Living In The Highlands

The Skete is situated in the West Highlands of Scotland, at Cannich, a small village in Strathglass, one hours drive from Inverness. Inverness was a stronghold of the Picts and there are many Pictish remains in the area. You will probably approach Cannich along the shores of Loch Ness, the huge loch which divides Scotland in half. It was up this loch St. Columba sailed, bringing Christianity to the Highlands. Further North than Moscow, there is a strong seasonal divide between climate and lifestyle in summer and winter. At the height of summer, the sun rises on the skete, giving full daylight at 4.00am, and sets in the west, leaving a few hours of deep twilight. At Christmas, sunrise is in the S.E., with Dawn Mass at 9am: by 4pm. it is nearly pitch black - life is an extended night Vigil! Consequently Divine Office is chanted in the gallery in the large adjoining parish church between Easter and mid-October, and in the tiny Ave Maria room, with a multi-fuel heater, over winter.

Sancti Angeli at Marydale

Sancti Angeli Benedictine Skete occupies, as a starting point, the old presbytery and walled garden at the Marydale Parish Church complex, on the edge of Cannich village. Easily accessible by bus from Inverness, this house gives a good opportunity for introduction to monastic life and drawing a group together for canonical ‘formation’ (training). Visitors can walk in the fifteen acres of land belonging to the church and the adjoining woodland. The three week Icon Summer School is held in the church hall.

separated from the road by a small stretch on Scots pine woodland on the other. The croft land is bounded by the river Cannich, near it’s confluence with the river Affric. Together these form the river Glass. Cannich is in the Strath or valley of the Glass River, hence the name ‘Strathglass'.

Summer at Marydale

The Skete has a small enclosure of three (or four at capacity) cells. Sister Petra Clare is on her own at the time of writing: the other cells are available for women studying their vocation or following a course of studies. There is also a refectory, the small Ave Maria oratory and a reasonably well stocked library. Men or married visitors stay in local accommodation.

The Highlands & “The Call of the Desert”

The skete is well placed for access to the open Highland and mountains of Cannich and Affric Glens. Cannich Glen and the surrounding locality, is a suitable area for a permanent foundation and more remote hermitages, the glen leading into open mountain. The land has a glacial character and Strathglass itself is a prehistoric lake bed, with sandy and stony soil. Glen Affric is a National Nature Reserve of outstanding beauty containing some ancient Caledonian pines.

Guests Enjoying the Beauty of Strathglass

In both glens, deer roam and, in a tradition of open pasturing (going back to the crofting tradition of camping on the hill for summer grazing), sheep still roam the roads, asserting their ancient right of way and supremely indifferent to oncoming cars! The osprey has been successfully established nearby and a gourmet selection of mushrooms grow wild in the woods. Fishing and walking are the most dominant local pursuits, with a wide variety of accommodation for summer explorers.