Digital Detox Retreat with Venetia La Manna

A PLACE TO CONNECT

Step away from screens and immerse yourself in five restorative days of mindfulness practice, creative journalling, and renewal on the wild Pembrokeshire coast. Nestled within a secluded 18th-century rectory overlooking the sea, this retreat invites you to pause, connect, and rediscover presence.

Designed to transform your relationship with technology through awareness and curiosity, the programme weaves mindful movement, reflection, and periods of shared silence, fostering a deeper sense of connection and focus than daily digital life often allows.

This intimate retreat for 14 people offers a spacious, phone-free environment to rest deeply, reconnect with what matters, and return restored in body and mind.

RETREAT DATES

What you will experience on this retreat:

  • Daily mindful movement and meditation practises to support body and mind

  • Guided creative journalling sessions to deepen self-awareness

  • Restorative digital detox to make space for reflection

  • Inspiring workshops on living intentionally and from the heart

  • Nourishing seasonal food to support wellbeing

  • Coastal walks and optional sea swims

  • Meaningful connection with a small community

  • Periods of silence to slow down and listen inwardly

View through a window showing a grassy field, ocean, and clear sky.

Accommodation

An 18th-century rectory with huge gardens on the slopes of Angel Mountain, overlooking the wild North Pembrokeshire coastline, less than a mile’s walk from the sea. From the doorstep, you can explore beautiful walks through sacred sites, mountains, woods, valleys, as well as the spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

A variety of accommodation is available, including triple, twin, private, and luxurious ensuite double rooms. Each room offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape and a plush, inviting bed to ensure a restful night’s sleep.

Steaming bowl of soup on a wooden table near a window.

Food

Our local chef Martin Simcock, also known as The Constant Cook, will provide a fully catered selection of nourishing vegetarian meals throughout the retreat. Working with natural, locally sourced ingredients, Martin cooks mindfully and from the heart.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included. Expect generous seasonal dishes, vibrant flavours, and freshly baked cakes served with afternoon tea. His food is always a highlight of the retreat and regularly receives rave reviews, which you can read here.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Daily Retreat Schedule

7:45am – Mindful movement

9am – Breakfast

9:30am – Creative journalling

11:45am – Community circle

1pm – Lunch

2pm – Personal time (guided walks, sea swims & hot tub available)

4pm – Afternoon tea

5pm – Group workshop

6:30pm – Dinner

8pm – Evening gathering

9pm – Retreat moves into silence until the next day

A person with long dark hair and glasses, wearing a brown sweater, standing outdoors with trees and greenery in the background.

GUEST TUTOR

Venetia La Manna

Venetia La Manna is a fair fashion campaigner, content creator and broadcaster – using her platform to hold multinational corporations accountable for unethical practices, human rights abuses and greenwashing. Venetia represents the UK arm of The Or Foundation’s Speak Volumes campaign, advocating for transparency across the fashion industry in support of global secondhand and reuse textile communities.

She has presented The Fast Furniture Fix for BBC Radio 4, appeared in Channel 4’s Inside The Shein Machine, and her work has featured in Vogue, The Guardian, Atmos and The Independent. In 2024, she served as a judge for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

To balance her activism, Venetia founded #Offline48 in 2018, encouraging weekends away from social media. She also volunteers at her local charity shop and spends as much time as possible in nature, grounding herself in community and rest to sustain her advocacy work.

Person meditating indoors, sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor, surrounded by chairs.

Silence

This retreat will include periods of silence as an essential element of connection with self, community and nature. If you are new to spending time in silence in the company of other people, it can feel awkward to begin with. But you will be encouraged to explore the silent periods with a spirit of openness and curiosity: many find it a very powerful experience.

The retreat will typically move into silence in the evening from 9pm – 12pm the following day.

Woman sitting in a cozy chair by a window, writing in a notebook, surrounded by potted plants.

Digital detox

This retreat invites you to step away from screens and return to a slower, more connected rhythm of living. On arrival, you’ll be asked to hand in your phone so you can fully immerse yourself in the experience. Loved ones will be given a dedicated retreat phone number so you can be reached if needed.

There will be no laptops, tablets or digital devices during the retreat: an intentional pause that allows you to rest your mind, notice the world around you, and reconnect with yourself and others.

  • “Nadia and Holly gave so much care and tenderness to the retreat; this was immensely supportive. It helped to offer those same conditions to oneself and others. The retreat circle was amazing. They both created deeply nourishing conditions that rippled through the rest of the time in how we took care of each other.”

    — Davina, Jan 21 2026

  • “Digital detox was absolutely glorious - it took out all other noise of life and responsibility and made me feel really, truly 'present' in both body and mind, which in turn hugely facilitated my creativity and writing. The retreat was so blissful that it was very easy to be without a phone”

    — Emily, Jan 17 2026

  • “Silence and mindful movement and meditation, all of it added to a calm nervous system, and a mind that I could hear, and a body I could understand, for once.”

    — Ben, Jan 16 2026

  • “Being a beginner, I didn’t think I would end up sharing my writing, but I found the trios a really lovely way of building confidence, and I so loved the opportunity to share. I also really liked the independent writing time and hearing everyone’s writing in the final workshop - that was such a privilege”

    – Olivia, Jan 16 2026

  • “I adored having the circles. They have helped me be a better listener and have been a good way of sharing the individual internal experiences that might otherwise be overlooked in the community. Also loved the bonfire and all the laughter that went along with the tears. Big credit to Holly and Nadia for facilitating a space that allowed for both. Incredibly well done.”

