Beside the road heading W to the Bay at the Back of the Ocean, Iona, is a natural hillock known as Great Mound of the Fairies: Columba met angels here

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Beside the road heading W to the fertile land of the machair at the Bay at the Back of the Ocean, Iona, is a natural mound known as Cnoc nan Aingeal (Hill of the Angels) after Adomnan's account of St Columba being seen meeting with angels. Its other names, Cnoc an t-Sithein (Fairy Mound) & Sithean Mor (great mound of the Fairies) refer to more ancient traditions. In 1774 Thomas Pennant described the custom of racing horses around the mound at Michaelmas (feast of St Michael, 29 September).

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Size: 4311px × 5703px
Location: Sithean Mor, Cnoc nan Aingeal (Hill of the Angels), Iona, Argyll, Scotland, UK
Photo credit: © Mick Sharp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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