By car
The postcode to enter into a satnav is SA19 6RH. Google maps should now also be able to guide you to ‘Tirylan House Retreat Centre’.
Whether you are approaching from north or south, the route should normally take you to the junction between the A483 and the A476 in Ffairfach (beware of any routes that don’t, especially if they take you along a lot of unfamiliar single track roads in the dark: come via Ffairfach instead if you want to avoid that). At the Ffairfach crossroads, the road opposite the end of the A476 is a minor road (Bethlehem Road) that you need to take. Follow this for approximately 1 mile, and then take the right turn signposted ‘Gwynfe’ (Gwynfe Road). Follow this lane for approximately 1 more mile, until you get to a steep hill between trees. After this you will pass the entrance to Brynteg on the right, with a concrete platform by the entrance (once used for milk churns). Take the next right turn shortly after this, which has a small wooden sign saying ‘Tirylan 1/4’, and also a shelf where our neighbour sells eggs. Follow the track (a bit bumpy but OK for most vehicles – take it slowly) for about 500 metres, then when the track divides turn right, again for Tirylan. You will then see two entrances in front of you – take the right hand one for Tirylan House, over the cattle grid (not the left which is Tirylan Barns).
By train
Tirylan House is not far from the Heart of Wales line, which runs between Swansea and Shrewsbury, although there are only about 4 to 6 trains a day in each direction. The nearest stations on the Heart of Wales line are Ffairfach (closer for picking up by car) or Llandeilo (closer on foot). These two stations are 2 minutes apart on the train. Please use this line if you can. Most people get off at Ffairfach, where we can give you a lift (you will need to tell the guard to make sure the train stops there). Get off at Llandeilo only if you are planning to walk to Tirylan House, or if you need to do some shopping for a self-catering retreat. If there are any problems with Heart of Wales line trains, there are also regular buses from Swansea, which stop near the crossroads in Ffairfach or by the church in Llandeilo. In exceptional cases, where the Heart of Wales line or the bus fails to operate, we can sometimes fetch people from Carmarthen (17 miles).
The walk from Llandeilo Station is approximately 2 miles: take the path directly off the end of the platform on the opposite side of the tracks from the car park. You will then cross a footbridge over the River Towy. Keep going straight ahead on a concrete path across a field, followed by a fenced-in track. On reaching a lane, turn left, then right up Gwynfe Road (signposted ‘Gwynfe’). After this, see ‘by car’ section above for the last bit of the walk.