A Journey to the Isle of Iona from Inverness
In the year 563 AD, an Irish monk named Columba arrived on the tiny island of Iona and founded a monastery that would go on to become the single most influential religious site in early medieval Scotland and the cradle of Celtic Christianity. Two years later, he journeyed northeast along the Great Glen to meet King Bridei of the Picts near modern-day Inverness, and according to his 7th-century biographer Adomnán, it was on that journey that he confronted a "water beast" in the River Ness.
Travelling from Inverness to Iona today retraces that route in reverse.
Waypoints on the journey
Isle of Iona: The heart of the journey. Founded in 563 AD, St Columba's monastery became a centre of learning that produced the Book of Kells, and the ancient graveyard of Reilig Odhráin is recorded as holding the remains of many early Scottish kings. Iona remains a living site of pilgrimage today, with the modern Iona Community still drawing visitors who come simply to walk its ground. Beyond the restored Abbey and the 13th-century Augustinian Nunnery, much of Iona's power lies simply in its overwhelming sense of history.
Duart Castle: Standing on a headland guarding the Sound of Mull, Duart has been the seat of Clan Maclean since the late 14th century. Restored in the early 20th century after centuries of ruin, it remains one of the best-preserved clan strongholds in the Hebrides.
Tobermory: The Isle of Mull's principal town, with its distinctive colourful harbour front and relaxed, easy character – a great place simply to slow down between the castle and the crossing to Iona.
Glencoe: A dramatic glen on the return route to Inverness, site of the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, and a fitting close to a journey that moves through so many layers of Highland and island history.
Why this journey takes four days
Most regular tours to Iona run out of Oban, which is easier to reach if you are travelling up from Glasgow or Edinburgh. If you simply want a quick trip to Iona, taking train or road connections to Oban from the Lowlands and booking a local tour from there is far more direct.
Starting from Inverness is a very different experience. You are travelling right through the breath-taking scenery of the Highlands twice, following the Great Glen down to the West Coast and taking two separate ferries to reach Iona. Trying to squeeze that into two or three days means a rushed itinerary.
In keeping with "the Highlands shouldn't be rushed" approach to touring, four days allows an unhurried visit to Iona – nearly five full hours on the island – combined with a wonderful journey to and from Inverness, taking in the dramatic scenery of Glencoe, the Jacobite history at Glenfinnan and the coastal landscapes of Mull along the way.
How to make this journey
All of the waypoints above can be visited independently by car and ferry, if you have the time to plan the logistics and connections between Inverness, Oban, Mull and Iona.
However, if you prefer a private tour, I offer a dedicated 4 Day Isle of Mull, Iona and Highlands Tour, following this same route from Inverness at a relaxed, unhurried pace.