Upcoming retreats and events
At all our residential and day retreats you are invited to join the praying community for times of prayer in the chapel. In between sessions containing Biblical and spiritual input there will be time for reflection and relaxation.
Meals and refreshments are included in the price and accommodation is in en-suite rooms
with sheets and towels and tea/coffee-making facilities.
Whalley Abbey Christmas Events 2025
Join us in preparing for the season of Christmas with events happening at Whalley Abbey. Click the button to see our Christmas programme.
‘O Come Emmanuel!’ Advent Study Group
This Advent Study group is open to all and is organised in cooperation with St Mary’s parish in Whalley.
Carol Singing Evening
Celebrate the message of Christmas in song, supported by choirs from the local churches. Mulled wine and mince pies will be on offer.
Soul Seasons - Winter Quiet Day
Explore how God’s creative provision of seasons in nature teaches us healthy rhythms of rest and productivity. Our Winter Quiet Day focuses on the spiritual discipline of rest and waiting, seeking meaning in liminal times and embracing stillness.
Taster Day - Pathways to Prayer - Year of Contemplation 2026
Pathways to Prayer starts our Year of Contemplation 2026 with a carousel of workshops which focus on seeking God through different ways of praying, rising from our rich Christian tradition.
Individually Guided Retreat
Use this opportunity to reflect on those things which are pertinent to you, assisted by a daily conversation with a spiritual director and common prayers four times a day with the resident community. Be nourished by the prayerful surrounds of Whalley Abbey as you seek to deepen your walk with God this Lent.
This is a silent retreat.
Held in God's Gaze - Brother Lawrence and 'the Practice of the Presence of God'
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection: finding God amid the lowly chores. 'The Practice of the Presence of God'
Quiet Day - Centering Prayer - the Roots and Practice (Year of Contemplation 2026)
This day will introduce you to the practice of centering prayer, enabling you to build it into your own practice of prayer.
Blackburn Diocese Pilgrim Experience
Join a guided walk to Blackburn Cathedral with a pilgrimage talk in the evening back at the Abbey. Packed lunch, dinner and train fare are included. Why not extend your stay to rest and pray with the resident community.
Retreat: It is Well With My Soul
During this retreat, we will delve into the meaning of the word ‘soul’ in the Bible so that we can ‘awaken’ our souls to God, making use of creative and reflective techniques to understand what we’ve encountered.
Easter Sunrise Event
Join us in the ruins of the Abbey Church at sunrise to celebrate the triumphant Resurrection of the Lord!
All are welcome on this most joyful and blessed of days.
Quiet Day - Seeing With the Eyes of the Heart - Year of Contemplation 2026
This day will focus on visio divina (‘divine seeing’), the process of engaging visual media through an incarnational lens in order to move boyond mere observation into an encounter with the living God.
Finding God in Writing- Retreat
Grow in your faith by using writing to become nearer to God. Explore the words of various writers and try writing for yourself.
Held in God's Gaze: Jean-Pierre de Caussade and the 'Sacrament of the Present Moment'
Held in God's Gaze: Jean-Pierre de Caussade: the 'Sacrament of the Present Moment'; God here and now amid things as they are
Quiet Day - Breath of Contemplation - Year of Contemplation 2026
An introduction to contemplative practice focusing on the breath, grounded in the knowledge of being loved by God.
Guided Walk with Afternoon Tea
An afternoon with a history tour of the Abbey house and grounds (3 pm) and afternoon tea in the Great Hall (4 pm), ending with optional evening prayer (5.30 pm).
Quiet Day - Maranatha Yoga: ‘Keep Fit; Keep Faith’
A day intersecting yoga and Christian spirituality through postures that engage body, mind, and spirit, followed by Christian Meditation.
Praying with Beads (Year of Contemplation 2026)
Come and explore the ancient practice of praying with beads. During the day you will learn the history behind prayer beads and you will have the chance to make them and experience this form of contemplative prayer.
Held in God's Gaze: St Thérèse of Lisieux and the 'Little Way'
Held in God's Gaze: St Thérèse of Lisieux: God in the face of frustration and diminishment, the 'Little Way'
Bereavement Retreat
This gentle weekend retreat is to help people who may be struggling with loss and grief following bereavement of a loved one.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (Retreat)
A retreat with Bishop Jill and some of our giants of faith. We will explore with Jesus what it might mean to learn from their witness and stand taller in faith, hope and love.
Making Sense of Our Lives (Quiet Day)
Exploring our use of our senses to experience God and the world through music, memories and reflection, and also to learn to find value and peace in every day.
Quiet Day - Creative Meditation with Hildegard and Clay
This creative quiet day looks into the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval mystic, followed by an opportunity to participate in a group ceramic project.
Taster Day: Pathways to Prayer
Pathways to Prayer (September) is part of our Year of Contemplation 2026, and features a carousel of workshops (Christian Meditation, Lectio Divina, Journalling and Praying with Icons) focused on seeking God through different ways of praying, rising from our rich Christian tradition.
Refiner’s Fire – Fused Glass Creative Retreat
A chance to explore what the art of fusing glass can teach us about God’s care for us, and how brokenness can be transformed into beauty through surrender. Create and keep two pieces of fused glass.
Quiet Day - Icons and Prayer
Join us on a quiet day in which we consider the rich and powerful spiritual resource provided by Christian Iconography. During the course of this quiet day, we will explore how Icons can powerfully shape the prayer life of both the Church and of individual Christians.
Story-Telling Retreat about St. Paulinus
This retreat uses storytelling to explore the key moments from St Paulinus’ life and how these stories of faith and mission still speak to us today.
