Stenness takes a family for a llama trek
We were recently asked how we take very little children llama trekking. Well, there are two ways we can do this. Usually, it is agreed that little ones can’t walk the three miles of a normal length llama trek and on those occasions we happily stay on the farm. As normal, we are called into the yard, coaxed into the feeding pen and then the family and children can halter us. Good llamas like me lie down so little children can reach my head to help put my halter on. I’m very much taller than a lot of children you see, and it’s much easier if I lie down than if a parent has to lift the child up to my head so the halter can be fitted.
We walk around the various fields and often take in lovely Lake Field which has ducks nestling somewhere in the depths of the rushes. Gentle ol’ Ringsbury often comes on these ‘on-farm’ treks as it’s good for him to display his strength and dominance to us all and he and Silbury love nothing more than standing tall and proud as we walk past Pharaoh, the farm’s stud llama.
A shorter walk suits most families.
But occasionally a family will say their young two legs can hike long distances and three miles will be a doddle for them. A big llama on the end of a rope sounds a bit much for a youngster to handle, but it’s really easy. In the pictures here you can see our clever people have worked out that as long as a sensible older two leg has a hold of a rope attached to our halters, the child can have their own rope. It works really well.
This was a trek we recently took up on the Common. You can see Brodgar and I are each walking with a pair of two-legs and that we each have two ropes attached.
All works well, and should the little one become weary, you will probably find them plonked on an older two legs’ shoulders and happily still hold onto their rope as we continue our trek.
More news from Golden Valley Llamas soon
