Yns Enlli, Bardsey Island

Bardsey Island, (Yns Enlli) is one of the places I have long wanted to visit. It is full of the rich history of early Celtic Christianity and was the cradle of a missionary thrust  into the whole of Wales.

Located off the north west tip of the Llyn Peninsula in Wales, it remains remote and isolated accessible once daily by boat.  It is exactly the kind of ‘edge of the world’ location favoured by these early Christians.

Founded by Cadfan who was probably from Brittany, he established a monastery here and the island quickly became known as a holy place.

Looking out across a vast expanse of sea there is nothing but water between here and Ireland. However on exceptionally clear days I’m told you can see the mountains of Wicklow in Ireland and I’m reminded of the monastic centre of Glendalough. Did some of their monks come to Yns Enlli I wonder?

It became a focal point for Irish missionaries who landed here on a major pilgrimage route into Wales. Pilgrims also travelled overland from Wales and it became one of the most important places of pilgrimage in later medieval times. Three trips to Bardsey was equivalent to a pilgrimage to Rome.  

The whole of our two week pilgrimage has been organised around a trip to Yns Enlli and I am full of anticipation of meeting with God in this thin place.

The morning of our trip the forecast is good but the island is shrouded in fog hidden from sight. We cross the calm sea out into the unknown without even a glimpse of land in sight. 

When cliffs suddenly emerge from the mist it is surprising and the air is full of the sound of nesting sea birds. Our boatman has come in close to the steep island’s cliffs so that we can experience the thousands of nesting birds on the rock ledges, bobbing on the water and flying past at a furious pace. Visiting in late April the puffins have returned and are perched by burrows or flying by us with furious wing flaps. Completely magical.

Once on the island we are left to our own devices to explore, after a brief introduction by the warden. We have four hours before the return boat. 

The fog still shrouds the island giving only tantalising glimpses as we set off on the path towards the ruined abbey. 

We let others from the small boat party go on ahead so that we can experience the complete peace and silence of the island. Even the many sheep and lambs are quiet and calm. Birdsong is the only accompaniment: skylark, oyster catcher, wren and robin serenading us throughout our visit.

The track is pebbly and gradually uphill. For tired legs and bodies it seems an achingingly long trek but nothing for the young and fit.

As we walk the fog miraculously clears revealing stunning gorse clad scenery and sparkling water.

I particularly want to visit the abbey remains where Cadfan founded his prayer monastery but am faintly disappointed on arrival there. Only a ruined tower from the later medieval abbey remains and a small graveyard. Apart from an inscription on a large cross referencing the ‘land of 20,000 saints’ there is no information or honouring of these amazing Christians. This is the number of Celtic Christians thought to be buried here! Unlike Iona, Lindisfarne, Llantwit Major and other places I’ve visited, Yns Enlli seems to have forgotten to honour and celebrate these incredible people and this Christian heritage. Even though today it remains the focal point of Christian pilgrimage for many this doesn’t seemed to be greatly recognised- surprising as there is a resident chaplain who has regular meetings.

However we go and sit in the abbey ruins in what was probably a tower and pray. I think I was so full of anticipation I was expecting something huge to happen. I’ve been to hundreds of these Celtic sites now and God has met with me beautifully. However this was very different.

There was a beautiful peaceful atmosphere full of birdsong but I didn’t experience the overwhelming closeness of God’s presence that I was expecting. However, prostrating myself before God I waited aware of my great need for him. To my surprise the following encounter happened instead.
 

This encounter seemed a continuation of a vision I had a day ago but went further.

In the vision I am sitting beside Jesus on a bench where eagles are soaring, as I saw previously. Without me realising it, I am taken ‘outside of time’ and into the realm of the Spirit.

Jesus has his arm is around me. I am in deep rest. Then he points and says ‘Look’. I see a crowd of people coming towards me excitedly. ‘She made it.’ I hear them saying and then they are all around me and I know they are my Celtic brothers. I feel completely humbled and unworthy, aware of my lack of willingness to give everything up in the way they did. 

But they don’t seem aware of my reticence or to mind at all.

‘Let’s pray for her.’ I hear one say.  They gather all around me. I am surrounded by their presences, totally enclosed.

I sense tremendous peace overwhelm me and I lose track of time completely.

And then it is over. It reminds me of once before when I saw the same brothers as part of the cloud of witnesses cheering me on from heaven peering through a portal to earth.

I don’t have much understanding of these encounters or theological framework other than Biblically Jesus met with Moses and Elijah with Peter and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. They too seemed to step outside of our understanding of time and meet spirit to spirit.

Having left the abbey and now in the most glorious sunshine the views are spectacular. We briefly stop off in the modern chapel. I find myself tearful, again acutely aware of the sacrifice made by previous generations of Christians so that I might know the Good News. It takes me by surprise.

We pause briefly at the prayer oratory on our way back to the boat and continue to pray. There is a beautiful icon of an angel surrounding a Celtic monk which I find very moving.

We leave Barsdey in beautiful sunshine and bounce across the waves looking back at the large colony of seals basking on the rocks. 
 

Because the weather is so calm our boatman takes us close to the cliffs pulling into a rocky narrow inlet. Pausing he points up the cliffs to some crude roughly hewn steps carved into the steep rocks. This, he says, was the route pilgrims came down to board boats to get to Bardsey. It highlighted even more the danger, dedication and sacrifice the people were willing to endure to meet with God in this special place.

So my visit to Yns Enlli ends. My heart is full even though it wasn’t as profound as maybe I expected. I would still love to return and definitely can recommend visiting.