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More about this trip-
During our class, we will contemplate the first novel of Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander series through the theme of fate, asking questions of ourselves like: what moments in our lives have we felt the tension between choice and fate? Do we believe in destiny? If so, how are we to discern our own? How have our choices led us to where we are today?
We have priced the shared rooms on this trip to be as economically accessible as we are able with the hopes that as many people as possible can join us. If you are excited about delicious food, being in community, and tackling some elevation changes surrounded by beautiful views of the Scottish countryside, this is the trip for you!
Our venue, Ballintaggart is a rural farmhouse tucked away in Tay Valley. Most of the rooms on this trip are shared rooms in the Steading, surrounded by wildflower meadows, a tennis court, and a kitchen garden with a happy flock of chickens. Inside, there is a fireplace, free standing bathtubs, and a cozy living space.
Food is at the heart of Ballintaggart, and we have arranged for their private chefs to cater most of our meals using local Scottish ingredients from fresh farm eggs for breakfast to thoughtfully designed menus in the evening to highlight the farm’s garden produce.
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We will walk up to 12 miles each day, come rain or shine, and we recommend that pilgrims prepare for the possibility of varying temperatures by equipping with layers. We won’t rush our walks, but we expect to be tired at the end of each day and embark upon the elevation changes that the Scottish highlands provide.
This is our most rigorous hiking pilgrimage in years, and we are so excited for the sweat of the treks. Not a sneaker in sight; start breaking in your boots yesterday!
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The full tuition of the trip is as follows:
$3,850 USD for a Shared Room
$4,750 USD for a Private Room (only two available)
We will meet in Scotland after lunch on August 10th and end programming before lunch on August 14th. Specific meeting time and location will be offered privately to pilgrims upon registration and payment.
Each pilgrim is responsible for handling their own travel expenses and arrangements prior to our meeting on August 10th and after we say goodbye on August 14th.
Scholarships
We occasionally offer partial scholarships for pilgrimages. If you are interested, please fill out our form here.
Trip Faculty
Julia Argy
Faculty Leader (She/Her)
Julia is a writer from Massachusetts. Her debut novel, The One, was published by Putnam in April, 2023. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Statistics, and from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program with an MFA in Fiction. She works as the Director of Pilgrimages at Not Sorry.
Julia will serve as lead faculty for this trip.
Vanessa Zoltan
Chaplain (She/Her)
Vanessa is the CEO of Not Sorry Productions. She hosts three of our four podcasts: Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Let’s Ask Taylor Swift, and Hot & Bothered. She founded Common Ground Pilgrimages in order to travel with brilliant faculty to beautiful places and talk about books with amazing pilgrims. It was a great trick she pulled off. She is also the author of the book, Praying with Jane Eyre.
Vanessa was trained as a non-denominational chaplain at Harvard Divinity School. She is a proud California girl who currently lives in MA with her gorgeous, blended family.
Fun Fact: Vanessa taught both ninth and eleventh grade English before becoming an author and podcaster!
Vanessa will serve as chaplain for this trip.
“Are some people destined for a great fate, or to do great things? Or is it only that they’re born somehow with that great passion — and if they find themselves in the right circumstances, then things happen?”
— Diana Gabaldon