A retreat is your chance to step aside from life for a while, to rest and just 'be' in a welcoming, peaceful place.
Iona Abbey
Isle of Iona PA76 6SN, UK
Contact Details
Contact Name:
Iona Abbey Bookings
Email:
Telephone:
01681 700 404
Retreat Centre Description
A unique opportunity to stay in the iconic Iona Abbey and experience living in community with like-minded people from all over the world.
You will be hosted by the Iona Community, an international, ecumenical Christian movement working for peace and justice, the rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.
Come and share in the daily worship, delicious vegetarian meals, laughter, sharing of stories, pilgrimage, optional workshops, creative art and music, and ‘helping out’ tasks – all the time exploring faith in action and how we can make a difference in this world. During your free time, you can explore the beautiful island of Iona, renowned for its rich history, white-sand beaches, and stunning wildlife, or simply find a peaceful spot in the Abbey to reflect and unwind.
Most of the Iona Abbey programmes last for 6 days (Saturday to Friday). Some focus on specific themes, others (‘Time & Space’) are more generic. All seek to reinvigorate and inspire. There are also opportunities for shorter 3-days breaks and last-minute flexible stays. We warmly welcome all enquiries—come and experience life in community on Iona!
Accommodation on Offer
Our accommodation is housed in the beautifully restored part of a former Benedictine monastery, best accessed through the peaceful Cloister. As part of the Iona Community experience, you’re invited to join in worship twice daily in the iconic Iona Abbey. Meals are served in the refectory, where monks once dined, offering a deep connection to the Abbey's past.
Our modern and recently upgraded facilities include 44 beds across 21 comfortable bedrooms, with 11 shower rooms. Three of our five single bedrooms are fully accessible, including one with an en-suite bathroom and two others conveniently located near an accessible bathroom. A lift is available for access to the first floor, where you'll find the refectory. Please note that 10 bedrooms are on the second floor, accessible via two flights of stairs.
Due to the limited number of single and twin rooms, some guests may be asked to share a room—an opportunity to meet new friends in this welcoming community!
Our freshly prepared meals are mostly vegetarian, from our own Abbey kitchen. The food is so loved that an "Iona Abbey Cookbook" was recently published by popular demand! While we cater to many special dietary needs, we are unable to cater for very severe allergies. We encourage you to contact us in advance to discuss any mobility or dietary requirements to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible.
Retreat Centre Facilities
Please see website for retreat centre facilities
Types of Retreat Offered
Please see website for retreats offered
2024 Events
Work Week 1: March 9th – 15th Work Week 2: November 2nd – 8th March: 16th – 22nd April 6th – 12th May 11th – 17th May 25th – 31st June 15th – 21st June 29th – July 5th July 13th – 19th – Special Time and Space week for families August 24th – 30th September 7th – 13th October 12th – 18th October 26th – November 1st May 4th – 10th September 21st – 27th November 11th – 15th : Mon – Fri (4 nights)
Work Week: Help us get ready for the season starting in March or with those end of season jobs in November. For energetic people who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Discounted rate.
Dates:
Time and Space Weeks allow you to experience life in community at Iona Abbey. Staying at the Abbey includes participating in regular worship, sharing in meals and joining in community tasks. An optional programme will encourage reflection on issues of inclusion, ecological justice and peace through creativity and discussion.
Dates:
Holy Week and Easter 2024: Experience the heartache, confusion, silence and joy of the journey through Holy Week into Easter.
Dates: March 27th – April 2nd
Why protest matters: How do we confront power peacefully? We will explore answers to this question by connecting current examples of activism with the stories of Jesus.
Dates: April 13th – 19th
Ways of Seeing, Ways of Being: An artist’s introduction to the Isle of Iona as a creative wellspring and how it might support us to respond to the complexities of today’s world. Led by Iona artist, Mhairi Killin, this week will include observation, contemplative walks, conversation and hands-on making. No artistic skills are required: just an openness to observe.
Dates: April 20th – 26th
Wildlife Week:
A week to immerse ourselves in the wonder of nature, on Iona and beyond. Come and draw on the resources of community living and faith to activate or sustain your activism in response to catastrophic climate change and ecological breakdown. Facilitated by David Coleman, Iona Community Member and Eco-Congregation Scotland Chaplain.
Dates: April 27th – May 3rd
The miracles unboxed with John Bell: Has science or cynicism put an end to thinking about miracles of which the gospels record thirty one? John Bell believes they are buried treasure more to activists than pietists, sometimes funny in the extreme, sometimes profoundly unsettling.
