgrimage this coming July. Having taken this ourselves just over a year ago we are eager to offer it again. You can find all the information and can register at the Lightline North America website.
This pilgrimage will fly out of Miami but we can work with you to get you to that flight or, as always, can work with you in whatever way necessary to have you join us. On this pilgrimage we will visit Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jarrow and the Borders region. We will stay on the Island of Iona and visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne as well. The total price is $6995 which includes most meals, all transportation, guides, entrance fees, etc.
Basic Itinerary
Day 1 Flights from various places getting to Glasgow.
Day 2
Changing planes in London, we continue on to Glasgow, landing late morning. We will visit the Kelvingrove Gallery (home of Dali's famous ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’) and the magnificent medieval cathedral which is the oldest building in the city, before checking into our hotel. We will enjoy an opening dinner in the hotel restaurant after we have freshened up from our travels.
Day 3
We leave Glasgow after breakfast for the long journey to Iona. Initially we drive past Loch Lomond and the Trossach mountains to the city of Oban, located on the west coast of the Scottish mainland. After a break for lunch, we continue on by ferry to the Isle of Mull, where we drive another 37 miles along single track road to our second ferry crossing that will, finally, bring us to Iona.
Day 4
The first of two days to enjoy the unique environment of Iona. Tickets to the Abbey will be provided, which you can use throughout this time on the island, and arrangements will be made for Bishop Rickel to lead a pilgrim liturgy.
Day 5
A second day to enjoy this island, with the possibility of a guided prayer walk, and, for those who wish, the opportunity to make a half-day visit to Fingal's Cave on the isle of Staffa (not included in the pilgrimage price).
Day 6
We leave Iona after an early breakfast, to retrace our steps to Oban. We will take lunch here again, and, if time permits, it will be possible to have a tour of the famous distillery (at extra cost), highly regarded by malt whiskey drinkers around the world! From here we drive to Edinburgh, where we will arrive in time to freshen up before exploring the city to find dinner on our own.
Day 7
Today is a free day for us to enjoy some of the many attractions of Scotland's vibrant and beautiful capital city of Edinburgh.
Day 8
Before leaving Edinburgh, we will join the local Episcopal community at St Mary's Cathedral for their principal celebration of the Eucharist. After the service, we drive into the Borders to visit the ruins of Melrose Abbey, where Cuthbert entered the religious life. After this visit we drive across the border into England arriving in good time to relax at our boutique hotel on the coast. Dinner is provided at the hotel this evening.
Day 9
We will spend today on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, once home to a very significant Celtic monastery which was the home of both Aidan and Cuthbert. We will visit the ruins of the later medieval abbey, and hope to meet the local Rector and learn something of the island's ministry to the thousands of pilgrims who visit each year.
For those who wish there will be an opportunity to visit the ‘stately home’ known as Lindisfarne Castle, and there will be time to walk around the island and enjoy its tranquility. We will have an early supper on the island before the tide goes down and allows us to return to our hotel.
Day 10
We leave our hotel to journey south, stopping first in the city of Durham, where the vast Norman cathedral built as the final resting place of the beloved Northumbrian saint Cuthbert dominates the landscape. We will have a guided tour of the cathedral and free time to enjoy this small and beautiful place. On the way on to York we will stop to visit the 7th Century Saxon church at Escomb - one of only four intact churches of this era in Britain.
We will arrive in York in good time to check into our final hotel of the pilgrimage, and find some dinner on our own in one of the city's many delightful restaurants.
Day 11
Today we will see two of Yorkshire's famous ruined abbeys. The first, at Whitby, dominates the skyline of this fishing town, and when we have explore the abbey, we will have a chance, if we wish, to have a traditional ‘fish and chip’ lunch (not included in the tour price).
From Whitby we go the remote moorland location of Rievaulx Abbey, another evocative ruin, before returning to York in good time to find dinner on our own.
Day 12
This morning, Dean Dominic will take us around the Minster, offering us the 'Dean's Eye' view of this world-famous cathedral, and sharing some of its history with us. After this, we will meet one of York's most colorful characters, Mad Alice, who will take us on a ‘Bloody Tour’ of the streets of the city.
The rest of the day is free for us to enjoy last-minute shopping, exploring or resting, before our final dinner together to mark the end of the pilgrimage at the Minster's own Refectory restaurant.
Day 13
After breakfast we bid farewell to York and start on our journey home, transferring to Manchester Airport for a short flight to London, and then onwards over the Atlantic, landing in Miami this evening.
A major part of this spirituality is the idea of the “thin place.” On this pilgrimage you will be able to inhabit the very places this concept was first considered. As with all our pilgrimages, we will pray and worship amongst our group, but also with the local communities that still incarnate these holy places. I hope you will prayerfully consider joining us on this life changing journey.
Faithfully,
+Greg and Marti
Flights can be arranged from all US airports if you are not located close to Miami. Lightline also can help with upgrades, and extra days in Britain or Europe before/after the actual pilgrimage. Please email [email protected] if you wish to ask about any extra arrangements.
