We are very proud to have been awarded the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award for 2024. Since we started offering alpaca walks in 2015, we have been given this accolade every year- so this makes 10 years of receiving this award. We even entered the Tripadvisor hall of fame in 2019!
For the last 3 years and more we have kept our alpaca walking price the same. We felt that during COVID we should look after our staff and alpacas first. We have continued on that theme this year so far but have decided to increase our alpaca walking prices by 10%.
Over the last 3 years, the price of animal feed has rocketed. So have veterinary fees, hay making fees, hedge cutting costs and everything else. We have held our pricing and absorbed all the cost inflation over the last 3 years but now feel we do have to increase our prices by 10%.
We still have the same commitment to making sure you have the best possible experience. We still have 3 members of staff on every full walk and only do one walk a day (and only 5 days a week). You will never get back to your car to find another guest waiting to take your place. We will continue to give a “Rolls-Royce” alpaca walking experience. Our commitment to the best possible level of care for our alpacas in unwavering. We look forward to meeting you soon!
Chris and Vicki 27/9/2023
We offer alpaca walking here at Spring Farm all year round. However, as we are on heavy Wealden clay underfoot, we have decided to limit the walks to 4 a week (from 5) just during the Winter months. Alpaca walking in Winter is great fun. With the leaves having dropped, the opportunity to spot wildlife is also enhanced. We regularly see fallow deer in our fields and woodlands.
So, if you are looking for a reason to get out and about in fresh air – look no further. Our walking alpaca (and llama) team is currently 32 strong. Over the Winter, we will be introducing new walking alpacas like Blizzard who has just passed his walking exams! So, if you want fresh air, wildlife and a great experience look no further.
If you don’t fancy venturing out just yet, you might consider alpaca walking vouchers. They make a perfect gift at Christmas or any time of the year.
For 2022, we are introducing alpaca photography days! Spring Farm is situated within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Vicki and I have managed Spring Farm for over 20 years within Higher Level Stewardship. The fields you will be photographing in are wildflower meadows surrounded by ancient woodland. We regularly see wild deer (mainly fallow) in the fields and woodland. We have buzzards soaring above the meadows. Depending on the time of year, you will find orchids in the meadows and bluebells in the woodland.
You’ll have unhurried access to the alpacas to give you some amazing photo opportunities. We have over 100 alpacas and llamas on the farm including normally in excess of 20 baby/junior alpacas and llamas. As the days are bespoke, you can spend as much time with various groups (stud males, mums and babies etc.) as you require.
There will also be plenty of opportunities to photograph wildflowers, butterflies or damsel flies. If time permits, we will also go to our water meadow where the boundary is the Bluebell Railway, so steam trains are also on the agenda (subject to their timetable).
I will be with you for the whole day. I have over 20 years experience of alpaca/wildlife photography so I can give you tips so you can get the most from your camera and your day as a whole (if required). Even if the words aperture, white balance and shutter speed terrify you, I am happy to explain them in simple terms and within the context of taking great pictures. You do not need to have super expensive cameras and lenses. Sometimes, a mobile phone is all you need!
So what can you expect?
So what should you bring?
I can’t control the weather I am afraid. Spring Farm is in the High Weald which means it can get muddy. Please bring appropriate CLEAN footwear and clothing for all weather eventualities. NOTE. We will ask you to disinfect your footwear before going onto our fields.
A packed lunch and any other food/drink you may require for a day outdoors. You do need to take into account the sun (hopefully) – so please bring suntan lotion/a hat/long sleeved clothing/long trousers/ a rain jacket – according to the season/conditions.
I would suggest a rug or something to kneel on in the fields. A basic level of fitness is required as the day will be outdoors on undulating terrain.
Camera or Phone (or both)?
You will need a camera with capacity for a lot of photos – if in doubt – bring more memory capacity. A digital camera is ideal but any camera including a mobile phone will suffice. If you are bringing a SLR camera, bring lenses for all eventualities. My favourite is a 70-200 lens with a wide angle/macro as a back up. The only time you might need a long telephoto is to get close ups of more skittish animals like the fallow deer.