Dates:
Wild Goose Resource Group: An immersion in the practice and purpose of creative, participative liturgy, led by Jo Love and friends. We hope that all who come are keen to be actively involved in the programme. When you reserve a place, Wild Goose Resource Group will be in touch to find out about your interest in creative worship.
Dates: May: 18th – 24th
Grounding our lives in God & creation – The call to live into the ‘hereness’: This week of ‘grounding’ will listen to voices and embed practices that ‘re-mind’ of who we are. We will respond to poets and mystics, artists and bards, who invite us to risk living into healing—for ourselves and others; for our earth and all creatures. Join us to explore how we might become more faithful stewards of and with our lives. Co-Facilitated by Dr. Mark S. Burrows & Rev. Ute Molitor.
Dates: June: 1st – 7th
Hope of Scots: a celebration of Columba’s legacy, examining themes of purpose, leadership, openness, statecraft, activism and belief.
Dates: June 8th – 14th
Dùthchas and Everyday Celtic Spirituality: Drawing on the Celtic tradition from Columba (Colmcille) to the Carmina Gadelica and beyond, we will explore ecological connections and everyday practices of respect for the earth. Led by Mairéad Nic Craith and Ullrich Kokel.
Dates: June 22nd – 28th
Sound & Vision: A festival of invention and creation: readings, workshops and learning activities around seditious creativity: song writing, poetry, text-based, visual and audio storytelling. Come to celebrate, learn, experiment, explore.
Dates: July 6th – 12th
Global Song: Explore congregational songs from around the world, including how they can enrich our worship and help us meaningfully connect with God, each other, and the world around us. We will weave song with themes of justice, peace and the integrity of Creation. Suitable for any level of music ability. Facilitated by Iain McLarty, Associate Member of the Iona Community with extensive experience of delivering training and leading worship in international contexts.
Dates: July 27th – 2nd August
Superpower your activism: Calling all environmental, ecological and climate justice activists. Come to the beautiful island of Iona for some galvanising campaign workshops and activities to help us face the challenge of the environmental crisis together.
Dates: August 17th – 23rd
YouthFest 2024: Beach days and scavenger hunts, a boat trip, ceilidh, night time stories and in-depth discussions about what really matters. During YouthFest, we’ll all live in community and participate in daily worship at the ancient Iona Abbey.
Dates: August 3rd – 9th
Women’s Spirituality Week: Facilitated by Cameron and Paul Nieboer, more information to follow.
Dates: August 10th – 16th
LGBTQ+ Week: A week of creative activities, peaceful spaces and workshop/sharing times to enable LGBTQ+ people and those in sympathy to find space for both rest and resistance in a time of change and division. The week will include optional craftivism projects, multi-sensory prayer and worship, outdoor activities, movement and writing, enabling a time of learning, growing and caring for each-other. The week will be led by Alex and Jo Clare-Young.
Dates: August 31st – September 6th
Interfaith Week: Dates: September 14th – 20th
Wild Goose Publications’ Week: A week to celebrate creativity and spiritual enquiry. Readings by Wild Goose authors, and space to write your own poems and prayers.
Dates: September 28th – October 4th
God carry me: Exploring our lives as pilgrimage, deepening our resources to face climate change with Alastair McIntosh, author of Soil and Soul, Hell and High Water, Poacher’s Pilgrimage and more.
Dates: October 5th – 11th
The Beauty of Contemplation ~ The Contemplation of Beauty: Are you curious about the practice of contemplation? Would you like to explore this practice on the beautiful island of Iona?
Dates: 12th – 18th October
Stillness in Community: No programme sessions, but sharing community meals, work and worship. Not a completely silent week, but a time for stillness and reflection.
Dates:
November 18th – 22nd: Mon – Fri (4 nights)
November 25th – 29th: Mon – Fri (4 nights)
Light in the Darkness – some programme activities to celebrate Advent.
Dates: December 2nd – 6th : Mon – Fri (4 nights)
Christmas on Iona: celebrate the feast of Christmas in good company amid the winter beauty of Iona.
Dates: December 22nd – 28th: – Christmas on Iona
2025 Events
March
8-14 Work Week: Help us get the Iona Abbey Centre ready for the season. For energetic people willing to get their hands dirty! Offered at a discounted rate.
15 or 18-21 Time and Space: Do you need time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come to the Abbey for 3 or 6 nights.
22 or 25-28 Time and Space: Do you need time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come to the Abbey for 3 or 6 nights.
March-April
29-4 Ways of Seeing, Ways of Being: How seeing with the eyes of an island can help view the world differently. We will weave art, spirituality, mindfulness and community with Iona’s stunning landscape.
April
5-11 Embody Lent: Curious about Christian Yoga? At the start of Lent, why not explore the spiritual benefits of practising Yoga on the peaceful Isle of Iona.
