Treat Mum to something she'll actually remember this Mothering Sunday — a gentle two-hour alpaca walk through Itchen Valley Country Park, near Southampton.
Flowers wilt and chocolates vanish by teatime, but a morning spent leading a soft-eyed alpaca through the woods is the kind of Mothering Sunday that Mum will still be talking about at Christmas. At Hensting Alpacas, just outside Southampton, we set aside our calmest, most sociable animals for the run-up to Mother's Day so families can share something genuinely different together.
There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over people the moment they take a halter rope and feel an alpaca fall into step beside them. It is unhurried, a little bit silly, and completely absorbing — exactly the sort of reset a busy mum rarely gets. Our two-hour experience at Itchen Valley Country Park pairs each walker with their own halter-trained alpaca, guided every step by an experienced handler who knows all 40+ of our herd by name and temperament. There is no rushing, no timetable to chase, just meadow paths, dappled woodland and plenty of time to natter.
Mothering Sunday is rarely a solo outing, and our walks are built for togetherness. Grandmothers, mums, aunties and children can all take part on the same walk — little ones aged three to twelve share a lead with an adult, twelve to sixteen-year-olds handle their own alpaca with a grown-up alongside, and everyone sixteen and over can lead independently. Family packages start from £92, so three generations can head into the fields together without a fuss.
Mid-March is a lovely moment to visit. The park is waking up — the first primroses appear along the hedgerows, birdsong picks up, and our alpacas are looking their fluffiest before the summer shear. Wrap up warm, because Hampshire mornings still carry a chill, and expect a bit of soft ground underfoot. We are roughly fifteen minutes from Southampton, Winchester and Eastleigh, and an easy drive from Portsmouth, Fareham and Romsey, with free on-site parking.
Walks start from £32 per person, with baby-alpaca walks from £54 for anyone who would rather meet this year's youngsters up close. If you cannot make the exact date, our £4.50 rescheduling insurance keeps things flexible, and gift vouchers are perfect if you would rather let Mum choose her own morning. Mother's Day slots fill quickly, so we would recommend booking well ahead. Call us on 0333 050 4012 with any questions — we are a family-run, BAS-registered farm and have been doing this for sixteen years.