Leaving

I missed the otter frolicking beside the ferry, but the rainbow proved to be slightly more obliging.

The Craignure-Oban ferry ride offers an extraordinary amount of breathtaking moments in its 45-minute timespan.

Duart Castle, the Lismore Light and the distant views over to Islay and Jura (I think): always varying in their aspect according to the ever-changing light and weather conditions.

On Friday's return journey a perfect rainbow added a hint of both elegy and promise...

Iona again

Trains, ferries and the trans-Mull bus have brought me once again to remote Iona, on the western edge of the Hebrides.

A week's residence with the community remains a splendid taster of a gentle, simple way of living in this traditionally 'thin place' where earth and heaven seem not-too-far apart.

Actually 'thin' doesn't apply to the gloriously substantial amounts of food served up three time a day, with intermittent servings of scones and oatcakes.

This year's group is slightly less international than in previous years, but eclectic all the same. I've met some remarkable people.

There's been a speaker - the American Franciscan Richard Rohr.

But, for me, the memorable moments come in unplanned encounters over food, or while stomping through wind and rain on the round-the-island 'pilgrimage' - this year enlivened by a close encounter with the Iona bull. A very big boy.

Going swimmingly

Mr Gnome is unable to restrain his human associate from recording his achievement of a 'special category' swim.

In this case the categories are a combination of 'most northerly' and 'most unexpected'.

But such was the dazzling sunlight and the turquoise / azure glamour of the waters of Port Ban beach, that he was unable to resist the call of the water.

Cold? Definitely. But once you've launched out, and are horizontal in the top layer of water, it's surprisingly less chilly than on first entry.

The horseshoe-shaped cove was still, and glassy-clear. Away in the distance beyond the rocks guarding the entrance to the tiny bay, the Irish Sea thundered.

Glorious.

North and west

A pause in the postings as Mr Gnome and the Human Being  journey once again to the remote, beautiful island of Iona.

We shall be staying with the Iona Community.

Iona

Briefly back at base after six bracing, memorable days as a guest of the Iona Community.

The island of Iona has been a place of pilgrimage for more than a thousand years.

Restored in the latter half of the twentieth century, the Abbey is now home to members of a Christian community of lay and ordained people, who share a commitment to peace and justice and to the renewal of the church.

I've just relished a short stay in the comfortable hostel-style Macleod Centre, just up the hill from the Abbey.

Our sessions were led by the remarkable John Bell (beard, red shoes, above) who shared insights into the freshness, challenge, relevance and vivid aliveness of the 'family book', the Bible.

And we sang.

John is one of the most influential composers/writers/collectors of songs, hymns and chants of the last thirty years - and he has a terrific gift for getting untrained people singing with joy and gusto - and, before they know what has happened, in four-part harmony as well.

And then there was the food, the company, the weather - a mixture of fierce winds, horizontal rain and dazzling shafts of sunlight.

More pictures on Flickr.

And Mr Gnome was delighted to encounter two cheery gnomes (one of whom posed) who had travelled to Iona from Roanoke, Virginia, USA. Hurrah!

The call of the north...

Mr Gnome is taking a brief blog-break. He's going to Scotland.

But not to Iona, where these pictures were take in June 2007 while Mr G and the HB were visting the Iona Community.