Quiet Day - Dancing Our Prayers
Join a day of worship with gentle, rhythmic circle dance inspired by Scripture and music, incl. Taizé chants. All dances are taught, welcoming all experience levels.
Year of Contemplation 2026: Lectio Divina and Journalling
Pathways to Prayer starts our Year of Contemplation 2026 with a carousel of workshops which focus on seeking God through different ways of praying, rising from our rich Christian tradition.
In His Image: Personality and Prayer (Retreat)
Through guided reflections, prayer and quiet time, we’ll explore how our God-given personality shapes the way we pray and serve the One who calls each of us by name.
Quiet Day - Paper Angels - led by Hilary Murphy
During this craft day, we will be looking at angels in art and the Bible and making book art by folding an angel out of the pages. SOLD OUT
Christmas Wreath-Making Afternoon
Take a creative approach to Christmas at our prayerful quiet day. Make your own wreath to take home.
Held in God's Gaze: Chad and faith between the Midlands and the Ribble
Father Nicholas Heale will lead this quiet day based on St Chad and the faith in his day between the Midlands and the Ribble.
Space to Be - A Simple Quiet Day
Time to reconnect with the God who loves you through stillness, reflective prayer, images and music.
‘Thou Mastering-me God’ - Retreat
In this three day retreat led by Bishop Philip, we will use the medium of poetry to enter into the mystery of God.
‘A Truth Universally Acknowledged’ – Finding Spiritual Riches in Jane Austen
Jane Austen period house party and retreat, what a treat! The retreat draws on the Christian aspects of some of Austen’s writing. If you’re a fan of Austen, this immersive experience is not to be missed!
Day of Prayer for Growth and Renewal
The churches, schools and chaplaincies of the diocese are called to a year of focused prayer for growth and renewal in 2025. This is one of five facilitated days at Whalley Abbey offered for individuals and groups to join to pray for their own context.
Living Peace - the peace which passeth all understanding - Retreat
Putting our faith and trust in God, we can go beyond the ups and downs of everyday life to truly know that we are ‘living peace’.
Guided Pilgrimage to Blackburn Cathedral
Join the guided pilgrimage walk from Whalley Abbey to Blackburn Cathedral, with worship and all meals provided for the day. Consider adding accommodation to make this a residential stay with dinner and a pilgrimage talk the night before!
Spiritual Photography – Zooming into the Scriptures - Quiet Day
A day of connecting with God though the lens of photography, taking time to zoom in on scripture and the beauty of creation, seeking inspiration from the Abbey gardens.
Held in God's Gaze: Paulinus and the Mission to Lancashire
Father Nicholas Heale will lead this quiet day based on St Paulinus and the ancient roots of faith in Lancashire.
Guided Walk and Afternoon Tea
An afternoon with a guided meditation walk with history of the Abbey and afternoon tea, ending with optional evening prayer
Bereavement Retreat
This gentle weekend retreat is to help people who may be struggling with loss and grief following bereavement of a loved one.
Day of Prayer for Growth and Renewal
The churches, schools and chaplaincies of the diocese are called to a year of focused prayer for growth and renewal in 2025. This is one of five facilitated days at Whalley Abbey offered for individuals and groups to join to pray for their own context.
Working Retreat
Join us for a wonderful time of praying, working and living together in community.
“I Am.” Who Jesus is and what he has promised
A retreat that promises to fill us with hope and peace by delving deep into the ‘I Am’ sayings of Jesus in John's Gospel.
I am the Potter - Quiet day
While reflecting on God the Creator, we will make and decorate a clay jug and practise mindful prayer.
Maranatha Yoga - Quiet day
A quiet day of Maranatha Yoga in which to rest, be renewed and be refreshed in the Lord.
God’s Garden Retreat
A retreat exploring the richness of God’s creation that promises to be a prayer from beginning to end.
Day of Prayer for Growth and Renewal
The churches, schools and chaplaincies of the diocese are called to a year of focused prayer for growth and renewal in 2025. This is one of five facilitated days at Whalley Abbey offered for individuals and groups to join to pray for their own context.
Held in God's Gaze: Faith in the North - Returning to the Roots
Father Nicholas Heale will lead this quiet day based on the Northern Saints at and around Lindisfarne and the charism of faith in the face of social confusion and cultural decline.
Julian of Norwich Retreat
A retreat offering the opportunity to spend time with Julian of Norwich: her extraordinary life as an anchoress, her message and its to you.
Quiet Day - Knit to Pray: Interwoven - led by Rachael Sterrett and Rachel-Ann Powers
A day to practise the art of prayer and the art of knitting, and to explore the connection between them.
Dancing with God
An opportunity to deepen your relationship with the Divine and each other through the rhythm of circle dance and scripture.
Like a Tree - Quiet day
Trees have much to say to us about living in the light of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A day with input, visual images, quiet meditation and prayer, as well as live piano music.
Holy Week and Easter Services
Everyone is welcome to take part in our daily prayers and special services during Holy Week and Easter
Breath of Contemplation
Come and learn the Practice of the Breath of Contemplation. A practice grounded in the knowledge of being loved.
Vine Community Retreat
Led by Whalley Abbey director Anna Walker, this retreat is for those interested in the Vine Community, or anyone interested in the Benedictine/Cistercian monastic tradition, new monasticism or in exploring contemplative forms of prayer.
Individually Guided Retreat
This retreat gives you the opportunity to descend towards the events of Holy Week with intent.
Day of Prayer for Growth and Renewal
The churches, schools and chaplaincies of the diocese are called to a year of focused prayer for growth and renewal in 2025. This is one of five facilitated days at Whalley Abbey offered for individuals and groups to join to pray for their own context.