Religious Studies Tour to Scotland – The Roots of Presbyterianism

The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh has steep streets and stone buildings zigzagging up hills and down into small valleys, and the brooding Edinburgh Castle looms over the whole thing. Follow your Tour Director for an orientation along the Royal Mile which is located at the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town and stretches from Holyrood Palace to the Edinburgh Castle.

Walk the Royal Mile, one of the most famous and scenic city walks in Europe.

"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.

Weather permitting, we will have the opportunity to climb Arthur's Seat for a spectacular view over the Firth of Forth.

Perched high on a volcanic rock, Edinburgh Castle makes for an imposing and impressive sight. Explore this medieval castle, learn about its significance in Scottish history and appreciate its magnificent panoramic views of the city below.

Visit John Knox's House. The house dates from the early sixteenth century and is where Knox spent the last few months of his life. Today, the Church of Scotland operates the house and our visit will include artifacts associated with Knox and the Reformation.

Visit the National Museum of Scotland, with 16 galleries covering diverse subjects. One of the most notable exhibits is Dolly, the cloned sheep.

Today we will travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. En-route we will visit St Andrews.

Located on the east coast of Fife, St. Andrews is Scotland’s oldest university town. It was built out of stones pillaged from St. Andrews cathedral (now in ruins), which was at one time the largest cathedral in Scotland. St Andrews is also the 'Home of Golf', where the game was first played in around 1400 and today attracts visitors from all over the world to play on the world famous courses.

Explore Dunnottar Castle - an impressive ruined fortress situated 160 feet above the sea on a rocky cliff. Dunnottar was the stronghold of the Earl Marischal of Scotland from the 14th century. The castle provided the impressive backdrop for the filming of Hamlet.

Visit St. Machar Cathedral. We will also include visits to the Fish Market, the Old City (with its cobbled streets and quaint cottages) and Duthie Park.

Visit Elgin Cathedral. Considered to be Scotland's most beautiful cathedral ruins, much of the cathedral was destroyed in 1390 as revenge against the Bishop of Moray for the excommunication of the Wolf of Badenoch.

Visit Cawdor Castle, built in the 14th century by the Thanes of Cawdor, the title infamously bestowed on Macbeth. (With limited availability in winter.)

Visit the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Center, commemorating when on April 16, 1746 the Jacobite army under Bonnie Prince Charlie was slaughtered here by Government troops led by "Butcher Cumberland," George II's younger son, finally ending the hopes of the Stuart restoration to the British throne. At the visitor center we will follow the audio-visual program and exhibition area explaining the battle.

Take a walk around Inverness, known as the capital of the Scottish Highlands. Gaelic appears on the majority of road signs around the city and a considerable number of people in Inverness still speak the ancient Celtic tongue.

Visit to the Loch Ness Monster Museum provides photographic evidence to challenge the sceptics.

Enjoy free time in Fort William. Fort William is the largest town in the Scottish Highlands and its second largest settlement, after Inverness. It is an important center for hill-walking and climbing, due its proximity to Ben Nevis and many other Munro mountains. As a result, it promotes itself as the “Outdoor Capital of the UK.” Fort William is also the location where the opening sequence for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was filmed.

Discover the Isles of Mull and Iona, part of the Inner Hebrides on Scotland's West Coast. In addition to dramatic natural beauty, there are remnants of Viking settlers and the Spanish Armada.

The 13th century Abbey is the highlight of Iona, standing on the site of Columba’s first church.

Explore Bannockburn, a name that looms large in Scottish history. It was here that Robert the Bruce and his army of 6,000 (outnumbered three to one) defeated the forces of Edward II in 1314. We will walk along the Battlefield, which was the climactic scene of the 1995 Academy Award-winning film Braveheart.

Tour Stirling Castle, which dates from the Middle Ages and was an important seat of two kings; James IV and James V. View the Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, presenting an excellent exhibit of colors, pipe banners, and regimental silver. From the castle there is a wonderful view of the Wallace Monument.

This evening we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our travel experience and how these may be most relevant for us all as we return home.

Throughout the program, we will set time aside time for discussion, guided reflection, and time to write reflections on self-discovery and what we have learned. "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey