Highlights | Speakers | Schedule | Accommodations | Study Prep | FAQs
Event Summary
ur nation has more ties to Scotland than any nation in the world. For two weeks Bill Potter, Colin Gunn and a host of local Scottish churchmen and historians, will lead 35 adventurous souls on an unforgettable providential history tour of the land of the ancient Celts in Scotland.
We will follow in the footsteps of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce to the battlefields, castles and memorials of their bygone era. We will follow the history of the Church from Columba — an outcast monk on the tiny island of Iona — through fiery John Knox, Samuel Rutherford, William Guthrie, Richard Cameron and the godly Covenanters who met in the fields and defied tyrannical monarchs to the death. We will walk in the pastures filled with ancient standing stones, beside the burial cairns of princes known only to those who perished thousands of years ago. Our paths will lead us to the lowlands and the highlands and the isles.
Thanks to Brexit, the Dollar has posted historic gains against the British Pound. Combined with significant discounts from our Scottish providers, we are now able to offer this amazing tour at an incredible price! Tell your friends, invite your family. . . this is a great time to go!
If you want to understand the link between Scottish and U.S. history that you never learned in school, if you want to see the Scottish countryside, climb the castles, hear the stories of old, meet likeminded friends, and be inspired to stand for your faith like those who have gone before, this trip is for you!” —D. Daniel
Lowlands or Highlands… Or Both!
Choose the Lowlands Leg, the Highlands Leg, or maximize your experience and investment and go for “The Whole Haggis”
Choose the Lowlands Leg and stay in Edinburgh at the New Residence Inn, whence we will explore this magnificent city on foot and venture out on a motor coach to Stirling, Glasgow, Hamilton, St. Andrews, Lanark, Bannockburn, Dumfries and more!
The Highlands Leg will cover much ground with overnights in Inverness, Oban, Edinburgh and the magnificent Isle of Iona! Along the way we will visit incredible sites at Culloden, Loch Ness, Glen Coe, Kilmartin, the Isle of Mull and much more!
Tour Testimonials
Watch as guests on last year’s Scotland Adventure tell Colin Gunn why they came and what their favorite places were.
What Was the Highlight of the Tour?
Tour Highlights
iberty. Worship. Valor. Perseverance. Martyrdom. HISTORY! We love these words and what they stand for. How about these? Tyranny. Prelacy. Dishonor. Inquisition. SAME HISTORY. Our nation has more ties to Scotland than any nation in the world. Scottish history provides centuries of examples of all the above character traits and ideas, some of which we can but dimly see in the mists of time. For two weeks, the historians of Landmark Events will lead a one-of-a-kind providential history tour of the land of the ancient Picts and Celts in Scotland. We will follow the footsteps of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce to the battlefields, castles (especially castles!), and memorials of their bygone era. We will recite the history of the godly Covenanters who met in the fields and defied tyrannical monarchs to the death. We will walk in the pastures filled with ancient standing stones, beside the burial cairns of princes known only to those who perished thousands of years ago. Our paths will lead us to the Lowlands and the Highlands and the isles.
Historian Bill Potter is writing a book on his Covenanter ancestors and will be sharing his discoveries as we stand on the very ground of martyrs who fell defending their families. Scotland native and award-winning filmmaker, Colin Gunn will lead us through the land of his fathers, the places he took for granted in his youth but now loves with new understanding and passion. You have always wanted to see Scotland. If not now, when?
My friend Kevin Turley did it again, and along with Bill Potter and Colin Gunn, put together a life-changing and fantastic 2-week adventure that my family will never forget. We had such a fabulous time, saw so many beautiful places, learned so much about an amazing land and the history of so many of its revered sons and daughters. With all sincerity, I cannot recommend in strong enough words or sentiment how important our time spent on Landmark Events tours has been for the historical and covenantal education of my entire family.” —Marshall L.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle
St. Giles Cathedral
The ancient capital city of Edinburgh offers uncountable treasures behind its winding stone streets, unassailable castle walls, and graveyards of the centuries:
St. Giles Cathedral The magnificent “High Kirk of Edinburgh” from the 14th Century. The Kirk installed the great Reformation preacher John Knox as pastor there in 1559, where he thundered out the gospel and drove back the centuries of papist error and darkness. Scotland would never be the same.
John Knox House A modest home on the Royal Mile between St. Giles and the Queen’s residence at Holyrood Palace, lived the man who “neither feared nor flattered any flesh,” including the Queen and her courtiers. The hand of providence and mercy upon Knox can be seen in every year of his life.
Covenanter Monument Planted in the center of the old Grass Market gallows square, this marker commemorates the thousands of Christians of 17th Century Scotland who were persecuted and murdered by royal authorities for holding to biblical worship against the policies of the bishops and crown.
Greyfriars Kirk The location where the National Covenant was signed by thousands, pledging loyalty to Christ as a nation. The precincts of the yard were later used to imprison the Covenanter “rebels” and where many found their final resting place.
Magdalen Chapel The little church where the blessed ladies of the church tenderly washed the bodies of the martyrs of the Covenant, the table of which is seen there today. The faithful Presbyterians met there in secret conventicles after the overthrow of the Reformed pastors by the English king in 1661.
Edinburgh Castle The magnificent and premier castle of Scotland which towers over the Old City. It is the home of the National War Museum, the Regimental Museum of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, and site of the annual Edinburgh Tattoo.
Stirling
Stirling is one of the most strategic and beautiful places in Scotland and a highlight of our tour.
William Wallace Monument
Stirling Castle
William Wallace Monument The hero of Scottish Wars for Independence in the 12th/13th centuries, Wallace’s heroism has thrilled liberty-loving people around the world ever since. We will climb this magnificent stone tower to gaze over the Stirling plane and river where Wallace’s army routed the English nobles and troops in the battle of Stirling Bridge. The tower is so large it contains museums devoted to Scottish history and to William Wallace.
Stirling Castle Another of the ancient and powerful castles of Scotland, it was the prize of every invasion and every defense of the realm. Home to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlander Regimental Museum and several stunning monuments to Scottish heroes, especially Robert the Bruce.
Church of the Holy Rude and Cemetery James Guthrie, the subject of Bill Potter’s research and writing, was the pastor of this church in Stirling. Rev. Guthrie was arrested, thrown in prison and martyred for his stand against prelacy and his belief that Christ is the head of the church.
Bannockburn Battlefield The most storied battle in Scotland’s militant history. On this field in 1314, King Robert the Bruce defeated the army of King Edward II and secured Scottish independence. It would have to be defended in every generation, as all free people must do to keep their freedom.
Dumfries & Ayrshire
Caerlaverock Castle
Threave Castle
Caerlaverock Castle The classic and beautiful medieval castle of the Catholic Maxwell family, besieged and sacked by Edward I, defended by supporters of Robert Bruce in the Scottish Wars for Independence, attacked by rival clans, partly destroyed each time and finally taken in a 13-week siege by Covenanter armies, never to be rebuilt. One of few castles that has retained its capacious moat.
Threave Castle Constructed on a 20-acre island in the 1370s by Douglas’s, Threave has had a tempestuous history of sieges, murders, and intrigues. Later a possession of the Maxwells, it was besieged and captured by the Covenanters. It was used as a prison for captured Frenchmen during the Napoleonic Wars.
Glasgow & Hamilton
Glasgow Cathedral
Bothwell Castle
Necropolis and Knox Statue A necropolis is a large ancient cemetery. Glasgow’s cemetery contains more than 50,000 burials and 3,500 monuments. Prior to the opening of the cemetery in the 19th century, a beautiful statue of John Knox was erected there overlooking the city. There is a memorial to the Glaswegian Victoria Cross recipients as well—the British equivalent to the Medal of Honor.
Glasgow Cathedral Begun in the 12th Century and the seat of the bishop and later archbishop of Glasgow, the building survived the Reformation relatively intact to become one of the largest churches of the Kirk of Scotland. Here, in 1638, the General Assembly of the Kirk threw out episcopacy and the Covenanters took control of Presbyterian Scotland.
Bothwell Castle and Bothwell Bridge few castles in Scotland have undergone more sieges and destruction than Bothwell. It has changed hands many times due to its strategic position on the River Clyde. The bridge nearby was the scene of the overwhelming defeat of the godly Covenanter army by Royalist forces led by the Duke of Monmouth in 1679, marking the effective end of military resistance to the government’s attacks on their pastors and families and marks the beginning of the “killing times.” The captured survivors of the battle were incarcerated in Greyfriars Kirk yard in Edinburgh where many died of malnutrition and disease or by hanging.
St. Andrews
St. Andrews Castle
United College University of St Andrews
This city became the educational and religious center of Scotland, boasting the first and greatest university of Scotland, a magnificent cathedral, and the sites of early Protestant reformers who were martyred for their faith. We will visit the Castle, the gravesite of Rev. Samuel Rutherford, the Cathedral ruins, and the Monuments to the Martyrs Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart. It was here that John Knox entered Reformation history and was captured and enslaved to a French galley. This is the location of the killing and defenestration of Cardinal James Beaton, the murderer of Wishart and Hamilton.
Inverness
Fort George
Urquhart Castle
Fort George Following the 1746 defeat at Culloden of Bonnie Prince Charlie, George II created the ultimate defence against further Jacobite unrest. The result, Fort George, is the mightiest artillery fortification in Britain, if not Europe. Its garrison buildings, artillery defences bristling with cannon, and superb collection of arms – including bayoneted muskets, pikes, swords and ammunition pouches – provide a fascinating insight into 18th century military life.
Urquhart Castle Perched on a promontory above Loch Ness, near the village with the quaint name of Drumnadrochit, these ruins remind us of the great sieges and battles over ownership of this strategic stronghold. Perhaps the ancient site of this 16th century ruin was visited by Columba and centuries later attacked by Wallace ally Robert de Moray and their mortal enemy Edward I. Robert the Bruce took the castle, and it changed hands numerous times through the centuries until rebuilt by Clan Grant and then finally lost to the Covenanters in the 1640s who drove out the last Episcopalian inhabitant and looted it.
Culloden The battlefield of 1745 between the clans supporting “Bonnie Prince Charlie” against the English King George II. As usual there were Scottish clans on both sides in the fight. The Highlanders lost, great slaughter ensued, and in the following years many Highlanders were transported or cleared from their lands. It was the last rising of the Scots against the English.
Loch Ness 23-miles long and more than 750 feet deep the loch contains more fresh water than all of England and Wales combined. It acquired world wide fame after reported sightings of a dinosaur-like creature allegedly spotted in its nocturnal perambulations an the surface. With high peat content, the waters of Loch Ness are murky and cold.
Glen Coe At this place in 1692, thirty-eight Catholic MacDonalds were massacred by their guests, royalist Campbells as reprisal for alleged failure to obey government mandated oaths of allegiance to William and Mary, the new monarchs of England. Another forty women and children died of exposure after their homes were burned.
Oban A beautiful Gaellic-speaking, sea-side town on the Firth of Lorn known for its fishing trade and distillery. It is from this port that we sail to the Isle of Mull in a comfortable and interesting ferry that plies the isles.
Kilmartin Glen
Inveraray Castle
Carnasserie Castle
Dunadd An ancient hill fort, the capitol of the kingdom of Dal Riata, a site mentioned in 7th and 8th century documents. We will scale the sides of the hill to the top where we can view the entire Kilmartin Valley. We will tell the stories and see ancient carvings and the stone footprint where the ancient sea-kings were crowned.
Standing Stones and Cairns More than 350 standing stones and cairns some of which date back to 4,000 B.C. appear in the midst of sheep pastures over a six square mile valley. Little is known of the ancient kingdoms that existed here—probably in times of pagan Druids. We will stroll those pastures and marvel at the beauty and antiquity of civilizations which left no other record.
Carnasserie Castle Ruins Built by a Protestant Lord, John Carswell, during the Reformation, it is the site of the first Reformed literature translated into Gaelic so the Gospel in print could reach the highlanders. It became an assembly point for the Presbyterian McAlpins in the abortive Monmouth’s rebellion against King James. The Royalists blew it up.
Kilmartin Church and Cemetery The Church of Scotland congregation in the little Kilmartin Kirk sit above their ancient cemetery which dates back to the middle ages and beyond. There are centuries of interesting stories told in the stones of the markers—from exiled Templar Knights to Covenanters. Here we see the march of time as the Gospel came to Scotland.
Inveraray Castle The ancestral seat of the Dukes of Argyll, Chiefs of the Clan Campbell whose family have resided in Inveraray since the early 15th century, Inveraray Castle was designed by Roger Morris and decorated by Robert Mylne. Its fairytale façade houses an equally enchanting interior.
The Isles
The Isle of Mull
The Isle of Iona
Duart Castle (Isle of Mull) This magnificent 13th century castle was home to McLeans and Campbells in the centuries past. Cromwell’s navy failed to capture it but the McLeans were forced to give it to the government after backing the failed Jacobite rebellion in 1745. Restored and open to the public now, it towers over the horizon on its ancient promontory. It has been used for the settings of several movies, one starring Sean Connery, who related to McLeans.
Island of Iona This storied island played host to the first great missionary endeavors led by Columba from Ireland in the sixth century. Christianity spread to the British Isles from this place, and probably into northern Europe as well. Overrun by the Vikings in the 8th and 9th centuries, missionary work persisted when the invaders left. Our visit to this gorgeous island that was the site God used to carry the Gospel to so many is one of our most precious visits in Scotland.
Event Speakers
Historian Bill Potter
Historian Bill Potter combines a lifelong study of history with an uncommon ability to captivate audiences of all ages as he traces the providential acts of God throughout the ages. Leading tours of American and European historical sites, he has earned a well-deserved reputation as a gifted communicator, bringing to each event a wealth of experience and knowledge. A seasoned researcher and writer, Mr. Potter possesses a practical knowledge of antiquarian books, documents, and artifacts and has published numerous short books, as well as many articles and book reviews. He and his wife, Leslie, reside in Virginia.
Colin Gunn
Native Scotsman Colin Gunn will be returning to his homeland to assist Landmark Events as the local historian for our Scotland Adventure. Colin is a sincere, orthodox Christian who worshipped for many years in a local church that descended directly from the Covenanters of the 17th century (it still requires members to sign “The Solemn League and Covenant”!). Colin has distinguished himself as an award-winning Christian filmmaker. He co-directed and wrote and produced the documentaries IndoctriNation: Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America and Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture. His latest film is a feature length documentary on American healthcare called Wait Till It’s Free!. His previous films include Shaky Town and The Monstrous Regiment of Women (the title of which was taken from one of John Knox’s most famous treatises).
Event Schedule
Note: Schedule times are subject to change
Sunday
(Edinburgh)
Evening Reception (7:30pm) |
Monday
(Edinburgh)
City Tour Via Bus | ||
Edinburgh Castle |
Tuesday
(Edinburgh)
St. Giles Cathedral | ||
John Knox House | ||
Covenanter Monument | ||
Greyfriars | ||
Magdalen Chapel |
Wednesday
(Stirling)
Wallace Monument | ||
Stirling Castle | ||
Church of the Holy Rude | ||
Old Cemetery | ||
Bannockburn |
Thursday
(Dumfries/Ayreshire)
Caerlaverock Castle | ||
Threave Castle |
Friday
(Glasgow/Hamilton)
Necropolis, Graveyard | ||
Glasgow Cathedral | ||
Fenwick Parish | ||
Bothwell Castle / Bridge | ||
Celtic Cross, Covenenter Graves | ||
St Kentigern’s Church, Lanark |
Saturday
(St. Andrews/Edinburgh)
St. Andrews | ||
Castle | ||
Cathedral | ||
Martyrs sites | ||
Farewell Banquet Edinburgh |
Sunday
(Edinburgh)
Evening Reception (7:30pm) |
Monday
(Overnight in Inverness)
Culloden | ||
Fort George | ||
Inverness |
Tuesday
(Overnight in Oban)
Urquhart Castle | ||
Loch Ness | ||
Glen Coe | ||
Oban |
Wednesday
(Overnight in Oban)
Kilmartin | ||
Kilmartin Kirk and Cemetery | ||
Carnasserie Castle | ||
Inveraray Castle | ||
Dunnad | ||
Standing Stones and Cairns |
Thursday
(Overnight in Oban)
Free time in Oban | ||
Ferries to Mull and Iona | ||
Iona – overnight | ||
Evening Banquet |
Friday
(Overnight on Iona)
Isle of Iona | ||
Optional trip to Duart Castle on Mull |
Saturday
(Overnight in Edinburgh)
Return to Edinburgh | ||
Farewell Banquet Edinburgh |
Accommodations
Hotels in Europe are different from those in the U.S. As a general rule, rooms are smaller and services more limited. Terminology is different as well — for instance a double room will have one double bed and a twin room will have two single beds. Family rooms are rare and generally have one double bed and one single bed. We will work with you to get the best room configuration possible so you will know in advance what type of room you will be getting at each property. Priority room selection based on registration order.
Lowlands Leg
Residence Inn Edinburgh (7 nights)
Located in the heart of Edinburgh in the new Quartermile development just a few minutes’ walk from Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, Princes Street, the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament.
Room Type: Superior Studio
Bedding: One Queen bed with sofa bed / limited number with 2 Double beds
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adults and 2 children under 15
Image copyright TripAdvisor
Highlands Leg
Residence Inn Edinburgh
Room Type: Superior Studio
Bedding: One Queen bed with sofa bed / limited number with 2 Double beds
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adults and 2 children under 15
Image copyright TripAdvisor
Premier In Inverness Centre
Bedding: One double bed with one twin sofa
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adult and 1 Child
Breakfast included
Premier Inn Oban
Bedding: One double bed and one twin sofa
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adult and 1 Child
Breakfast included
(St. Columba arrived here in AD 563, establishing a Christian community that would have far-reaching effects on Scotland and beyond. This very special little island is home to 177 residents according to the 2011 census. We have secured rooms in two of the three hotels on the Island and have rented a 5-bedroom house also. Priority room selection based on registration order.)
Hotel Columba
Bedding: One double bed or two twins
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adult
Breakfast included
Martyrs Bay Inn
Bedding: One Queen bed or Two Twin beds
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adult
Breakfast included
Ardoran House
Bedding: One Queen bed or Two Twin beds — all with private bath
Maximum Occupancy: 2 Adult per room — good for families
Breakfast included
Study Prep
Articles
Bibliography
Ancient Scotland
The Argyll Book, by Donald Omand (ed.)
The Faded Map: Lost Kingdoms of Scotland, by Alistair Moffat
Iona, by E. Mairi MacArthur
A History of the Vikings, by T.D. Kendrick
Columba, by Ian Finlay
The Life of St. Columba, by Adomnan of Iona
Kilmartin: An Introduction and Guide, by Rachel Butter
Pictish Warrior AD 297-841, by Paul Wagner (Osprey)
Wars of Scottish Independence
Bannockburn 1314: The Battle 700 Years On, by Chris Brown
Bannockburn 1314: Robert Bruce’s Great Victory, by Pete Armstrong (Osprey pub.)
Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297-98: William Wallace’s Rebellion, by Pete Armstrong
William Wallace, The King’s Enemy, D.J. Gray
The Wars of Scottish Independence, by Even Macleod Barron
For Freedom Alone: The Declaration of Arbroath, 1320, by Edward J. Cowan
Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, by Ronald McNair Scott
The Reformation
The Reformation in Scotland, by John Knox
Luther’s Scottish Connection, by James McGoldrick
The Life of John Knox, by Thomas McCrie
The Reformation: A History, by Diarmaid MacCulloch
The Story of the Scottish Church, by Thomas McCrie
Castles in Scotland
The Fortified House in Scotland, by Nigel Tranter
Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans, by Martin Coventry
The Second Reformation and Covenanters
No King But Christ: The Story of Donald Cargill, by Maurice Grant
A Cloud of Witnesses, by John H. Thomson
The Scots Worthies, by John Howie
The Lion of the Covenant: The Story of Richard Cameron, by Maurice Grant
Men of the Covenant, by Alexander Smellie
The Covenanter Encyclopaedia, by Dane Love
Cromwell and Scotland, by R. Scott Spurlock
Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland, by Ronald Hutton
Jacobites and Highland Military
Queen Victoria’s Highlanders, by Stuart Reid (Osprey)
Highland Clansmen 1689-1746, by Stuart Reid (Osprey)
The Scottish Jacobite Army, by Stuart Reid (Osprey)
Culloden Moor 1746, by Stuart Reid (Osprey)
General History
The History of Scotland, by Nigel Tranter
Scotland: An Autobiography, by Rose Mary Goring
Scotland, The Story of a Nation, by Magnus Magnussonn
The Scottish Empire, by Michael Fry
Miscellaneous
Scottish Battlefields, by Chris Brown
How the Scots Invented the Modern World, by Arthur Herman
The Steel Bonnets, by George MacDonald Fraser
The Intelligent Traveller’s Guide to Historic Scotland, by Philip A. Crowl