Trade the seafront path at Netley for a halter in hand — guided alpaca walks a short drive inland at Itchen Valley Country Park, West End.
Netley is known for two things: the long, breezy promenade through Royal Victoria Country Park and the roofless ruins of Netley Abbey standing quiet among the trees. It is not, on the face of it, alpaca country. But a short drive inland, at Itchen Valley Country Park in West End, Hensting Alpacas run guided walks where the animals are not behind a fence at all — you take the lead rope yourself, alongside a handler who has spent sixteen years learning what each one of the herd's 40-plus alpacas likes and dislikes.
Netley's own appeal is all horizon and history: container ships gliding down Southampton Water, dog walkers on the prom, the Abbey's gothic arches half-swallowed by ivy. An alpaca walk is a different kind of outing entirely — slower, quieter, and led by an animal rather than a view. Each walk runs for around two hours and moves at whatever pace your alpaca sets, which is usually an amble broken up by long pauses to inspect hedgerows. Families from Netley, Weston and Hound tend to find it a good match for a weekend that already has a coastal walk pencilled in for the morning; the alpacas make a calmer, close-up second half to the day.
Every walker over 16 leads their own alpaca independently once the handler has shown them the ropes. Between 12 and 16, you lead too, with an adult walking alongside; younger children from age 3 share a lead with a grown-up, which makes it a genuinely three-generation activity rather than something only the kids get to do while parents watch. Wednesdays from April to October are set aside as accessible walking days, with the route adapted for wheelchairs and mobility scooters and free tickets for carers.
Walks start from £32 per person, with family packages from £92 and a baby-alpaca walk — time with this year's youngest arrivals — from £54. An extra walker can join a booked group for £18, and rescheduling insurance is available for £4.50 if the Hampshire weather looks unreliable on the day. Gift vouchers are sold separately for anyone who would rather give the walk than book it themselves. Book directly online or call 0333 050 4012, and read the full Netley guide linked below for what to wear, what to expect on arrival, and how the route works before you go.
The walks are based at Itchen Valley Country Park, Allington Lane, West End, Southampton, SO30 3HQ — inland from Netley on the opposite side of the Itchen, with free parking on site and easy road access from the M27 and A27 corridor that already connects Netley to the rest of south Hampshire.