Iona is a beautiful island with stone fences, sheep, ruins, and a history that seems to infuse the island. There are many walking trails around the island and because tourists cannot bring cars, there is a real quite over the whole island.
Some of the beaches on the island were pure white and perfectly clean and untouched with wildflowers blooming even in September. I could have spent several days on the island simply enjoying its beauty.
The wind blew constantly while we were on the island, but thankfully the rain held off until we had boarded the ferry back to Mull.

The tiny isle of Iona is on the outer edges of the Western Isles of Scotland and is where the first Christian came to Scotland. According to history, St Columba (a prince of Ireland) left Ireland in self imposed exile due to a battle he had caused which left over 3000 men dead. He vowed to establish a ministry on the first land he came to where he could not see Ireland. Twelve of his fellow monks came with him and they established the abby on Iona in 563.
Due to Viking raids culminating in a massacre of 68 monks in 806, the ministry was abandoned for many years.
The present abby building was created in circa 1200, and was somewhat restored in 1899. In 1938, a minister from Glasgow set out with several students to rebuild the complex and reinstate a Christian abby on Iona. At that time the cloisters were reconstructed and the abby gained its currant form.

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