Ampleforth Abbey, Yorkshire: Where the saints have trod
SAUNTER with the saints on this walking retreat led by Fr Chad Boulton OSB. The weekend retreat, from 2 to 5 May, features coastal and moorland walks to local holy sites, including the shrine of St John of Bridlington and Mount Grace Priory.
Each day begins with prayer, followed by four to five hours of walking with stops for song, prayer, and a picnic lunch; a return to the abbey for vespers, and an evening reflection.
Ampleforth Abbey’s three purpose-built retreat buildings offer pleasant modern accommodation, and this retreat includes full board plus light refreshments.
Rooms: Single, double, and twin rooms available, all en suite.
Cost: £375pp.
Contact: retreats@ampleforthabbey.org.uk; 01439 766087; ampleforthabbey.org.uk
Epiphany House,TruroEpiphany House, Truro: The Franciscan notes
ST FRANCIS of Assisi is celebrated for his love of nature and animals — but not to be missed is an opportunity to reflect also on his wisdom.
Epiphany House, in Truro, invites you to a quiet day, entitled “The Franciscan Notes” on 21 February, led by Canon Olive Stevens and Margaret Miles, both of the Third Order Franciscans.
Using stories and writings, participants will explore the humility, joy, and love that defined St Francis, and gain fresh perspectives on his ability to transform lives.
Cost: £30pp including refreshments and a light lunch.
Contact: bookings@epiphanyhouse.co.uk; 01872 857953; epiphanyhouse.co.uk
Worth Abbey, CrawleyWorth Abbey, Crawley: The wisdom of St Benedict
THE sensational and the spectacular are not the main focus for Worth Abbey’s St Benedict-inspired retreat, from 14 to 16 February.
Instead, this is an opportunity for retreatants to focus on the small things: the everyday, ordinary encounters and the “smallest nothings” that give praise to God and demonstrate love for others.
Fr Martin McGee OSB leads this two-day retreat, exploring the spirituality of the everyday in St Benedict’s Rule.
Experience the rhythm of monastic life, with its refreshing balance between work and prayer, silence and talking, and solitude and community.
Rooms: Ten twin, three single, two family — mostly en suite.
Cost: £220pp.
Contact: retreats@worth.org.uk; 01342 710318; worth.co.uk
St Cuthbert’s House, LindisfarneSt Cuthbert’s Centre, Lindisfarne
THOSE yearning for solitude can follow the example of St Cuthbert by staying at a tiny, secluded home-from-home on Holy Island.
The Bothy is the former vestry of St Cuthbert’s Centre, and provides accommodation for one person — ideal for anyone seeking time alone with God. Guests can join prayers at St Cuthbert’s Centre, walk the paths and shores of Lindisfarne, or pray at any time of the day or night in the Boiler House Chapel.
St Cuthbert, who spent part of his life as a hermit on the Inner Farne, inspires the Centre’s ministry of quiet welcome and stillness.
Lindisfarne is also the end point of the pilgrimage route St Cuthbert’s Way, which starts in his birthplace of Melrose, and winds for more than 60 miles through the beautiful Borders scenery.
Rooms: One self-catering, self-contained single room.
Cost: £40 per night (minimum three nights), plus £50 cleaning charge per stay.
Contact: stcuthbertscentrebookings@gmail.com; 07918 702720; holyisland-stcuthbert.org
St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull, Perth
St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull, Perth
THE breath-taking beauty of St Mary’s Monastery, and the wooded slopes that surround it, offer an environment of peace and spirituality for retreatants from all traditions and cultures.
The monastery’s name reflects the challenges faced by the 19th-century Redemptorists who built it — when a hostile neighbour diverted water supplies away from the site in 1867, the group prayed to Mary, and soon afterwards struck a fresh spring.
Guests today will find well-appointed rooms, good food, tranquil prayer spaces, and an inclusive welcome. The gardens and woodland provide plenty of space for reflection and deeper contact with nature.
Rooms: 27 single en suite, four single with shared bathroom, two twin with accessible bathrooms.
Cost: See website for organised retreats or contact to discuss private bookings.
Contact: info@kinnoullmonastery.co.uk; 01738 624075; kinnoullmonastery.co.uk
St Rita’s Centre, Honiton
St Rita’s Centre, Honiton
ST RITA of Cascia is the inspiration for this warm and welcoming retreat centre, which sits in its own tranquil grounds just a short walk from Honiton.
The house is run by the Augustinian Recollects, who aim to share the example of Rita, the 14th-century saint in whose difficult marriage and family life many people find encouragement for their own experience of struggle.
Guests can spend contemplative time at Rita’s shrine, and attend the chapel with its beautiful stained-glass windows (made by the monks of Buckfast Abbey).
The centre is particularly suitable for groups organising their own retreats, and features comfortable en-suite rooms, locally sourced food, and views of the East Devon countryside.
Rooms: Six single, five twin, one triple, three family rooms, all en suite.
Cost: Groups of 12-34 people priced at £70 pppn (weekdays) full board. Individual guests £45 per night B&B.
Contact: admin@stritascentre.org; 01404 42635; stritascentre.org
Alison MacTier is the executive director of the Retreat Association. More information from info@retreats.org.uk, 01494 569056, or at retreats.org.uk.