Swap the Totton bypass for a country park trail — lead your own halter-trained alpaca on a guided walk just the other side of Southampton.
Totton doesn't get talked about much when people list Hampshire's days-out spots, which is exactly why it's worth mentioning: if you're based in Totton, Testwood, Marchwood, Ashurst or anywhere along the Waterside, a proper alpaca walk is a lot closer than the postcode makes it feel. Itchen Valley Country Park sits on the opposite side of Southampton, and on a normal day you can be parked up and meeting your alpaca in well under half an hour, with most of that spent on the M27 rather than crawling through town.
We get a steady stream of bookings from the Totton side of the water, and the reason is usually the same: it's a proper change of scene without a proper day's driving. Totton itself sits right on the edge of the New Forest, so the people who visit us from there already know what open space is worth. Itchen Valley gives them something different — 439 acres of parkland, meadow and riverside trail, with 40-plus alpacas waiting at the other end rather than ponies you're told not to approach. You lead your own animal on a headcollar, walked alongside one of our experienced handlers, so there's no guesswork and no herding — just you, your alpaca, and around two hours outdoors.
You'll be paired with an alpaca that suits your group — we take confidence, height and who's walking with whom into account before anyone sets off. There's a short briefing on handling and halter technique, then you're out on the trail with your handler nearby the whole way. Children aged 3 to 12 share a lead with an adult, those 12 to 16 can hold their own lead with an adult present, and over-16s walk independently. It's unhurried by design — this isn't a route to be power-walked, it's one to actually notice.
The drive out is straightforward: across on the M27 and off toward West End, arriving at Itchen Valley Country Park, Allington Lane, SO30 3HQ, with parking on site. It's a route plenty of our Totton and Marchwood regulars now do without thinking twice, and one that avoids the worst of the Redbridge or Millbrook traffic if you time it outside rush hour.
Walks start from £32 per person, with family packages from £92 and baby-alpaca walks from £54. An extra walker can join for £18, and £4.50 rescheduling insurance covers you against a washed-out Hampshire forecast. Gift vouchers are available if you're booking for someone else. We're a family-run, BAS-registered herd with 16 years behind us, so you're in experienced hands from the moment you arrive.