麻豆社

Ben takes a tiny passenger ferry from mainland Argyll down the length of Loch Sween to arrive on Islay.

While the island is famed for its whisky - the island has more distilleries than churches - its links to Christianity are ancient. The island was a crossroads between Ireland and Scotland for early Celtic monks, and Ben heads for the stunning sands of Machir Bay.

From here, Ben gazes out across the sea and imagines those hardy, seafaring missionaries as early adventurers and pioneers. What lingers of their spirit and legacy on these islands?

Ben hitches a lift with Callum, a former social worker turned tuk-tuk taxi driver, for a tour of the island. They discuss how it was once the church that was the main focus for providing common belief and bringing people together. Today, however, it鈥檚 strong community and shared endeavour that can increasingly fulfil that role.

He gets involved with an extraordinary community venture run by new charity Sidekick to help disabled islanders enjoy Islay鈥檚 incredible opportunities for outdoor activity. Ben takes wheelchair user Stewart for his first ever paddleboard on one of the island鈥檚 gorgeous lochs.
In the graveyard of Islay鈥檚 Kilarrow Church, Ben discovers a memorial to local man Donald Caskie, a Church of Scotland minister who risked his life during WWII to help allied POWs escape occupied France. He meets Caskie鈥檚 nephew, Gordon, to hear more about his uncle鈥檚 heroics and the inner strength of islanders.

Ben joins the volunteers of one of Britain鈥檚 busiest RNLI teams on a search and rescue exercise and talks with the crew about the reality of putting yourself at risk to save those in trouble on the treacherous seas around Islay and Jura. He then makes the short trip across to Jura. Known as the wilderness isle, it鈥檚 thought by some to have been St Columba鈥檚 personal retreat where he lived as a hermit to come closer to God. Ben meets local church elder Sheena for a stroll on the glorious Corran Sands. They discuss how an environment as beautiful as Jura makes it somehow easier to believe that there is something bigger than yourself.

Ben travels up the length of the wilderness isle to one of its most remote corners on a personal pilgrimage. Jura is where George Orwell wrote his dark masterpiece, 1984. Ben visits the house of his literary hero to meet with Orwell鈥檚 son, Richard, who lived here with his father as a young boy. Ben hears about the author鈥檚 complex relationship with faith and wrestles with how Orwell could write such a dark vision of the future whilst living in such a stunning location.

Taking a boat across the wild Corryvreckan whirlpools, Ben traces the route of Irish monks to land on a little-known island called
Eileach an Naoimh, or The Isle of the Saints. Here, he finds an incredible 6th-century monk鈥檚 cell, understood to be the oldest Christian building in Britain.