Visiting Ancestors on the Banks of Loch Lomond

Village Photos & Giveaway

On Samhain Eve I visited the small village of Luss, which is about 5 miles from where I live. Luss is a picturesque village, at the foot of some of my favourite hills and offers a superb view of Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond (Ben - from the Gaelic beinn meaning mountain).

Looking up towards the Luss Hills

Ready for the guisers

Looking over the loch to Ben Lomond

The Cailleach. Yes, I like to take dokls on outings. Etsy shop update going live on Sunday 5th Monday with several Cailleach dolls - I’ll post a quick newsletter with photos

Viking Hogback grave typical of an Anglo-Scandinavian grave marker from the 11^th century with a curved ridge decorated with ‘shingles’ reminiscent of a house

Wonderful lichen in Luss Parish Church

Looking towards the Luss Hills

Towards Ben Lomond

Me, my mum and Mama (dog)

Where are your ancestors you might ask? I’m only second-generation Scottish with very few Scottish relatives, the majority of my ancestors on both sides of the family being Irish. Yet I come to the banks of the Loch to honour my ancestors the hills and the mountain - those that give me such a rich sense of home. I think of ancestors of place like the great sheets of ice, whose has marked the land, and today the land of Scotland is still rising from the weight of the ice!

I honour those who are no longer living and only walk the land in spirit - bear and wolf, reindeer and auroch. And of course, I honor my beloved dead who have recently left us and returned home, plus the bone ancestors whose names we don’t but without them, we wouldn’t be here.

And to the spirits of the land that rise up to meet us in varying forms, those whom I call my Ancestral Mothers.

Teatowel Giveaway

I picked up a gorgeous Luss teatowel in the local shop as a giveaway so just add your name if you’d like to be in the draw which will take place on Sunday 5th Nov. You also have the option to sign up for my Scottish retreat launch on Sat 18th November, when I’ll be offering a virtual:

- A tour of the sacred sites of the island 

- The retreat itinerary 

- The pilgrimage journey to get to Eigg

- A guided meditation 

- An opportunity to ask questions 

• It’s okay to just come along for the photos and the guided meditation * )