The retreat guide Reviewed October 2026
Buddhist retreats in Yorkshire.
Find your place to practise.
Compare residential retreat centres, day programmes and local Buddhist groups, with clear traditions, current links and practical booking advice.
About this guide: An editorial guide based on current provider information, rather than first-hand assessments. Review My Retreat offers paid marketing services to retreat providers. Check details and book your stay directly with the host.
A local class or a residential retreat?
Yorkshire offers Buddhist practice in several forms: urban meditation groups, day retreats, organised trips and residential retreat centres. A group that teaches meditation each week may not have guest rooms, while a retreat venue may offer both introductory events and specialist programmes.
For a first visit: choose a class or retreat explicitly described as introductory. For time away overnight, confirm the actual venue, accommodation and level of teaching before arranging travel.
This guide includes nine Buddhist centres or groups, additional Kadampa class networks and six separate wellbeing or venue alternatives. They are grouped by what they offer, rather than presented as a universal top-ten ranking.
Map of 15 Yorkshire retreat settings
The map distinguishes nine Buddhist centres from six other retreat and wellbeing settings. Select a pin for its article section, official website and Google Maps location.
Pins show the listed venue location. Confirm the correct entrance and arrival arrangements directly with the retreat.
Find your starting point
Buddhist centres and practice groups.
Tradition and format are separate questions. Triratna centres, for example, are listed in their own right rather than being classified as Theravada.
| Centre or group | Location | Tradition | Current format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Insight Meditation | Sheffield | Insight meditation group | Local sitting groups and day retreats; use the current event venue rather than an old weekly schedule. |
| York Buddhist Centre | York | Triratna Buddhist Community | City classes, day retreats and organised residential retreats elsewhere; some are for regular sangha members. |
| Sheffield Buddhist Centre | Sheffield | Triratna Buddhist Community | Introductory courses and sangha activities, with retreats for different levels of involvement. |
| Madhyamaka KMC | Near Pocklington | New Kadampa Tradition | Residential retreats, courses and Rest & Reflect breaks; check the format and inclusions. |
| Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds | Holbeck, Leeds | Tibetan Buddhist / FPMT | Meditation, Buddhist studies and community activities; confirm where a residential event is actually held. |
| Kagyu Samye Dzong | Scarborough | Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism | City centre for meditation, teachings and short retreats; do not assume overnight guest accommodation. |
| Gomde UK | Lindholme, near Doncaster | Tibetan Buddhist retreat centre | Teachings, group activity and individual solitary retreats; discuss experience and requirements. |
| York Sangha | York and online | Plum Village tradition | Local mindfulness practice and Days of Mindfulness; not a residential retreat hotel. |
| Bradford Zen Group | Shipley, Bradford | Soto Zen / IZAUK | Weekly zazen with an introduction for newcomers by arrangement; a local group rather than accommodation. |
Different places to practise
Five settings, in more detail.
Gomde UK
Lindholme, near DoncasterGomde UK offers Tibetan Buddhist teachings, meditation and retreats on the Lindholme estate beside Hatfield Moor. Its current programme includes community events and practice, while individual retreats can use a cabin or a room in the Hall. It is a different proposition from a city drop-in class: discuss your practice, intended length of stay and the support available before arranging a solitary retreat.
Keep in mind: Check the current programme and individual-retreat application arrangements; accommodation alone does not include every teaching.
Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre
Near PocklingtonMadhyamaka occupies Kilnwick Percy Hall near Pocklington and belongs to the New Kadampa Tradition. It offers classes, weekend programmes, retreats and residential Rest & Reflect breaks. The range makes it important to read the actual booking: an introductory relaxation weekend, a silent retreat and a specialised ritual-practice retreat can have different content and requirements.
Keep in mind: Check whether the fee is residential or non-residential and which meals are included. Do not assume every class is free, every retreat is silent or every advanced event is for beginners.
York Buddhist Centre
17 Walmgate, YorkYork Buddhist Centre teaches meditation and Buddhism in a Triratna setting. You can begin with a class or introductory course, while its retreat programme includes both day events and residential sangha retreats at other venues. This corrects the older description that the centre only offers day retreats. Some residential events are intended for regular members of its community.
Keep in mind: The centre says ordinary classes are donation-supported, with a small booking fee on some events. Check the specific retreat’s price, eligibility and venue.
Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds
Holbeck, LeedsJamyang Leeds combines Tibetan Buddhist meditation and study with a community wellbeing hub, café and shared spaces. It is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. Its programme includes different kinds of practice, from introductory meditation to more committed study and retreat opportunities. A retreat promoted by the centre may take place at a separate residential venue.
Keep in mind: Choose the class or event suited to your background. Specialised programmes can expect prior study; do not infer suitability or accommodation from the general welcome.
Kagyu Samye Dzong Scarborough
Londesborough Lodge, The CrescentThe Scarborough branch of Samye Ling offers meditation, Tibetan Buddhist teachings, day and short retreats and community activities at Londesborough Lodge. Its website welcomes people who are not practising Buddhists as well as those with experience. It is a useful local point of contact if you want to explore the Karma Kagyu tradition without immediately committing to a long residential stay.
