Wheelchair Accessible Alpaca Trekking in Stirling

For a while now we’ve wanted to take our nephew to see some Alpacas. After looking online we found a few places that did Alpaca trekking, but none seemed to be very wheelchair accessible. Then we came across The Alpaca Trekking Centre and after contacting the owner via Facebook we were pleased to learn that it was suitable for wheelchairs and even better it was only 25 minutes from our home.

The Alpaca Trekking Centre

The Alpaca Trekking Centre is located near Thornhill Stirling and is pretty easy to find whether entering from the Stirling Castle end or the Callandar side of town.

We were greeted on arrival by two very inquisitive and beautiful labradoodle dogs. They were incredibly friendly. Before we knew it Dannie the owner appeared and guided us through the gate so we could park directly outside the barn door. Dannie was very warm and full of fun, making us feel completely welcome and at ease.

We entered the barn to an array of different animals. Allan was in animal heaven. Of course, there were the beautiful alpacas in their pens munching away while their gorgeous youngsters watched on from the comfort of their wee cosy beds. It was adorable to see them all.

They are really cool animals so to be this close up with them was an awesome experience not only for Allan, myself and my sister Lisa but of course our little nephew Cody.

Meeting the barn animals

As I said, there was a whole host of animals including chickens with tiny little baby chicks running around, a guinea pig, a chicken looking after a duckling, a turkey called Lucky. Also in the barn were Rheas, which are southern American ostriches.

So after seeing and learning all about the barn residents and hearing the fun stories from Dannie it was time to head out on a trek with a few alpacas over to Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve.

Getting to know the Alpacas

Cody wanted to walk Rown as he was his favourite. He loved that Rown was a different colour from the other alpacas as he was white and brown. In total, we took four alpacas on a walk. Their names were Rown, Bramble, Romeo and I believe the fourth was called Aspen.

We headed for Flanders Moss along the long dusty drive through the most beautiful lush green fields with nothing but countryside in view for miles.

The whole alpaca trek is wheelchair accessible, but there are two cattle grids that you need to cross before reaching Flanders Moss.

However, I managed this easily in my powerchair with the help of Dannie who stood behind my wheelchair in case I needed a little push.

Alpaca Trekking to Flanders Moss

Flanders Moss is a beautiful and very relaxing place anyway but to walk with our alpaca friends was even more so. What a unique experience and so close to home too. We enjoyed a walk around Flanders Moss last year before we knew that there was alpaca trekking nearby.

Dannie had said to us that although the alpacas seemed a bit slow on the way to Flanders Moss, they will be really fast on the way back. He wasn’t wrong either.

As soon as we left the reserve area Lisa and Allan both had to run with their alpaca buddies. I think it’s because they associate heading back to the barn with getting food. It was fun to see them trotting on as Cody and I watched from behind.

We all made it back in one piece and overall our experience with Dannie and his alpacas was amazing and so informative. We learned so much about various different things and tons of interesting facts, but I don’t want to give too much away about these amazing animals in case I spoil the experience for you as I highly recommend you visit these beautiful animals.

Wheelchair Accessible Alpaca Trekking

It is a very relaxed, fun and informative experience at the Alpaca Trekking Centre with people who truly care about the animals and care that you enjoy your time with them. In total, we were there for almost four hours, but it did not feel like that. Time flies when you’re having fun as they say.

We visited The Alpaca Trekking Centre in its early stages, but it is very popular so I’d recommend you book in advance to ensure you get the day you want. It costs £17.50 for a mini one hour farm trek and £26.00 for a two hour experience. Keep an eye out as I know Dannie has big plans for an onsite cafe and more in the future. We are already looking forward to returning to see the alpacas again and see the developments.

It’s important to bear in mind that there is no accessible toilet on-site yet. Dannie very kindly offered us the use of the toilet in his own private caravan, so this could be an option if you are able to manage into the caravan. If you require an accessible toilet then I’d recommend heading for Trossachs Woollen Mill, Kilmahog, Callander FK17 8HD which is only about 15 minutes away.

Would you like to go on an Alpaca Trek?

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