A two-hour countryside stroll for two, each leading your own alpaca at Itchen Valley Country Park. A date idea that is calm, funny and properly different.
Dinner and a film are fine, but they rarely give you a story to retell. Walking an alpaca side by side does. At Itchen Valley Country Park, just outside Southampton, you and your partner each take the lead rope of your own halter-trained alpaca and set off through meadows and woodland with an experienced handler for company.
There is no screen, no booking a table for eight o'clock and no awkward silence to fill. Alpacas have a gentle, curious nature and a talent for making people laugh: they hum, they stop to inspect a particularly interesting patch of grass, and they have firm opinions about who walks in front. Whether it is a first date, an anniversary or simply a Saturday when you fancy something other than the pub, the walk gives you something to share and plenty to talk about.
The walk lasts around two hours, which is long enough to unwind but short enough to follow with lunch or a drink nearby. Our handler stays close, introduces you to your alpaca beforehand and explains how to lead them confidently, so nobody needs any experience.
You will meet your alpacas, learn a few minutes of handling basics, then walk the park's paths and fields at an easy pace. There is time to stop for photographs, and our handlers are happy to take a picture of the two of you with your alpacas. Walks suit most fitness levels; the ground is mostly flat and the pace is set by the alpacas.
Walks start from £32 per person, so a couple can enjoy the experience for £64. Rescheduling insurance is available for £4.50 if you want peace of mind about plans changing, and gift vouchers make a memorable surprise for a partner. Bringing a third person along? An extra walker is £18.
We are about 15 minutes from Southampton, Winchester and Eastleigh, and an easy drive from Portsmouth, Fareham and Romsey. Our family-run team has been welcoming guests for 16 years, and we are BAS-registered with more than 40 alpacas. Questions? Call 0333 050 4012, or read our guide to planning a couples alpaca walk.