St Peter's Parish News
Thursday 1 January 1970
A Pilgrim’s Cairn
Fr Stuart and Barnaby looking windswept on Conic Hill, near Balmaha
Fr Stuart was joined on a stretch of his pilgrimage by younger son Barnaby, who wrote some words on the Pilgrim’s Cairn blog. They walked along Loch Lomond through Drymen, Rowardennan and Inverarnan. Father and son parted, and Fr Stuart left the West Highland Way, turning left to head west towards the port of Oban, where he caught the CalMac ferry to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. From Craignure, Stuart embarked on an overnight walk across Mull under the stars. Reaching Fionnphort on the other side of the island at dawn, where he made the very short ferry crossing to the Isle of Iona. Filled with peace and quiet thanksgiving, Stuart completed his pilgrimage.
On Iona is of course the famous Iona Abbey, the monastic community founded by St. Columba over 1400 years ago. Iona is considered by many to be a “thin place”, a location in ancient Celtic folklore where the boundary between Earth and Heaven is felt to be very close.
Stuart’s mobile app recorded that he has walked and sailed 488.5 miles over 190 hours and 11 minutes, and made a total ascent of 11,387 metres (more than the equivalent of climbing Everest!). Reflecting on his journey over Ireland and Scotland, Stuart wrote on his blog: “It has been a month of such grace, love and growth. I walked a long way, but for the most important part of the journey I’ve been on I was carried.” At the start of each day’s walking, Stuart read a Jewish prayer given to him by Rabbi Neil:
“Let me find grace, kindness and compassion in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see me.”
Over and over again, Stuart has said he was met with that gaze of grace, kindness and compassion. You can read his thoughtful Pilgrim’s Cairn travelogue and browse his photos and videos on Instagram:
pilgrimscairn.blogspot.com 
