Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
A farm has become the first place in Britain to offer yoga classes – in a field full of ALPACAS.
Rosebud Alpacas is located on a remote smallholding among rolling countryside and has been hailed as the perfect location for calming exercise.
But to add to the experience owners Nick and Lucy Aylett have decided to run their yoga classes in the same field where they keep their alpacas.
And they say their alpaca yoga classes in South Molton, Devon, are a “unique experience” which are “great for mind, body and soul”.
Nick said: “They live outside and the chickens are protected by the alpaca herd who are quick to alert all around to any unwelcome visitors.
“We want our land to be an inviting place for others to come and enjoy.
“It is our home and is a very special place that we would really love other people to enjoy too.
“It’s a place where people can come to escape, take time out from technology and busy lives, a chance to spend time connecting with the land, the animals and each other.
“Our dream is for this place also to be a sanctuary for people to come and feel at home as well.”
The pair say all their animals are “raised ethically with freedom of choice, their welfare being paramount”.
Each session is led by qualified instructor Sian Bartlett and light refreshments are provided after each class.
In addition to the alpaca yoga, they also offer alpaca walking, alpaca picnics, alpaca art sessions and a special “alpaca connection” package.
The alpaca connection session is where guests are guided in meditations and have the opportunity to “walk amongst the herd in mindful observation”.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Lucy Aylett, 46, runs the alpaca yoga with her partner, Nick Stringer, 55, a former landscape gardener.
Lucy, who used to run a pet supply store, said: “We wanted to move to Devon and change careers, so we bought the alpacas and got some land.
“The alpacas have a very calming presence very much like horses. Being around them we felt very stress-free.
“We started working with them because we breed them and we found that time just flew when you were around them and we wanted to share that with people.
“People go away feeling calm, it’s just an experience being around the alpacas.
“They’re not lively animals, they’re not jumping all over you like goat yoga. That tried to be a thing, but people got fed up with the goats jumping on them all the time.
“You don’t get that with alpacas.
“They’re very relaxed so it just adds to the feeling of relaxation.
“In our location, there isn’t much going on, if you’re meditating you don’t ear all the traffic, it’s all very peaceful and the alpacas add to that.
“We started doing the yoga classes last spring, it just came to me one day. It’s difficult to describe.
“I tried some yoga myself, it seemed very peaceful.
“I don’t like to force the animals into it, I want to do it in the field so the animals can join the people if they want to but they don’t have to.
“It feels more authentic that way.”
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
