by Sarah Becker
Mindfulness, nature, and animal experiences are on the rise — from wild swimming to puppy yoga — but I was still surprised when I saw an advert for ‘alpaca yoga.’ My natural curiosity was instantly piqued.
Nestled near Daventry, Hideaway Wood Farm offers a unique twist on wellness: 60 minute outdoor yoga sessions among a herd of grazing alpacas, led by herd manager and yoga teacher, Carly Chandler-Morris
I turned up at the farm (next to Dodford manor) one Sunday morning with no expectations; just a rolled up yoga mat and an open mind.
I met my fellow yogis – 15 or so women walking up the hill towards the paddock where we were welcomed by Carly and the farm’s founder, Amy.
Carly gave us a gentle introduction to these quietly curious herd animals, reminding us to be respectful – to let the alpacas come to us, rather than forcing interaction. Much like yoga, itself, the idea was to invite rather than insist – to be open, calm and present.
As Carly opened the gate to the alpaca paddock; in we flowed, and were met by around half of the 32-strong alpaca herd – the boys! They seemed equally curious. As we laid out our mats on the grass, they hovered nearby, grazing and munching.
And that was how I came to be nose to muzzle with some grazing, munching humming, quietly curious alpacas.
The Yoga Practice
Carly, an experienced yoga and mindfulness teacher, Carly guided us through a series of hatha yoga sequences.
As we moved from downward dog to shavasana, we could feel the warmth of the sun on our faces, the grass between our toes and hear the gentle munch munch of a friendly alpaca or two quietly oblivious to our stretching and balancing.
Meet the Gang
Throughout the session, Carly shared snippets about individual alpacas, which gave us more insight into our fluffy friends.
Barry was only interested in food — mainly eating grass, even if it had blown onto someone. He was completely unfazed by anything else going on.
Champion (one of the two greys we met) had been born prematurely. He’s very nervous and gets anxious if anyone moves into child’s pose or shavasana. He hums and paces like he thinks something terrible has happened.
Jack is blind or partially sighted. He just bumbles around, following smells and occasional glimpses of movement.
Bingo loves sniffing everyone’s heads — a proper little investigator.
The Benefits of Alpacas Yoga
While enjoying the sensory experience of alpaca yoga—taking in the panoramic view of rolling hills, getting up close and personal with the alpacas, and hearing the birds alongside the gentle munching of the alpacas—I asked Carly after the session to delve a little deeper into the subject. She explained;
“There was a study that showed exercise — in any form — and moving your body in nature can have the same benefits as deep meditation. Something happens in our brains when we’re outside: a natural stimulation from being in nature, especially when combined with practices like yoga. An added benefit is the nervous system feeling incredibly safe, while the senses are filled with natural stimuli — the breeze, the view, birdsong, the sounds of animals — all of which are so important in our everyday lives.
It ties into biophilia, the innate drive in humans to connect with other humans, animals, and living things. Much of the modern world is missing that connection. That’s why we love dogs and cats.
There’s something very special about being outdoors with herds of ruminants. It echoes what we once did as nomadic pastoralists — roaming the land alongside large herbivores. It’s a huge part of human history. These animals aren’t just beasts of burden. That’s what I wanted to bring to the table: they’re not just here for our use. There’s a connection to be had. We receive something from them, too.
The Alpacas: Wellbeing and Intuition
What struck me the most was how at ease the alpacas seemed to feel in our presence. That sense of trust was clearly the result of careful compassionate handling. Carly explained that consent was at the heart of everything both in her yoga and in her work with the animals.
“I’ll invite you to do something,” she said, ‘but it’s always your choice. the same goes for the alpacas. We don’t coax or command. We allow.”
She went on to explain that alpacas are highly intuitive animals.
“They sense how you are feeling and are naturally drawn to nervous or anxious people as if to reassure them.’
When the alpacas lost interest and drifted away mid-session, Carly encouraged us to let them go, to resist the urge to chase or call them back. “Let them go and do what they need. That’s part of yoga too – embracing freedom, letting go of control.”
I concentrated on the panoramic view of the rolling hills instead.
This felt worlds apart from animal-based experiences where creatures are made to perform for entertainment or novelty.
As we settled into our final resting pose, with the sun gently warming our skin, sure enough my mindful practice was interrupted by one alpaca who had wandered back and began to graze. A reminder that connection comes not from clinging but from allowing.
Listen to Carly explain the concept behind Alpaca Yoga
Final Reflection and the Deets
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. I agreed with Carly about the benefits of outdoor yoga and being surrounded by scenes of nature. Being with the alpacas was fun and I found myself laughing every time I looked up and met by an inquisitive furry face staring back at me.
I’m genuinely tempted to come back for another session and to try one of the ‘hiking with the alpacas’ sessions, and the silent disco experience sounds fun too. The farm hosts a whole range of experiences including: alpaca trekking, yoga, wellbeing walks, family farm days, even alpacas weddings.
For details of all the ‘alpacas’ experiences including yoga, trekking and mindfulness visit the Hideaway Wood Farm website at:
https://www.hideawaywood.co.uk/
Hideaway Wood Farm
Manor Park, A45 London Road, Dodford
Northamptonshire
NN7 4SR