Keep in mind: Use the current event information for opening and practice times. Overnight guest accommodation is not established by its general classes-and-retreats offer.
Understand the practice you are joining.
Sheffield Insight offers Insight Meditation practice. York and Sheffield Buddhist Centres belong to the Triratna Buddhist Community. Their programmes should be read on their own terms, rather than treated as the same school or style.
Jamyang, Gomde and Samye Dzong describe their own lineages and teacher networks. Madhyamaka belongs to the New Kadampa Tradition. Check whether a particular retreat requires prior study, instruction or initiation.
York Sangha follows Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition. Bradford Zen Group offers zazen in the Soto Zen tradition. Local practice sessions are different from an intensive residential retreat.
There is no single Buddhist retreat timetable. Ask about sitting and walking practice, chanting, silence, shared tasks, interviews and accessibility. A welcoming community can still have specific requirements for an advanced event.
More local classes and short retreats.
Kadampa networks across the county offer routes for local practice, but a local class listing does not establish residential accommodation.
- Vajrapani KMC, Huddersfield: classes in Huddersfield and surrounding towns, with courses and away-retreat opportunities.
- Khedrubje Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Hull: local classes and a programme of events; check where each event is held.
- Buddha Land KMC, Keighley: guided retreats and events, including some day retreats at other Yorkshire venues.
- Madhyamaka’s North and East Yorkshire classes: consult the current programme for its York and regional sessions.
The separate Bradford Kadampa class page currently marks its regular Bradford/Shipley class as not running. Check with the organiser before travelling. Burnley, also in the original list, is in Lancashire and has not been counted as a Yorkshire centre.
Other Yorkshire retreat settings.
If your priority is a quiet place, yoga or a group venue rather than specifically Buddhist instruction, these six alternatives offer different formats. Their inclusion here does not classify them as Buddhist centres.
| Place | Location | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| The Tree Retreat | Rosedale East, North Yorkshire | Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation programmes; check the named teacher and weekend. |
| Westwood Retreat Centre | Near Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire | Self-catered, independent stays; the centre does not provide a guided retreat programme. |
| Patrick Brompton Hall | Near Bedale, North Yorkshire | Group house and retreat-venue hire; arrange your programme and catering with the organiser. |
| Acorn Wellness Retreat | Yorkshire countryside | Day, bespoke and overnight wellbeing offers; these are not automatically Buddhist teachings. |
| Avalon at Broughton Sanctuary | Near Skipton | Wellbeing activities and hosted retreats; programme content and accommodation vary. |
| High Trenhouse | Malham Moor, Yorkshire Dales | Group retreat and conference venue, with separate self-catering accommodation. |
For further faith-based options, see our Yorkshire Christian retreat directory. For a quieter practice programme, compare our UK silent retreat guide.
Before you reserve a place.
- Check the real venue. A York or Sheffield group may travel elsewhere for a residential retreat. Read the booking details rather than assuming it takes place at the city centre.
- Match experience requirements. Newcomer classes, regular-sangha retreats and specialist practice events are different. Ask whether the programme fits your background.
- Confirm costs. Donation-supported teaching, room hire, accommodation, food and transport can be separate. Do not assume every retreat is free because local classes accept donations.
- Check practical needs. Ask about chairs, steps, bathrooms, food, room sharing and the amount of silence or practice expected.
Questions people ask.
Can I attend without being a Buddhist?
Several centres explicitly welcome newcomers and people from other backgrounds. Choose a session advertised for beginners and ask about the practices involved. A general welcome does not remove prerequisites for a specialist retreat.
Which places offer overnight retreats?
Madhyamaka and Gomde advertise residential formats. Other groups may organise retreats at separate venues. Confirm the accommodation and organiser for the exact event rather than inferring guest rooms from the centre’s name.
Is York Buddhist Centre a Theravada centre?
It belongs to the Triratna Buddhist Community, as does Sheffield Buddhist Centre. The older article’s placement under Theravada was misleading and has been corrected.
Can I try Zen locally?
Bradford Zen Group’s official IZAUK page lists weekly zazen in Shipley and asks newcomers to contact the group before attending. York Sangha offers a different approach in the Plum Village tradition.
Sources and review notes.
Reviewed on 24 October 2026 against the linked official centres, local-group pages and IZAUK directory. We corrected the tradition labels, distinguished local groups from accommodation and retained the six original non-Buddhist alternatives in a separate section. Bradford’s paused Kadampa class is identified clearly; Burnley is not counted as Yorkshire. Photographs are credited to the named centres.
For a correction, use our contact form. Programmes, prices, eligibility and accommodation can change; a listing does not confirm availability.
Choose your next step
Begin with a conversation.
Then build your practice.
A local introductory session can help you understand the teaching and community before you choose a longer retreat.
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About Rob Horsfall
Rob has been interested in spirituality since visiting India in 2002. After completing his philosophy studies at university, he continued studying the Buddha's teachings in Sri Lanka. He returned in 2011 and now spends his time developing Review My Retreat, studying acupuncture and integrating insights from different spiritual traditions into everyday life.
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