Sunlight and ancient stone

These arches are part of what remains of the nunnery on Iona. The nuns were of the Augustinian order, giving rise to the Gaelic name An Eaglais Dubh, the Black Church, from the colour of their robes. The nunnery was occupied until the Reformation. Now it lies at the centre of the village round the ferry slipway, so that you step sideways off the road past the Spar grocery shop and into the past.

I came here after buying the toothpaste I'd forgotten to take on my retreat (I may have been retiring from the world, but I draw the line at mossy teeth). It was a glorious morning, and as the wind brought clouds and chill from midday on I had clearly the best of the day for this brief outing.