Edinburgh & the Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Four months ago, we made the decision to spend two weeks in the UK (mostly Scotland) on our way home from Africa. As our time in Africa drew to a close, we felt a bit unsure about this plan. We missed home!

After a few days here, we feel a lot better! LOL! We arrived in London, rented a car and drove directly to Edinburgh. The highlight of our brief stay was definitely St. Giles Church where John Knox preached so courageously and effectively in the mid 1500's, bringing the Reformation to Scotland and helping establish the Presbyterian Church there.

st. giles church, edinburgh

st. giles church, edinburgh

We left Edinburgh and headed to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne where, led by St. Aidan, Christianity first established a beachhead (literally) in Britian in the 6th century! Ruins of the monastery from the 11th century grace the island, along with Lindisfarne Castle.

lindisfarne priory (11th century)

lindisfarne castle

A short boat trip to the Farne Islands afforded an incredible opportunity to view grey seals and numerous birds. Regrettably, we missed the breeding season (May-early July) when hundreds of thousands of birds descend on the islands, including Puffins. Still, it was beautiful!

grey seals

cormorant

Wish you could be here to share these moments. On the other hand we're experiencing some awesome rejuvenation!