Our wonderful pilgrimage begins with an evening flight from Australia.

Overnight: In-Flight

5 NIGHTS

Flights from Australia all arrive in Dubai at approximately the same time which makes this an ideal meeting point for our CFT Group (keep an eye out for the orange CFT Backpacks).

Here you will have the choice to either rest and refresh in the airport hotel or to join a 4-hour city tour of incredible Dubai.

We leave Dubai and fly to Dublin, the Capital city of the Republic of Ireland, arriving in the evening.

We are transferred to our hotel to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Overnight: Dublin

Enjoy a relaxed start before a sightseeing tour of this beautiful city, built on the mouth of the River Liffey. Dublin is warm and welcoming, known for the friendliness of its people and famous for its craic (that beloved mixture of Irish repartee and humour). The city is famed for its historic buildings, from Georgian squares to its 13th Century Castle and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. Our tour takes in well-known sites such as O’Connell Street, Custom House, the River Liffey, Guinness and Phoenix Park – the largest urban park in Europe and home to the President of Ireland.

We visit the National Museum of Ireland, looking at galleries which focus on Christianity; Treasury Room exhibits include the Rinnegan Crucifixion Plaque, one of the earliest surviving representations of the crucifixion in Irish art. Amongst the museums many treasures is the bell reputed to have belonged to St Patrick.

The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure to relax or explore as you wish.

Overnight: Dublin

We head south to the fascinating monastery of Glendalough, founded by St Kevin, one of Ireland’s most revered saints, in the sixth century. Located in County Wicklow this is one of Ireland’s most beautiful destinations, its glacial valley with two lakes offering some of the country’s most stunning scenery. This “monastic City” became one of the most famous religious centres in Europe and we learn all about this hallowed place at the excellent interpretive centre.

We then have time to explore the ancient monastic site and ruins of the original cathedral, the Reefert Church.

Enjoy an afternoon visit to the village of Avoca in County Wicklow and the Avoca Woollen Mills.

Overnight: Dublin

This morning, we visit Trinity College, an internationally renowned university founded in the sixteenth century by Queen Elizabeth I. Within the Old Library we will view the astonishing beauty of the Book of Kells (c. 800 AD); this stunning illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels is regarded as one of Medieval Europe’s greatest treasures.

Share Sunday worship with the locals at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin’s oldest cathedral, before we explore its 11th century crypt. Not only is it Dublin City’s oldest working structure, it is also the largest crypt in Ireland.

The Cathedral was originally founded as a Viking Church in 1030 and at Dubliana museum we will discover Dublin’s rich Viking and medieval past. We end our fascinating Sunday with a visit to the imposing twelfth century St Patrick’s Cathedral, dedicated to Ireland’s National Saint. The Cathedral is the resting place of many notable Irishmen and women including Jonathan Swift (author of Gulliver’s Travels).

Overnight: Dublin

We travel to County Meath to visit the Hill of Tara; this is an ancient ceremonial and burial site traditionally identified as the inauguration place and seat of the High Kings of Ireland.

We continue to the monastic site of Clonmacnoise, founded by St Ciaran in 545AD. Situated high on the banks of the River Shannon and overlooking picturesque countryside the ancient site contains a well- preserved round tower and remains of 9 churches.

Overnight: Dublin

2 NIGHTS

We bid farewell to Dublin as we drive to the Navan Fort. As the earliest capital of Ulster and the ancient seat of King , Navan is a place where myth and reality meet. Hear legends of the Ulster Cycle and visit the unique Iron age/ Early Christian period dwellings; step 2000 years back in time as you meet the Celts going about their daily lives. Discover how they survived and thrived as they engage you in this highly interactive and unique experience – you may find the clan cooking, weaving, tending to their plants or even preparing their weapons for battle.

We travel to Armagh where St Patrick built his first great, stone church in 445AD. It is believed that the Celtic Spirituality associated with this location brought Patrick to the area, establishing Armagh as the Ecclesiastical Capital of Ireland. Enjoy some free time in Armagh before a tour of the city sights.

Then it is time to leave the Republic of Ireland to travel to Belfast, the buzzing capital of Northern Ireland that is situated on the River Lagan.

Overnight: Belfast

Belfast was once mainly known for the sectarian “Troubles”, but today it is vibrant city with much to offer. See the Stormont, Northern Ireland’s Parliament, on a city coach tour and visit St Anne’s Anglican Cathedral. Enjoy some free time for lunch before an afternoon visit to the Titanic Quarter, one of the world’s largest water-front regeneration schemes.

Overnight: Belfast

It’s off to Scotland today as we travel by ferry to Cairnryan on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan. From here we transfer to Whithorn, considered Scotland`s Cradle of Christianity due to its connections with St. Ninian, the first missionary to the Scots and possibly southern Picts.

In the fifth century, St Ninian’s early Christian settlement had contacts with Gaul resulting in a sophisticated church hierarchy and a thriving and literate community which imported fine wines and pottery. As such, Whithorn is quite possibly Scotland’s earliest town. We visit the Whithorn Priory & Museum where we can view 18 early Christian carved stones that were originally found in St Ninian’s Cave, then continue our journey to the port city of Glasgow.

