I woke up a little before 5 am on this Saturday morning. The cardinals were singing outside my bedroom window in the big maple tree as dawn was about to break. As much as I wanted to enjoy the birdsong and keep sleeping, I couldn’t get my mind off a place my aunt had shared with me called Columcille Megalith Park in the Appalachian mountains.

Columcille is a hidden gem located in Bangor, PA. It is the creation of the late William Cohea, Jr. who was inspired by a dream he had after visiting Iona, a small island on the western coast of Scotland. According to ancient history, the early Celts considered Iona a place where the veil is thin and one’s spirit could easily travel between worlds. There were once over 350 standing stones on the isle along with sacred oak groves. Inspired by his vision, Mr. Cohea made his dream reality in 1975 when he created Columcille.

Within the grounds of this enchanted park you’ll find circles of standing stones, pathways to hidden sacred sites, a faerie ring (don’t be surprised if you see one), a winding labyrinth and a chapel, named after St. Columba. There is a beautiful bell tower with large quartz and lapis lazuli stones inset in the top of the stone building. The surrounding woods are filled with fern, wild mushrooms and toadstools. I could have lingered here all day. Each winding path led to something magical. It’s a wonderful place for a quiet walk or meditation. I will definitely be visiting again.