Sabbatical continues this fortnight with two epic road trips in the British Isles in hire cars.

The longest of these was c.1600 miles of travel from London to Lewis in the Outer Hebrides off the West coast of Scotland. The one I am currently on took 7.5 hours one way in the heat of a shock English heatwave as I joined SOMA’s META Youth Alumni and my daughter in coastal Norflok, driving a nine berth van that will be full on the way home, but had spare seats on the way up so we could detour to stations to rescue those caught in the train cancellations caused by the nearly 40 degree weather.

The Western Isles of Harris and Lewis were stunning, although it was only returning through Skye that we got to see a golden eagle. My son and I hiked to the North Lewis Eagle observatory, only to realise one had flown over our heads when we had given up and turned around. But amazingly one darted just in front of our car as we drove back from Skye towards Ben Nevis which we would climb next day. Seals, sea birds and porpoise from the ferry completed our wildlife safari.

Lewis had been the home of a revival in 1949-1953 and it was interesting to reflect just how ordinary the sites I had read about felt 75 years on. The Sabbath is still kept assiduously but 75 years is a long time. I wonder what the places Jesus visited in Capernaum, Galilee and the Decapolis felt like 75 years on?

Spiritual highlights came from the refreshing grandeur of nature (the view from Nevis, the sandy beaches, the rugged remoteness of Harris), from friends we visited on the way up and down, and the audio material compiled by my son – playlists of worship and other songs, Bible Animation videos (explaining difficult theology in an accessible way) and the 2819 church sermons of passionate Trindadian American preacher Philip Anthony Mitchell. Some amazing conversations ensued.

Here in Norfolk we are at a retreat house near Cromer due to fall into the sea within 100 years due to expected coastal erosion. A lot to reflect on and will update with more after a long awaited sleep!