Last week I was luck enough to stay in the Cistercian Abbey at Caldey Island in Pembrokeshire, west Wales.
Caldey Abbey, like all of the beautiful, remote island on which it is set, has a charming and peaceful atmosphere. The monks were wonderful hosts, as you can imagine, seemed genuinely at peace and were enormously good humoured individuals despite the seemingly difficult austerity of their Trappist lifestyle, which includes 12 hours of silence each day and rising for Vigils at 3:15 AM.
I loved every second of my stay there, feeling a connection with God and with myself while partaking in the quiet contemplation, prayer and walking that I spent my time making. I shall most definitely be going back there - and this time for a longer stay - in the next year.
Caldey Abbey, like all of the beautiful, remote island on which it is set, has a charming and peaceful atmosphere. The monks were wonderful hosts, as you can imagine, seemed genuinely at peace and were enormously good humoured individuals despite the seemingly difficult austerity of their Trappist lifestyle, which includes 12 hours of silence each day and rising for Vigils at 3:15 AM.
I loved every second of my stay there, feeling a connection with God and with myself while partaking in the quiet contemplation, prayer and walking that I spent my time making. I shall most definitely be going back there - and this time for a longer stay - in the next year.
