Pilgrims’ progress is blessed by warm spring sunshine
PILGRIMS made progress on the second-ever official St Conan’s pilgrimage from Dalmally to Iona, blessed by sunshine – and a few rain showers.
The Oban Times caught up with the walkers on the second day of their 70-mile trek as they were about to board the ferry over to Mull.
The pilgrims, who left Dalmally’s Craig Lodge retreat centre to follow the footsteps of St Conan, came from far, wide and very near to take part. One couple travelled from Bath, others came from Shropshire, Yorkshire, Berwick Upon
Tweed, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dalmally – and the group included a mother and son who recently moved to Iona, so were walking back home.
Two guides led the way to cut out the stress of map-reading and luggage was transported for them to lighten their load. In charge of the van and acting as support driver was Calum MacFarlane-Barrow, who founded Craig Lodge and St Conan’s Way pilgrimage.
‘We’ve become like a family. The more trials we experience on the walk, the more we bond. It’s of great value – great spiritual value and great health value,’ he said.
Once on Mull, the route goes cross-country to Fionnphort to get the ferry to Iona.
St Conan was part of the monastic tradition established by St Columba on Iona and in the Dalmally area.
Mr MacFarlane-Barrow created St Conan’s Pilgrim Way to celebrate Craig Lodge’s 25th anniversary after the house of prayer noticed more and more walkers were coming ‘off the hills’ on pilgrimages of their own to drop in on them.
St Conan’s pilgrimage has now become an annual event on Craig Lodge’s calendar.
Interested? Visit craiglodge.org or email mail@craiglodge.org