A retreat centre with 17 acres of land, including a forest garden
Carmarthenshire
We have a small retreat centre located in the countryside on the edge of the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park in South Wales. We host Buddhist, Middle Way Society and independent small group retreats, all based on the idea of helping people to practise in ways that aid their personal or spiritual development. As part of our vision for the retreat centre we are also developing agroforestry (a forest garden) which will eventually help to feed the retreat centre. We also have further land that we have planted with native trees to boost biodiversity, and some further nut trees for food. We do not have any animals, and our food is vegan.
Depending on the time of year, activities for Wwoofers might include planting, harvesting, creating new beds, weeding, mulching, creating paths, cutting wood, or other maintenance or development. Wwoofers should have the opportunity to learn about forest gardening, and can also use our facilities to develop their practice of meditation, study, or the arts.
We now like to encourage volunteers to come on one of our working retreats if they can, although we are also open to individual negotiation for volunteers to come at other times. Working retreats offer volunteers the opportunity to get a fuller experience of being here that is more like a regular retreat. They are 1 week long and take place between specific dates, so that volunteers are more likely to arrive and leave at the same time as others. During that week we ask people to help out in the garden for 6 days for about 4 hours a day. We will also be offering some meditation sessions, and perhaps discussion and arts sessions, depending on the experience and needs of whoever is on a particular working retreat. There will also be regular shared meals and periods of free time each day. There will be no requirements to attend particular activities, but we hope you will want to join them to deepen your experience of volunteering into a retreat-like one.
If you volunteer outside the framework of a working retreat, it is quite possible to create your own retreat-like programme, but it will be more your own responsibility to do so. We will do what we can to support you, but we may have other commitments during that period, and there may or may not be other volunteers around. We may be able to arrange longer stays of up to several weeks or a month this way, especially during the winter. In winter we really appreciate having help from volunteers, but things are likely to be quieter, and you need to be prepared to work outdoors in poor weather.
Here are the dates of our planned working retreats during 2026.
14th-21st April
22nd-29th May
18th-25th June
27th July-3rd August
28th September-5th October
The typical pattern of a day at the House is likely to be be meditation first thing, breakfast and free time in the morning, followed by communal lunch and about 4 or 5 hours of activities in the forest garden or other land during the afternoon (in winter it is necessary to work outside in the morning too due to daylight limitations). We'll eat again together in the evening, after which there might be time for shared activities such as making music, or you might prefer to do your own activities, perhaps using our library for study or our meditation room. Communal meals and conversation are important to what we do, so you need to be willing to join them, and not normally use your phone at mealtimes. If people want it we could also offer some more structured discussion to feed your reflections.
WWOOFERs will probably have some interest in meditation, the arts, and/or study/discussion as well as agroforestry, but you don't necessarily need experience of any of these if you are willing to engage in them. You will need to be ready to appreciate a quiet and secluded environment. We also expect you to be able to operate independently and manage your own approach to tasks once introduced to them. Please note that as a retreat centre we have a no alcohol or drugs policy.
WWOOFERs will normally be accommodated in their own room, or sharing with a friend or partner they arrive with. We do have several beds in most of our rooms, but these are only fully used in our more fully-attended retreats. If we do need you to share a room, we will consult you about this beforehand, and it will be with someone of the same sex.
The co-owners of the centre both have a background in teaching, philosophy and Buddhist practice. Robert is a writer of books on practical philosophy (Middle Way Philosophy), and Viryanaya contributes to many Buddhist activities. Viryanaya's development of vegan cooking, increasingly using forest garden ingredients, is often appreciated.
There is plenty of scope for walking and cycling locally, and the nearest town and train station are about 40 minutes' walk away, making independent exploration of the area possible even without your own transport.
We both have experience as teachers of English as a foreign language, so are very ready to welcome non-native speakers who wish to improve their English (as long as they are also interested in the other aspects of what we do).
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Methods or systems
Permaculture
Host type
Nonprofit / Community
6.9
Hectares
|
17
Acres
Robert
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
English, German, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 1 day
Carmarthenshire
Llandeilo - nearest railway station and bus stops on foot (2 miles). Ffairfach - nearest railway station for car pickup (3 miles).
