How to find us
Please come to Tibbiwell Lane in Painswick. About 2/3 of the way down the hill you will
find a field gate with our name on the gate post. Come in there we will be looking out for you.
If you get lost, please call 07957458991and we will give you directions.
Parking is easiest on either Kingsmill Lane, which is adjacent to Tibbiwell Lane,
or at the free Stamages Lane car park, which is a 5-minute walk through the
village to Tibbiwell Lane.
Timing, please try to arrive right at your arrival time. We will be bringing the
alpacas in before that and they can get very curious if they see visitors arriving
and then won’t come in – which can be tricky.
If you are delayed please let me know on the number above.
All activities take place outside so do dress for the weather. If it is
wet a raincoat is preferable to an umbrella as alpacas are afraid of umbrellas!
It can be muddy at the farm so do wear appropriate footwear – on wetter days
wellies or walking boots are a good idea.
Cancellation, we require 24-hours’ notice of cancellation and can then offer
either a full refund or an alternative date. We cannot refund or rearrange
without sufficient notice. If we cancel, we will also offer a refund or an alternative date.
​​
Safety Briefing
Alpacas are gentle animals, but they are big and strong, so make sure your visit is safe please be aware of the following.
1. Alpacas can be timid and as prey animals are always on alert. If startled they can react, so it is important to be calm and confident when walking an alpaca, this helps the alpaca feel confident in walking with you.
2. Alpacas have two blind spots, one is on the back of their head, if you stroke them there and they are unaware that your hand is there, this can startle them, always let your alpaca know what to expect by moving slowly and carefully and making sure they can see what you are doing. The second blind spot is directly behind an alpaca. Be aware of where you are in relation to the alpacas and take care not to walk behind them. Alpacas do have a rear kick. They are not aggressive, but may react if startled from behind. Please take care not to go behind the alpacas.
3. If your alpaca speeds up, don't be tempted to speed up too, your alpaca can definitely outrun you, so don't start running, just hold your alpaca and stop them from going quickly.
4. Try to ensure that the alpacas have enough space between them and are not too bunched up, they can get frustrated with one another if they don't have enough space.
5. Please supervise all children who come to visit. Children should be asked not to run around and to try not to get too excited around the alpacas as this can make the alpacas anxious.
​
Walking your alpaca
Walk on the left of your alpaca, that is how we have trained them and what they have come to expect.
Give a gentle tug on the lead reign and start walking, your alpaca will come with you. Hold the lead reign about 12 inches from the alpacas head, not too close, so that they have freedom of movement and feel relaxed. Walk with an air of confidence and enjoy the experience!
​​​​​
​
Making the most of your visit to Tibbiwell Alpacas.
Places to visit nearby
Painswick is known as the Queen of the Cotswolds. It is a stunning village and
is great to explore, the lanes and historic roads with surprising vistas of open
countryside all around. The village is at the midway point of the Cotswold Way
and so there are some truly wonderful walks all around the area. From the
village, a walk to the Painswick Beacon is a great stretch with views on a clear
day right across Gloucester, to the Malvern Hills in one direction, the Brecon
Beacons distant in Wales and to the south along the Severn river towards
Bristol. After a walk there are lots of places to refuel in Painswick.
​
The Painswick Hotel, which offers a full range of refreshments, tea/coffee as
well as a delicious lunch and dinner menu.
The Royal Oak, is our local pub. It is child friendly and has a great lunch menu
and a lovely sunny courtyard for those warmer days.
Meadow beautiful shop and coffee spot on St. Mary’s street right by the
church yard.
Further exploring might take you to the Rococo Gardens, just on the outskirts
of Painswick is a beautiful garden with a mix of formal planting, vineyard,
vegetable gardens and a woodland play area. There is a lovely café with wide
range of choice and a great shop selling plants,
Rococo Garden honey and lots of lovely things.
Our nearby market town of Stroud is three miles distant. On Saturday’s, the
famous farmers market is a must, open from early morning until around 3pm.
Stroud has a range of cafes and bars. Woodruffs is a fabulous vegan café and
the diner at Stroud Valley Arts on James Street does a great breakfast. Stroud
has a super atmosphere, it is friendly, diverse and eclectic, there are many
independent shops and a range of eateries for you to enjoy.
Well worth a visit.
The villages around the five valleys are gorgeous, some gems include Slad,
home of the wonderful Woolpack Inn with stunning views, outdoor terrace and
superb menu. Slad is also the birthplace of local author Laurie Lee, his resting
place can be found in the churchyard opposite the Woolpack and the Laurie
Lee Way is a great walk around the Slad valley, where you will find evocative
Laurie Lee poetry engraved set into Oak posts.
Sheepscombe, a hidden valley and quiet Cotswold Village has the beautiful
Workman Woods and the traditional Butchers Arms, great for a Sunday roast.
Miserden, another stunning village has the beautiful Miserden Gardens and
nursery to explore and the lovely Carpenters Arms or nearby Foxmoor Inn
which comes complete with a place to tie up your horse, should you arrive on
horseback!
Above Stroud are the commons of Minchinhampton, Rodborough and Selsley.
These are great places for walking and the views are stunning.
On the other side of Stroud is the town of Nailsworth. Awash with
independent shops and lovely cafes it is a great place to explore.
Please ask if you would like to have directions or any other information.