After an early departure and a hasty drive back across Mull, we took our ferry back to the mainland and Oban.  Since we weren't expected at the Cathedral of the Isles until dinner, we had some time to play with in Oban.  Once we had successfully gotten everyone off the boat, we made plans to split up for some exploring and shopping in town before meeting for lunch at one of the pubs.  By our meeting time at noon, it became quickly obvious that everyone was there EXCEPT two of our chaperones, who set an excellent example by being late for lunch because they were on a tour of the Oban whiskey distillery! 

After lunch, we headed south, retracing our steps along Loch Lomand.  Despite getting "directionally perplexed" because of a poorly marked traffic detour and having to deal with Glasgow's rush hour traffic and then having Linda's Mercedes almost getting sideswiped by an impatient city bus on a roundabout, we made it to the town of Largs.  From here, we caught our ferry for the Isle of Cumbrae in the middle of the Firth of Clyde.  This lovely little village was a beach destination for the residents of Glasgow and is where the Cathedral of the Isles is located in Millport.

We were warmly greeted by Pam and Tony, the priests who run the Cathedral and the Retreat House.  After giving us some time to get situated in our rooms, we joined them and a group of Scottish priests who were there on a retreat of their own for dinner.  The evening proved to be fairly quiet, with several of us joining Pam and Tony and the other visiting priests for Evensong in the Cathedral - a wonderful way to end the day!

Although this day started out with a major disappointment, it turned into a welcome break from our hectic schedule.  Originally, we were supposed to ferry out to the Isle of Arran and make our way to the (Scottish) Holy Island, an island with a long history as holy ground that was now run by a group of Buddhists as a retreat dedicated to peace and the environment.  Sadly, though, the ferry to the Holy Island wasn't running due to high seas.  To make the best of a not-so-good situation, we moved up our schedule.  We spent much of the morning with Pam, getting a tour of the Cathedral and learning about its story.  Then she celebrated the Eucharist with us, with all of us filling the different roles of the service - a special, private experience for us all.

After the service, we had an open afternoon.  Some decided to stay in the Retreat House to catch up on some sleep or read in the Common Room.  Others walked into town to grab a bite to eat at one of the pubs before exploring the island a bit.  We spent  the evening on the mainland in Largs where we grabbed dinner.  Then, it was back onto the ferry and to the Common Room.  The evening held a special place in the Pilgrimage for us all.  This was to be the last "official" session of the J2A group, with a foot-washing to symbolize how we were now all equals in the Church.  We finished up the evening with a visit to the Cathedral Bell Tower, where we entertained the village with peals of "Three Blind Mice" on the bells.