Reviews
Gabriel
United Kingdom
•
March 2026
I had a pleasant stay at [Host]. The surrounding countryside and garden is very beautiful with great views from the house. The house itself is nice with plenty of space for volunteers with a meditation room, library and a music room/lounge with space to practice yoga. Also lots of books on philosophy/religion and fiction. The conditions of the room and bathroom were very nice. Robert and viryana are kind hosts, qnd they have a lot of experience hosting retreatants and volunteers, everything was explained clearly and they wanted me to have the best experience, engaging with me in discussions over dinner. I enjoyed 3 meals a day with them, a wide variety of delicious,healthy meals with some food from the forest garden. The tasks I was given including weeding,planting,potting up and making tree guard extensions. They were fairly relaxed about how much I did. They gave me recomendations for local walks and I was dropped up the road to walk some of the brecon way. Viryana is a keen table tennis player and i enjoyed playing with her. While Robert and viryana did spend time in the garden daily mostly we worked on separate tasks so I did work alone for the majority of the time. However in one of their working retreats or if there were other volunteers this would have presumably been different. To get the most out of the forest garden coming outside the winter would be better. Thank you Robert and Viryana I hope to return.
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Esra
United Kingdom
•
September 2025
It was my very first WWOOF experience, and I honestly could not have enjoyed it more! I stayed for two weeks, and it exceeded all my expectations, turning out to be such a rewarding and fun time.
Robert and Viryanaya are truly wonderful hosts. From the very beginning, they made me feel warmly welcomed and at home. Viryanaya is not just a great cook but she is an amazing one! Every meal was a delight, and I always looked forward to sitting at the table to discover what delicious dishes she had prepared.
During my stay, I helped with weeding in the garden, fruit picking, creating paths, and even joined in on the apple butter making process, which turned out perfectly in the end. The garden is beautiful as well, and it was a joy to spend time working in it. I also had the chance to meet two other WWOOFers, and sharing the experience with them made it even more enjoyable!
The surrounding nature is beautiful, and walking into the nearby town was always a pleasant experience. We also shared many meaningful conversations together, covering topics like culture, food, and history, which made the time even richer.
Overall, my two weeks here were truly memorable and inspiring, and I could not recommend staying with Robert and Viryanaya more highly!
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John
United Kingdom
•
September 2025
I had a wonderful three-week stay with Robert and Viryanaya, who were incredibly kind and welcoming hosts. During my time at Tirylan House, I was able to explore a variety of interests, from woodworking and gardening to hiking in the beautiful surroundings.
I learned so much through engaging discussions, daily meditations, and by observing their unique philosophy in practice. I enjoyed the delicious vegan meals, the camaraderie with fellow volunteers, and the peaceful property itself, with its lovely garden and stunning views of rural Wales.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone.
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Morgan Davies
United Kingdom
•
September 2025
I had an absolutely wonderful three weeks volunteering at [Host]. During which, I participated in a walking retreat and a working retreat, with a mixture of carpentry tasks and gardening work.
Both Robert and Viryanaya are superb. Very welcoming, lovely people who make every effort that volunteers feel comfortable and included. The other two other wwoofers I met during my stay were likewise wonderful.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone.
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Julia
Australia
•
June 2025
I had a lovely stay at Tirylan House. Robert and Viryanaya have facilitated a beautiful space for working and experiencing the Welsh countryside. I really enjoyed working in the forest garden and being a part of the different activities in the evenings. Thanks so much for the delicious food and interesting conversations!
Helen
South Africa
•
June 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed my 2 weeks at Tirylan House Retreat. The days were structured with a good balance of time given to meditation and discussions, and gardening. The food was excellent, nourishing and always delicious, my first experience of vegan cooking and it was delightful. Highlights include picking raspberries and strawberries, watching the wonderful variety of birds at the feeder, nuthatch, woodpecker, bluetit and even the elusive jay, and the evenings where we shared poetry, art projects or discussed meditation practices. Thank you for a really restorative and enlightening retreat.
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