12-15 Time and Space, Digital Detox: An invitation to adults and children to discover the benefits of life without media and learn to make the most of ‘living in the moment’
16-22 Encounter Easter Anew -for all ages: A fresh look at the Easter story and the transformational possibilities of the resurrection in our lives and in the world today.
April-May
26-2 Word made Flesh – Celebrating the unity of body, mind and spirit Explore the intimate relationship between the body and the brain, and learn from ancient practices how to honour and care for our whole selves.
May
3-9 John Bell – Towards a world fit for our children: Can faith, which should essentially be liberating, offer constructive insights and positive pathways to the future, in what seems a very bleak world?
10-16 Iona Community Associate Members Week: A great opportunity for Iona Community Associate Members to gather together and reflect on how, ‘in and through community, we can pursue peace and justice’.
17-23 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey
24-30 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
May-June
31-6 Song Writing to Change the World: An Iona-inspired and creative song-writing week. Explore how singing together shapes faith, heals brokenness, transform lives and renews peace. Suitable for anyone who loves singing.
June
7-13 Columba Week: Join us as we celebrate St Columba. We will follow in his footsteps on Iona, discovering how his remarkable story speaks to us today
14-20 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
21-27 Environment Week: What inspires and sustains us in this time of acute anxiety about the climate? Discover tools to raise our spirit and turn anxiety into action.
June-July
28-4 Time and Space Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
July
5-11 Family Week: All varieties and generations of families welcome! Experience God and Creation through togetherness, fun, play and adventure on this wild and beautiful island.
12-18 Wild Goose Resources Group Week: A week exploring creative worship with the fabulously imaginative and creative Wild Goose Resources Group. Ideal for anyone involved in leading worship.
19-25 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
July-August
26-1 Community Week: A special week for Members of the Iona Community to get together on the iconic island so central to their history. (For Iona Community Members only.)
August
2-8 YouthFest (age 14-18): Beach days, scavenger hunts, boat trip, puffins, night-time stories, conversations, and so much more – to help work out what really matters. (For Youth Groups only).
9-15 Peace Building in a World of Conflict: A great opportunity to explore with a range of experienced peace builders the meaning of peace and security in local communities and the wider world.
16 or 19-22 Time and Space: Do you need time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come to the Abbey for 3 or 6 nights
23-29 Julian Richards on People, Place and Spirituality: Places undoubtedly shape our spirituality. What can we learn from history? And how do we, in all our diversity, endow today’s landscapes with meaning?
August-September
30-5 Reading the Bible as Earth People with Brian McLaren What better place than Iona to rediscover the Bible as an ecological and indigenous text? Where better to find wisdom and courage in today’s world?
September
6-12 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
12-19 Call of the Cailleach, Wise Women Week: A week to embrace the spiritual journey of ageing. Wise women gaining even more wisdom through creative experiences, guided reflections, conversations and meaningful sharing.
20 or 23-26 Time and Space: Do you need time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come to the Abbey for 3 or 6 nights.
September-October
27-3 John Bell on Odd women and even Odder Men John Bell explores the often overlooked and fascinating minor figures and incidents in the Bible that humanise the scriptures. Expect hidden gems and unlikely saviours!
October
4-10 Faith and Friendships: Driving Positive Change in Challenging Times Join inspirational community leader Wahida Shaffi to gain new enthusiasm, energy and insights into how to bring people together to build a better world.
11-17 Writers’ Festival with Wild Goose Publications: Calling poets, writers and creatives of all abilities! Explore new creative processes, develop your literary skills, learn from the professionals, and enjoy sharing your creations.
18-24 Time and Space: Do you need more time and space in your life? A renewed sense of purpose and belonging? Come and share in life at Iona Abbey.
25 or28-31 The Celtic Wheel: Holy Darkness and Honouring our Ancestors Come to the thin place of Iona as harvest ends, and explore the powerful themes of this mysterious season in both Celtic and Christian spirituality.
November
1-7 Winter Work Week: Come and help prepare the Iona Abbey Centre for the winter. For energetic people willing to get their hands dirty. Offered at a discounted rate.
10-14 Stillness in Community Longing for space for deep stillness? A time in the calendar when Iona offers peace and quiet, and wild scenery and weather. No organised programme.
17-21 Stillness in Community Longing for space for deep stillness? A time in the calendar when Iona offers peace and quiet, and wild scenery and weather. No organised programme.
24-28 Stillness in Community Longing for space for deep stillness? A time in the calendar when Iona offers peace and quiet, and wild scenery and weather. No organised programme.
Retreat Centre Location
Isle of Iona PA76 6SN, UK