This pilgrimage will fly out of Miami but we can work with you to get you to that flight or, as always, can work with you in whatever way necessary to have you join us. On this pilgrimage we will visit Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jarrow and the Borders region. We will stay on the Island of Iona and visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne as well. The total price is $6995 which includes most meals, all transportation, guides, entrance fees, etc.
Basic Itinerary
Day 1 Flights from various places getting to Glasgow.
Day 2
Changing planes in London, we continue on to Glasgow, landing late morning. We will visit the Kelvingrove Gallery (home of Dali's famous ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’) and the magnificent medieval cathedral which is the oldest building in the city, before checking into our hotel. We will enjoy an opening dinner in the hotel restaurant after we have freshened up from our travels.
Day 3
We leave Glasgow after breakfast for the long journey to Iona. Initially we drive past Loch Lomond and the Trossach mountains to the city of Oban, located on the west coast of the Scottish mainland. After a break for lunch, we continue on by ferry to the Isle of Mull, where we drive another 37 miles along single track road to our second ferry crossing that will, finally, bring us to Iona.
Day 4
The first of two days to enjoy the unique environment of Iona. Tickets to the Abbey will be provided, which you can use throughout this time on the island, and arrangements will be made for Bishop Rickel to lead a pilgrim liturgy.
Day 5
A second day to enjoy this island, with the possibility of a guided prayer walk, and, for those who wish, the opportunity to make a half-day visit to Fingal's Cave on the isle of Staffa (not included in the pilgrimage price).
Day 6
We leave Iona after an early breakfast, to retrace our steps to Oban. We will take lunch here again, and, if time permits, it will be possible to have a tour of the famous distillery (at extra cost), highly regarded by malt whiskey drinkers around the world! From here we drive to Edinburgh, where we will arrive in time to freshen up before exploring the city to find dinner on our own.
Day 7
Today is a free day for us to enjoy some of the many attractions of Scotland's vibrant and beautiful capital city of Edinburgh.
Day 8
Before leaving Edinburgh, we will join the local Episcopal community at St Mary's Cathedral for their principal celebration of the Eucharist. After the service, we drive into the Borders to visit the ruins of Melrose Abbey, where Cuthbert entered the religious life. After this visit we drive across the border into England arriving in good time to relax at our boutique hotel on the coast. Dinner is provided at the hotel this evening.
Day 9
We will spend today on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, once home to a very significant Celtic monastery which was the home of both Aidan and Cuthbert. We will visit the ruins of the later medieval abbey, and hope to meet the local Rector and learn something of the island's ministry to the thousands of pilgrims who visit each year.
For those who wish there will be an opportunity to visit the ‘stately home’ known as Lindisfarne Castle, and there will be time to walk around the island and enjoy its tranquility. We will have an early supper on the island before the tide goes down and allows us to return to our hotel.
Day 10
We leave our hotel to journey south, stopping first in the city of Durham, where the vast Norman cathedral built as the final resting place of the beloved Northumbrian saint Cuthbert dominates the landscape. We will have a guided tour of the cathedral and free time to enjoy this small and beautiful place. On the way on to York we will stop to visit the 7th Century Saxon church at Escomb - one of only four intact churches of this era in Britain.
We will arrive in York in good time to check into our final hotel of the pilgrimage, and find some dinner on our own in one of the city's many delightful restaurants.
Day 11
Today we will see two of Yorkshire's famous ruined abbeys. The first, at Whitby, dominates the skyline of this fishing town, and when we have explore the abbey, we will have a chance, if we wish, to have a traditional ‘fish and chip’ lunch (not included in the tour price).
From Whitby we go the remote moorland location of Rievaulx Abbey, another evocative ruin, before returning to York in good time to find dinner on our own.
Day 12
This morning, Dean Dominic will take us around the Minster, offering us the 'Dean's Eye' view of this world-famous cathedral, and sharing some of its history with us. After this, we will meet one of York's most colorful characters, Mad Alice, who will take us on a ‘Bloody Tour’ of the streets of the city.
The rest of the day is free for us to enjoy last-minute shopping, exploring or resting, before our final dinner together to mark the end of the pilgrimage at the Minster's own Refectory restaurant.
Day 13
After breakfast we bid farewell to York and start on our journey home, transferring to Manchester Airport for a short flight to London, and then onwards over the Atlantic, landing in Miami this evening.
A major part of this spirituality is the idea of the “thin place.” On this pilgrimage you will be able to inhabit the very places this concept was first considered. As with all our pilgrimages, we will pray and worship amongst our group, but also with the local communities that still incarnate these holy places. I hope you will prayerfully consider joining us on this life changing journey.
Faithfully,
+Greg and Marti
Flights can be arranged from all US airports if you are not located close to Miami. Lightline also can help with upgrades, and extra days in Britain or Europe before/after the actual pilgrimage. Please email [email protected] if you wish to ask about any extra arrangements.
The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Assisting Bishop of SE Florida
VIII Bishop of Olympia, Resigned.
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