The Italian Chapel

In 1942, 550 Italian prisoners of war, captured in North Africa, were brought to Orkney. 200 were based at camp 60. The Italian Chapel was built by these POW's, who were housed on the previously uninhabited island while they constructed the Churchill barriers.

Italian Chapel, c. 1943-1945

The prisoners used what they had available to make their chapel. Two Nissen (steel) huts were joined end-to-end. The corrugated interior of the chapel was covered with plasterboard. The alter and alter rail were made out of leftover concrete. Light holders were made out of corn beef tins The baptismal font was made from the inside of a car exhaust covered in a layer of concrete. 

The alter

The prisoner that decorated the interior of the chapel stayed after the war to finish his work for the newly consecrated chapel. In fact, the chapel was not completed until after the end of the war. It was restored in the 1960s and again in the 1990s. It is still used for worship and is a popular tourist attraction. It has become a lasting symbol of peace in the islands.

Unique exterior

Interior

Ornate walls

In 1943, with morale running low, a professionally trained artist from Italy decided to beautify the camp's central parade square. He designed and built a statue of St. George slaying a dragon. Similar to the chapel, he used leftover materials from the causeway construction. 

St. George statue, c. 1943

Bay at the Back of the Ocean

Besides its historic abbey, Iona is known for its beaches. After getting off the ferry, I took the advice of our tour guide/driver (Dave) and walked to the Bay at the Back of the Ocean. I took the more scenic route. The beach was on the west side of the island. It was rocky, with lots of seaweed. The white sand beaches were obviously located elsewhere. I would have liked more time to have seen them, too.

Me at the beach

Mound of seaweed

More seaweed

Surf

Greenery

One of the things the Iona beaches are known for is their brightly colored pebbles (stones). The different colors are the result of the island's unique and ancient mix of contrasting rock types that get worn down and polished by the sea. I took a few stones home as souvenirs. I especially liked the orange and white speckled stones. One of my favorite things to do on a beach is to see what I can find, to see what mother nature has decided to share with beachcombers. 

Beach stones

Colorful rocks

Nature's colors

Orange and white speckled stone

I was there!

Iona Abbey and Nunnery

Iona is an island in the inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. One of the thing it's known for is its historic abbey. Iona Abbey is one of the oldest and most scared Christian pilgrim sites in Western Europe. It is often called the "cradle of Scottish Christianity." The abbey was founded in 563 AD. It survived multiple brutal Viking attacks before being rebuilt around 1200. After falling into ruin after the Scottish Reformation, the abbey was extensively restored in the 20th century. 

Iona Abbey, c. ~1200

Signage

Abbey walls

The St. Martin's cross that stands in front of the abbey is an 8th century Celtic high cross that has stood undisturbed in its original location for over 1200 years. It is 16.4 feet tall, including its base, and was carved from a single piece of granite.

St. Martin's Cross

Inside abbey

Simple alter

Courtyard

Ornate window

St. Oran's Chapel is the oldest intact structure on Iona. Located close to the abbey, it may have served as a mortuary structure. Many of the grave slabs from the cemetery are in the abbey museum. The chapel was in ruins by the early 17th century and was restored in 1957. 

St. Oran's Chapel, c. 1100's

Chapel and abbey

Grave slab

St. Columbia's Well

Built around the year 1200, the Iona Nunnery is celebrated as one of the best-preserved medieval nunneries in the British Isles. The nuns who lived there were often called "Black Nuns" because of the dark robes they wore. The nunnery fell into ruins after the Scottish Reformation, but unlike the nearby abbey, the nunnery was never fully restored.

Welcome to Iona Nunnery

Iona Nunnery, ~1203 AD

Ruins of nunnery

Doorway

Staying in the Highlands

When I signed up for the 9-day tour of the Highlands with Rabbies, I had two choices for accommodations:  hotel or bed and breakfast. I chose the latter. Not only are B&B's cheaper, but they are more personal. I'm not sure why I was booked into a hotel in Kirkwall (Orkney) for two nights.   

Alltavona Guest House (2 nights in Oban)

My room was lovely

Hillview Bed & Breakfast (2 nights in Plockton)

Another lovely room

Braeside Guest House (1 night in Inverness)

Breakfast table

Albert Hotel (2 nights in Kirkwall)

Not as nice as the B&B's

Harbour House B&B (1 night in Ullapool)

For the first and last nights of my trip I stayed in Edinburgh. I chose a youth hostel (the CoDE) on the Royal Mile (in Parliament Square), near the Adam Smith statue. It was a sleeping pod (capsule), with shared bathrooms and other spaces. A hostel was a new experience for me, though it was similar to the City Hub, where Lara and I stayed last year in Reykjavik. 

The CoDE (1st and last night in Edinburgh)

The CoDE was inside a 19th century former courthouse and jail in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Besides price, I chose it for its location; it was close to the castle. I was attending the Military Tattoo (in the castle) and didn't want to have to walk far after the performance. My room (all female) had eight sleeping pods. I had a top bunk on the first night, a bottom bunk on the last night. All in all, it was a pleasant place to stay. The pod offered privacy, the bed was comfy, and the place was quiet.

Old jail

My sleeping pod (capsule)

At long last, the Scottish Highlands

After having to cancel my 5-day tour of the Scottish Highlands (in 2024) due to Covid, I finally got to see the Highlands. I took a 9-day Rabbies tour that included Isle of Skye, Iona, Mull, and the Orkney Isles. It was actually two tours in one. Halfway through (in Inverness), we switched guides/drivers, said goodbye to some of our travel mates, and welcomed nine new people for the journey north.

We traveled in a passenger van that seated 16 people. The seats were narrow, but otherwise it was comfortable. The first group of travelers included 5 solo travelers, including myself, and people from Australia, China, and Germany, as well as the US, including those with diverse ethnic backgrounds such as Singapore, India, and China/Vietnam. The second group included eight Americans (from the South) who already knew each other, as well as a nice widow lady from New Zealand. 

First group with tour guide Dave (3rd from left, back)

Second group with tour guide Andrew (R)

We had two good tour guides/drivers. The guide for the first half of the tour was Dave. I really liked him. He had a bold, assertive personality. He was an exceptional guide, really knew his history. Andrew was the guide for the second half of the tour. He was more soft spoken and low-key. In his spare time, Andrew liked to sit on the beach and do nothing. Dave liked to climb mountains. That sums up how different they were.

Stopped along Loch Ness (no Nessy!)

Getting off the Glenelg Ferry onto Skye

On the big ferry from Orkney

Seven of us did the whole 9-day tour and developed a good rapport. Overall, I preferred the people from the first half of the tour. The Indian couple (from California) seated in front of the picture below were especially nice.

Our last night together

Selfie at Eileen Donan castle