Island odyssey

摘要

An afterthought of an island at the toe of Mull, Iona has a quality that's rare in the Hebrides: gentleness. Rolling not rugged, and cloaked in lush machair flora, it breathes peace. The day-tripping crowds spill out of the ferry and head uphill to the abbey, to commune with saintly ghosts and browse the gift shops. In the other direction lie quiet snowy beaches, open meadows and iris beds.Farmland birds are everywhere, busily active. Meadow pipits twitter and parachute over the flowery fields,