Overnight: Glasgow

2 NIGHTS

Glasgow is famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city’s 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it’s a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums.

We will visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where we can view Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John of the Cross as well as Glasgow Cathedral which includes the St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art.

Enjoy some free time for lunch before we travel to Oban to spend the night.
Overnight: Oban

A truly inspiring day spent visiting the Isle of Mull and the Holy Island of Iona. Part of the Inner Hebrides these islands are renowned for their incredible natural beauty; here is a place to glory in God’s Creation as rugged cliffs combine with silver-sand beaches, sparkling lochs, rivers and waterfalls, dramatic mountains, ancient forests and flowering grassy plains.

In 563 AD St. Columba travelled to Iona from Ireland with 12 followers, building his first Celtic church and establishing a monastic community before setting about converting most of pagan Scotland and northern England to the Christian faith. Iona’s fame as a missionary centre and outstanding place of learning eventually spread throughout Europe, turning it into a place of pilgrimage for several centuries to come, as well as a sacred isle where 60 kings of Scotland, Ireland and Norway were buried.

A walking tour includes a visit to Iona Abbey to learn more about the history of the Celtic Church; its challenges from Viking Raids, the Roman Church and Reformation and its incredible contribution to art and culture, creating such masterpieces as the Book of Kells.

Today, tranquil Iona is the base for the Iona Community, an international, ecumenical Christian movement working for justice and peace, the rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.

Overnight: Oban

2 NIGHTS

We travel to Dunfermline, once the capital of Scotland, to worship at the Holy Trinity, Episcopal Church of Scotland. This ‘auld grey toun’ is at the heart of Scottish history with the royal and monastic past dominating the city with the royal place, a 12th Century Abbey (the final resting place of Robert the Bruce and burial site of 11 other Scottish kings and queens), the restored 15th Century Abbot House and the cave in which St Margaret bathed the feet of the poor. We as will visit both the Dunfermline Abbey and St Margaret’s Cave as well.

We then travel to beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city.

Overnight: Edinburgh

FULL DAY AT LEISURE

Enjoy a full day at leisure in historic Edinburgh. Our hotel is in the heart of the city’s medieval Old Town, just a short walk from the lively Royal Mile. Visit iconic landmarks such as Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s crown jewels as well as the Stone of Destiny (used in the coronation of Scottish rulers). Explore elegant Georgian New Town with its gardens and neoclassical building and soak up the city’s vibrant culture with an impressive array of shops, museums, and galleries.

Tonight, we will experience all the excitement of the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Enjoy the best of British Military tattoos with international performances from a global cast, all played out on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. Wow!

Overnight: Edinburgh

From Edinburgh we journey to Bamburgh to visit St Aidan’s Church. We cross over to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, a location intimately connected with the history of Christianity in Britain. In 635 the Northumbrian king, Oswald, summoned an Irish monk named Aidan from Iona to be bishop of his kingdom also granting him the small tidal island of Lindisfarne on which to found a monastery. Both St Aidan and St Cuthbert were located here for a time, and we learn more about them when we visit the Priory and Lindisfarne Centre.

Overnight: Bamburgh

3 NIGHTS

This morning, (weather permitting), we will cruise around the Farne Islands, the location of several Island Hermitages, including those of St Aidan and St Cuthbert. The cliff faces are home to many birds including the unique puffins (St Cuthbert is credited with establishing the first bird protection laws on Inner Farne) and we will see the seal colonies and follow the route Grace Darling and her father took during their heroic rescue in 1838. We will spend some time on Inner Farne as well as stopping in the Alnwick area to purchase lunch.

This afternoon we will visit one of the original forts along Hadrian’s Wall; built over 1900 years ago this historic fortification was constructed to guard the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain. We travel on to Sunderland, where we will stay for the next 3 nights.

Overnight: Sunderland

Today we visit Finchale Priory, founded in 1196 on the site of the hermitage of St Godric to explore the ruins of the priory and see Godric’s grave. Godric was a retired sailor, merchant, and pilgrim who also composed music and songs (four songs of St Godric’s are the oldest songs in English for which the original musical settings survive).

This afternoon we can walk in the steps of the Venerable Bede, Britain’s’ most famous monastic scholar and author of ”History of the English Church and Its People”. We visit the sites associated with the Anglo-Saxon Monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow (Bede lived here from age 7), Jarrow Hall Museum, Church of St Paul and Church of St Peter. Within the Church of St Peter can be found both the oldest church dedication stone and a small window made up of glass from the earliest stained glass to be found in the UK.

Overnight: Sunderland

This morning, we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Listed city of Durham, renowned for its imposing Cathedral. Enjoy a walking tour of Durham that will include a guided tour of the Cathedral and a visit the Chapter House, where the monks transacted daily business, as well as a visit to the Library. Durham Cathedral is famed as the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England and was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries to house the relics of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede.

A Private Worship Service will be held for our CFT group in the 13th century vaulted Chapel of the Holy Cross (dependent on availability).
We finish off our fascinating day at the nearby Auckland Project to visit Britain’s first Faith Museum as well as the Auckland Castle and Gardens.

Overnight: Sunderland

2 NIGHTS

We leave the Northern parts of England today as we travel by train through the beautiful countryside heading for London. Here we meet our coach and journey into Kent.

A must on any UK Pilgrimage is the cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage site of Canterbury. This incredibly beautiful, historic city has ancient walls, originally built by the Romans, that encircle its medieval centre of cobbled streets and timber-framed houses.

Canterbury Cathedral, founded in 597 A.D, was the base from which St Augustine of Canterbury set about the re-Christianisation of the south of England. The Synod of Whitby (664 AD) finally supplanted the Celtic Church and today Canterbury Cathedral is known as the headquarters of the Church of England.

For a truly unique experience CFT has arranged to stay within the Cathedral grounds at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge. Immerse yourself in this atmospheric location when we join in a worship service of Evensong / Evening Prayer before dinner.

Overnight: Canterbury

Sundays are always special but with a service at the awe-inspiring Canterbury Cathedral, a place where God has been worshipped for over 1400 years, this one will be especially memorable. Enjoy a walking tour of Canterbury, including a visit to St Augustine’s Abbey, originally created as a burial place for the Anglo-Saxon Kings of Kent. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before we join together to share our evening meal. What a way to spend a Sunday!

Overnight: Canterbury

3 NIGHTS

This morning, we farewell Canterbury and travel to one of the oldest churches in Britain, the Chapel of St Peter on the Wall. This ancient Saxon chapel was built on the site of the gateway of a Roman fort and the builder, St Cedd (from Lindisfarne) made use of the fort’s stone. A monastery that was also here was destroyed during Danish raids in the 9th century.

In the 17th century the church became a barn but in 1920 it was restored and re-consecrated and now many people visit the chapel throughout the year on their own private pilgrimages.

St Andrew’s Church in the small village of Greensted claims to be the oldest wooden church in the world. It is certainly the oldest wooden building in Europe with a nave dating back to between 998 and 1063 AD, however the split oak tree trunks that form the nave are the only remaining parts of the original Saxon structure. A small amount of flint within the Chancel wall dates to the Norman era and the church has had numerous additions and renovations right up until Victorian times. We travel on to London where we will be staying in Kensington, at the very heart of the city, for the next 3 nights.

Overnight: London

London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom and is a dynamic 21st-century city with history stretching back to Roman times. Enjoy a sightseeing coach tour of London to get an overview of the main sights before we witness the pomp and ceremony of the Changing of the Guard.

We visit the British Library, a treasure trove of incredible documents that range from the Magna Carta to handwritten Beatles lyrics. It also has some famous original Bibles on display including the Sinaiticus, Wycliffe, Tyndale, and Gutenberg Bibles. Our focus for this UK Celtic tour is the original Lindisfarne Gospels and St Cuthbert Gospel. The illuminated Lindisfarne Gospels contains the four gospels and was created at the end 700 AD in the scriptorium at monastery on the island. The St Cuthbert Gospel – formerly known as the Stonyhurst Gospel (containing Gospel of John) – is the earliest intact European book and a landmark in the cultural history of western Europe.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Dinner has not been included for this night in London as you may like to step out on the town.

Overnight: London

FULL DAY AT LEISURE

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” – Samuel Johnson
Enjoy a full day at leisure – we employ the “Buddy System” so you can choose to join another passenger or spend time with the Tour Leaders if you don’t wish to strike out on your own. Our Kensington hotel is close to many attractions, from Kensington Palace to Hyde Park to the wonderful Victoria and Albert Museum, the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design. The hotel is only 5 minutes’ walk to the Tube Station (High Street Kensington) which runs on the Circle Line and takes you to all the main train stations and the major sights – from Westminster to the Tower of London, from the Churchill War Rooms to Buckingham Palace, from Portobello Road Market to Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station.

Share your day’s adventures and warm fellowship over our final Group Dinner in the UK.

Overnight: London

2 NIGHTS

We have come to the end of the UK part of our Celtic Pilgrimage. After breakfast, our coach will transfer us from our hotel through London to Heathrow airport for our flight to Dubai.

Tomorrow we will have a full day at leisure in Dubai before flying on to Australia.

Overnight: Dubai

FULL DAY AT LEISURE

Today is a full day of leisure in Dubai. You might like to visit the famous Dubai Mall, explore the Gold and Spice Souks, ascend the incredible Dubai Frame or choose one of the many optional tours (available on tour).

Tonight, will be a fitting end to your holiday as we enjoy a Group dinner and remember all the wonderful experiences we shared.

Overnight: Dubai

We say our goodbyes to new friends as we ready ourselves for our final leg on our journey home. We will be transferred to the airport for our flights back to Australia.

Overnight: In-Flight

A morning arrival in Australia after a fantastic holiday filled with fun, faith and fellowship. We hope you have enjoyed this fascinating pilgrimage through Ireland, Scotland and England as you have shared new experiences, memories and fellowship with new friends.