    – Liv, Jan 15 2026

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Yes. Many participants come to the retreat at the very beginning of their writing journey.

    Some people arrive with a clear project they want to work on, while others come simply with a curiosity about writing and a desire to explore what might emerge on the page. The workshops are designed to meet people wherever they are in their process, and there is no expectation that work is polished or complete.

    The most important thing is simply a willingness to show up, write, and engage with the experience.

  • Each retreat hosts up to 14 participants.

    Keeping the group small helps create a calm and supportive atmosphere while still allowing space for meaningful conversation and connection. Many participants find that the small group size helps foster a sense of community while still leaving plenty of room for quiet and solitude.

  • Yes. Most retreat participants come on their own, and we actively encourage this.

    Coming alone often helps people step more fully into the retreat experience. Without the usual roles and routines of everyday life, many people find it easier to settle into the rhythm of writing, reflection, and rest.

    Although participants arrive independently, the small group size and shared experience naturally create a warm and supportive atmosphere. By the end of the retreat, many people feel they have formed meaningful connections while still having had plenty of space for solitude.

  • Yes, very much so. Many participants use the retreats to work on academic writing, research projects, or longer-form pieces.

    We encourage downloading any reading or research materials in advance, as the retreat asks everyone to take part in the digital detox and work offline.

  • Yes. The retreat follows a clear structure but is intentionally flexible. There is space to move, rest, step out, or engage in ways that work for you.

    If you have specific needs or questions, you are very welcome to contact Holly in advance.

  • The venue does not have step-free access. However, all workshops and meals take place on the ground floor, and there are two private bedrooms available on the ground floor.

    The shared communal living and writing space is located upstairs and is accessed via one flight of approximately 15 stairs.

    If you have access needs or questions and are unsure whether the retreat will be suitable for you, please feel very welcome to contact Holly in advance to discuss this.

  • New retreat dates are released throughout the year, and places often fill quickly.

    The best way to stay informed is to join the mailing list, where new retreats are always shared first.

  • The retreats are designed as a digital detox. We encourage you to hand in your phone on arrival. There will always be an emergency contact number that loved ones can use if they need to reach you urgently.

    Laptops are welcome for writing, but there is no WiFi available during the retreat.

    If you have specific circumstances that require access to your phone, please let us know in advance and we can discuss what might work best.

  • Yes. Walks along the coast, swims in the sea, and time spent outdoors are a wonderful part of the retreat experience, and we strongly encourage them.

    However, we ask retreatants not to go into the nearby town during the retreat. The intention is to create a contained environment where everyone can step away from everyday life and fully enter the slower rhythm of the retreat.

    Most people find that staying within the retreat space helps deepen the sense of focus, community, and creative immersion.

  • All retreats are held at:
    The Old Rectory
    Gelli Olau, Fishguard Road
    Newport SA42 0UE

  • The nearest train stations are Fishguard & Goodwick and Haverfordwest.

    Local taxis are available but must be pre-booked, as this is a rural area.

    Once you’ve booked, you’ll be invited to a ride-sharing form where retreatants can offer or request lifts or share taxis. Return journeys are often easiest to organise once everyone is together.

    For international guests, the nearest airport is Bristol.

  • Arrival is from 4pm on the first day.
    Departure is by 10:30am on the final day.

    It is an important part of the shared experience to arrive and depart together.

  • We ask retreat-ants to commit to the full duration of the retreat, including the opening and closing circles.

    If you’re unable to attend the full retreat on these dates, we recommend choosing a different retreat that better fits your availability.

  • The retreats are either vegetarian or plant-based.

    We can comfortably accommodate vegan and gluten-free diets, as well as nut allergies. Please tell us about any dietary requirements via the form sent with your booking confirmation.

    More specific or complex dietary needs may require a small supplement to cover additional catering costs. We will always contact you in advance if this applies.

  • Sadly no. Some retreatants have allergies, and we need to keep shared spaces pet-free.

  • Apart from prescribed medication, we ask retreatants to refrain from using drugs and alcohol for the duration of the retreat.

  • This is sometimes possible. Retreat pricing is per person rather than per room, and sharing a private room with a partner may be available with an additional supplement. Please contact Holly directly to discuss availability.

  • Cancellations made eight weeks or more prior to the start date of the retreat will incur the loss of the deposit. Cancellations made less than eight weeks before the start date of the retreat will result in the loss of the full payment.

    We wish we could offer refunds to everyone who asks for compensation in relation to illness, family emergencies, bereavement, injury, or other unexpected circumstances. However, as a small independent retreat business we are not able to underwrite these kinds of costs, and therefore our cancellation policy is non-negotiable.

    If a retreat is fully booked, we may at our discretion attempt to re-sell your place to someone on the waiting list. If your place is successfully re-sold, you will still incur the loss of the £175 deposit.

For any further questions, please contact Holly at hello@hollyrigby.co.uk

RETREAT COSTS

  • £695 – Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

    £750 – Twin Room, Shared Bathroom

    £955 – Private Room, Shared Bathroom

    £1095 – Double Room, Ensuite

    All meals are included.

  • Two fully funded places are available on each retreat — one for a social movement activist and one for a frontline worker.

    For more details click here.

  • A non-refundable deposit of £175 is necessary to secure your place, with full payment due 8 weeks before the retreat begins.

    For full terms and conditions please click here.

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