Price: £75 Inc VAT for the day per person – 10am till 4pm. Maximum of 8 people a day. The next day we are offering is 22nd October 2022
Please email: info@springfarmalpacas.co.uk to reserve your space.
Alpaca walking at Spring Farm Alpacas are pleased to announce that we have been awarded Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2022. Since we started alpaca walking , we are very proud to have been awarded the travellers’ choice accolade every year since 2015. This was topped off by joining the Tripadviser Hall of Fame in 2019 after 5 consecutive awards.
We are most proud that this isn’t something we apply for. Its purely as a result of our guests taking the time to review us. So to have been awarded this 8 times in consecutive years means we are doing something right!
It is easy to just sit back and not evolve, but in order to qualify for these awards, we need to keep providing the best experience for our alpaca walking guests. We intend to do so for the foreseeable future! So a big thank you to all our staff and to our amazing alpaca and llama walking team without whom, it just wouldn’t work!
Chris and Vicki
Alpaca walking in Winter – what could be better! You may think that walking alpacas is a Summer activity. However, we would beg to differ. Our amazing walking alpacas are just as keen to take you for a walk now as at any other time of the year. Although it may have something to do with them getting two snacks on the walk from you!
Spring Farm is managed for the benefit of wildlife. In Winter we see fallow deer virtually every day and on average on one in every two walks. The lack of vegetation cover in our ancient woodlands offers more far reaching views and we will point them out whenever we see them. We are in the High Weald AONB and on the edge of the Ashdown Forest. Add to that, we are surrounded by amazing country pubs and NT properties.
Every season has its moments but cold, crisp Winter walks with our alpacas takes a lot of beating. When you add this to our ongoing COVID protocols to keep you safe, its a great fun way to get out in the fresh air.
If you have tried to book in the Spring, Summer and Autumn you will know we get very heavily booked. But in the Winter, not every walk is fully booked. There is often availability right up to the day before the walk. So get out your wellies and book an alpaca walk this Winter!
The last year saw us issue large numbers of alpaca walking vouchers. Obviously COVID played a big part in this as we were forced to close for many months. We have, in the past, not put an expiry date on our alpaca walking vouchers. However, from the start of 2022, we will be putting a one year expiry date on all new vouchers.
EXISTING VOUCHER HOLDERS
We will also apply 31/12/2022 as the expiry date for all existing vouchers. This gives plenty of time for all voucher holders to book a walk with us. We have expanded the number of walking alpacas/llamas to try to cope with the demand – and added a third member of staff to each walk. This allows us to actually increase our interaction with our walking guests when compared to previous years.
We look forward to seeing you in the near future!
Chris and Vicki, Spring Farm Alpacas
We are very pleased to have been awarded the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021 for Alpaca Walking – with Spring Farm Alpacas.
We were awarded Certificates of Excellence in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2019 we entered the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame after 5 consecutive years of consistently high ratings from guests.
These awards are down to our amazing walking team of alpacas without whom it just wouldn’t be possible. Alpaca walking is great fun especially in these trying times. We do hope to welcome you to the farm soon. Then you can see the work we all put in to make your day with us special!
We have just had our first guided meditation with alpacas session. Led by Alarna Lloyd it was a huge success even though the heavens opened as we have a huge airy barn that can house both alpacas and guests with social distancing as well!
Bookings for forthcoming days need to be made with Alarna via her website:
https://www.natures-spark.co.uk/meditatingalpacas/
The day was a huge success, but dont just take our word for it. Here is the feedback Alarna had:
“Will absolutely come back”‘
Extremely relaxing, I will be back”
“Alarna led the meditations well and has a very calming voice…Absolutely amazing experience, the alpacas are so curious and come in right up to you, especially in the barn when it started raining. Loved it and would recommend it again and again!”
