Alpacas give us a way of life that allows us to get closer to nature and the land. Anyone who has contact with these curious, gentle and facinating animals cannot help but be inspired .... as we were. The ancient belief is that alpacas were a gift of the goddess Pachamama - the Earth Mother of Andean mythology, which tells us that alpacas were loaned to humans, to be left on earth for only as long as they are properly cared for and respected. We are members of the British Alpaca Society who are dedicated to the welfare of alpacas and the education of their owners in the UK.
We firmly believe in the principles of kindness, respect and fun and found these embodied in Marty McGee Bennett's Camelidynamics, a beautiful way of understanding and handling alpacas. To that end we have both attained Camelidynamics Senior Consultant status and we offer training on all aspects of animal handling and facility design.
We are working to develop the herd, carefully choosing sires to improve fleece quality and the range of colours we have to offer; there are 22 natural variations ranging from pure black to white with all ranges of browns, fawns and greys in between. We have pet boys and breeding females for sale. We do not sell and forget but offer as much after sales follow up and support as a customer requires.
As part of our desire to do the best for our alpacas, we decided to learn the "art" of shearing so that we could be more flexible with our timings so as not to stress pregnant females unduly by having to stick to a shearer's timetable. If required we are available to shear small numbers of alpacas using the Camelidynamics handling approach to minimise the stress as much as possible.
Then came the prospect of fleece to play with; opening up the door to the basics of fibre preparation, dyeing , felting, spinning and weaving. SimplyAlpaca is our outlet for individually handcrafted textiles products, yarn and quality fibre for other crafters spinners, weavers and knitters. We also like to share our passion for working with this fibre by running hands on practical workshops.
Our aim is to enjoy life, spend time with the animals, take advantage of the fibre that they give us and encourage others to do the same.
Sustainability Policy
The aim of sustainable tourism is to increase the benefits, not just reduce the negative impacts caused by tourism and to actively improve the environment, culture, and economy of a destination.
This means running a tourism business in such a way that it doesn't destroy natural, social, or economic resources, but rather encourages an appreciation of the very resources that venue is dependent on.
The three pillars of sustainable tourism are environmental sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability (sometimes referred to as planet, people and profits).
Our environment and approach to ethical alpaca handling and care is what sets us apart as a destination and why a visit to SimplyAlpaca is so special. Animal welfare is our top priority without which we would not be able to offer genuine animal encounters that are enjoyed by four-legged and two-leggeds alike.
Alpacas are easy on the environment, only cropping the top of the grass, without damaging the root, and they have soft, two-toed feet, meaning they are lighter and less likely to churn up the field, especially in winter. This means it is possible to create a viable business on a smaller plot of land.
Alpaca waste is an equally environmentally friendly and valuable commodity. It is not ‘hot’ like other manures and can be spread on gardens without composting. Our alpacas supply a number of allotments locally, allowing gardeners to grow more organically.
SimplyAlpaca has reduced its carbon footprint and energy demands by installing solar panels and batteries, making us up to 50% self sufficient in electricity.
Welcoming visitors to SimplyAlpaca has a positive impact on the local economy, bringing business from outside the area to eat and visit other attractions, making a great day out.
We also serve to provide a community for regular visitors who enjoy the benefits of working with the alpacas and their fibre for mental and physical well-being.
Diversification away from purely fibre production and animal sales has opened up a whole array of opportunities that mean that the herd is now self-sustaining. This is leading to opportunities to subsidise events for schools and organisations for the benefit of its students and service users who may not previously been able to access our activities.
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