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Modern living can make us unaccustomed to silence and stillness. The demands of daily life can make it hard to set aside time to think about our lives and our relationship with God. Silence is a way of respecting the ‘sacred space’ of our interior lives, enabling us to discover what God might be saying to us in our own time and at our own pace.
Our retreats offer an extended period of quiet prayer and reflection which can last a few days or longer. In the quiet time of a retreat, we can become aware of our feelings, moods and inner reactions, which then helps us to realise what we really desire from God and what God might desire for us.
Join us for a time of quiet reflection, be that a guided retreat, a solitude stay or a day of prayer.
Please be aware that during the dates of the Individually Guided Retreats, bookings for solitude stays or day retreats will not be available.
If you wish to make a reservation, please click on ‘sign up’ if you are not registered on Churchsuite, or ‘ log in’ if you are registered.
Each cabin has a separate entry, so it is possible to have a quiet time at Llannerchwen in a true eremitic (‘alone’) style, even when you are not staying in one of our isolated hermitages.
There are no daily communal activities, but retreatants are welcome to use our small Chapel for private prayer. There is, however, an option to arrange occasional spiritual accompaniment with one of the resident team should this be helpful. These sessions, lasting about 45min, are an opportunity to talk about what has been happening during the days and in prayer.
This retreat is an individual and private retreat, available for between two to nine nights.
An Individually Guided Retreat includes time set aside each day to meet with your personal retreat guide. These meetings are an opportunity to talk about what has been happening for you during the day, particularly during your times of prayer.
After listening to whatever you wish to share, your guide may suggest some scripture or other texts to use as a base or backdrop for your prayer until your next meeting.
This offers to people living near Llannerchwen an opportunity to book one of our cabins for a day (9am – 5 pm) for a time of private prayer.
While we do not set prices for a retreat, we would appreciate a donation. The guidelines below will help you to decide how much you are able to offer. We are very grateful for your donations, which help to cover the costs of our ministry at Llannerchwen and keep this unique place running.
If you are kindly able to offer more than what is suggested, that then helps us to cover the costs of those unable to offer as much.
Solitude Retreat | £58 per night
Day of Prayer | £42 per day
Individually Guided Retreat with daily spiritual direction:
- 3 days | £255
- 5 days | £425
- 6 days | £510
- 8 days | £660
- Non-residential Day of Prayer | £40
These are the guidelines for 2024. These guidelines are reviewed each year in January.
To secure your booking we ask for a small non-refundable deposit which will be deducted from the total donation.
- Non-residential non-refundable deposit | £15
- Residential non-refundable deposit | £65
There are 7 self-contained spaces, each with its own entrance. This includes 3 separate, stand-alone hermitages and 4 cabins. Each cabin is in the same building as one other cabin.
Each cabin caters for single occupancy only. Every retreatant has a bed, shower, toilet, fridge and a fully equipped kitchen with a cooker. Each of the spaces has a microwave and toaster.
We provide all bed linen, bath towels, tea towels, cooking utensils, a hot water bottle and a hairdryer. We also provide tea, coffee, sugar, cooking oil and salt and pepper. You need to provide food and prepare all your own meals. Supermarkets and shops are available in Brecon. Those who travel by public transport can be met by car outside Morrison’s supermarket when they have completed their shopping.
We advise you to bring walking boots or strong shoes, warmer clothing, waterproof clothing, a torch, an adapter (for bathroom plugs) and headphones (for personal use).
There are plenty of walks in and around Llannerchwen. There is a tailor-made OS map in all cabins and hermitages.
Good walking boots or wellies are essential, walking poles are advisable and waterproofs are a must if you want to stay any length of time and go walking. Please note that the rural, hilly character of Llannerchwen may not be suitable for everyone.
By car
Our address
Llannerchwen
Llandefaelog Fach
Brecon
Powys
LD3 9PP
Please note that SatNavs struggle to locate Llannerchwen as they do not recognise the access lane.
Get in touch
07415 111 959
retreats@llannerchwen.org.uk
By train
Unfortunately, Brecon does not have a rail station available. Therefore, if you are considering travelling by train, it will be necessary to do the last leg of your journey by bus or coach from one of the following nearby stations: Cardiff, Abergavenny, or Hereford. Please stay on the bus/coach until Brecon Interchange, the last stop.For information regarding the times of buses and coaches please see National Express and Stagecoach Bus.
By Air or Sea
From Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, it may be possible to travel by National Express coach to Cardiff and then to Brecon. Otherwise, it is best to take the train to Reading, then another train to Cardiff.
From Cardiff Airport there is a bus to Cardiff Central Station. At certain times this service is not very frequent.
From Manchester Airport there is a train to Manchester Piccadilly Station then another train to Abergavenny.
From Bristol Airport there is a bus to Bristol Temple Meads station and then a train to Abergavenny.
From Holyhead, it is possible to travel to Abergavenny by train (sometimes involving a change at Crewe).
The Society of the Sacred Heart came to live at Llannerchwen in 1979, inspired by one of the sisters, Joan Scott. Her own two-year experience living as a hermit led her to recognise the need for a place where people from all walks of life could experience a time of solitude, silence and spiritual accompaniment if desired.
Originally a small farm holding from the 19th century, Llannerchwen became a place of silence and prayer. In the 1960s the small holding was purchased by Rev. Shapland and his wife. The Shaplands, together with a laywoman, set up and ran a small retreat centre here. When they retired in 1979, they made the property available only to those intent on continuing the spiritual purpose of the place.
Silence and solitude remain at the heart of what is offered at Llannerchwen. For this reason, several individual cabins were constructed and all remaining retreat accommodation was adapted so that each retreatant now has a totally self-contained space.