What wonders to behold.

Knottman and Mrs.K. were blessed by St. Columba today. The sun shone and the icy winds went elsewhere. The delights of Iona beckoned.
It stretches the imagination to visualise the arrival on this small island of St. Columba and twelve followers in the year 563 A.D. Think of surviving the winter storms in wattle and daub huts. Of producing enough for subsistence. And yet they built the first church on this site but more amazingly within a short time they began producing works of art in wood, metal, enamel and above all producing illuminated manuscripts which are still regarded as among the finest ever made.
All these thoughts go round one's mind as one explores the Abbey and its surroundings.
And then we walked to the North end of the island to find a most beautiful bay and beach with views across the sea to
Staffa. And with Gannets diving into the ocean. Nobody else there. But close your eyes and see and hear first Vikings and later Danes landing on this beach in full cry and slaughtering the peaceful brothers from the Abbey. In this part of the world at least human kind seems to have made some progress.
The island has a magic quality and I can see why people go back several times.