We tried GreenWood's adorable new alpaca experience!

North Wales Chronicle

2 days ago

The eco-park, located in Y Felinheli, has been given a summer makeover with pastel-coloured flowers, cheerful bunting, and a striking giant orange gorilla - perfect for a fun photo opportunity.
As part of the festivities, visitors can enjoy face painting, hair braiding, and crafts.
The eco-park is dressed for its 'Festival of Fun' (Image: Newsquest / Suzanne Kendrick) Our three-year-old son Sebastian had his face painted. He picked a unicorn design and gave the finished look a big thumbs up!
I felt honoured to take part in the alpaca walk - especially as I was told it hadn't officially opened to the public just yet.
Nicola Wheatcroft and Miley Jones, of guest services arts and crafts, with Sebastian; Sebastian opted for a unicorn design! (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) The alpaca walks will officially open this weekend (July 26/27). The walks will be bookable in-person at the park during a visit.
I walked with Pasha and it was such a special experience from start to finish.
He was incredibly fluffy. I learned that alpacas prefer to be gently stroked on the neck, rather than on the head or at the back, so it's important to approach them in a way that makes them feel comfortable.
A huge orange gorilla acts at the perfect photo opp! (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) The session began with a relaxed introduction and the chance to feed the three alpacas - Qhari, Pasha and Simba. Qhari certainly made himself known as the greediest of the bunch!
The walk itself took place in Cwtch Corner and was just the right length for little legs and big ones alike - a gentle loop around the enclosure area, twice.
Qhari and Pasha are both one year old, and Simba, the youngest, will turn one later this month. All three arrived at GreenWood earlier this year.
Gwen with Qhari, Pasha and Simba (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Gwen Jones, GreenWood's main animal keeper, was incredibly knowledgeable and explained all the work that had gone into helping the alpacas feel at ease in their new surroundings.
Gwen, who has played a big role in setting up and implementing the new experience, said: "It has been really special to be involved in this. They are very special animals, very calming and funny.
Chief Reporter Suzanne Kendrick with Pasha (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) "It has all been a bit of a whirlwind but just being able to do this with other people is fulfilling.
"It has been something I've been focused on for months and I'm super pleased where we are with it now.
"We've done a lot of work with the alpacas and training has gone well. They were much more nervous at the start."
We took the alpacas on a gentle walk (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Once open to the public, the alpaca walks will be available for small groups with a maximum of three adults and three children per session. The experience is suitable for children aged four and up.
Gwen also shared that GreenWood's former alpacas have moved on to a carefully chosen new home and are happy and settled. She praised the The British Alpaca Society for their support.
Chief Reporter Suzanne Kendrick with Pasha (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest)During our visit, we also took Sebastian on his first ever rollercoaster - the Green Dragon.
This is the world's only people-powered coaster. The ride included a 360 degree horizontal loop round the hill, but our little boy was completely unfazed - he was absolutely beaming the entire time.
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We experienced the Barefoot Trail and were thrilled that our 14-month-old could be part of it too. This unique sensory experience invites visitors to walk barefoot through different terrains including sand, bark, straw, timber, and water. It's the first of its kind in Wales and was a real highlight.
Our youngest taking part in the Barefoot Walk (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Our eldest particularly loved the sand, water and hay, while our youngest enjoyed the soft sand but wasn't so sure about the feeling of hay between his toes!
There's an impressive amount of activities across the park for little ones over 100cm tall which I feel is a rarity.
Our eldest also:
We had a lovely meal at the Woodbarn Café, where the food was of excellent quality. I chose the Arrabbiata Pork Meatballs, served with rice and garlic bread. The dish had a bit of a kick but the flavours were fantastic and the rice was cooked to perfection. I thought this was great value for £9.50. My partner really enjoyed his Southern Fried Chicken Burger (£11.50), which came with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and a generous portion of fries.
The Arrabbita Pork Meatballs meal was delicious (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Our boys went for the roll kids' meal (£6.95), which came with crisps, an apple, and a bag of raisins - you could opt for ham or cheese.
A free orange or apple juice is included with these meal.
My partner opted for the chicken burger with fries (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) We obviously finished our day with a visit to the gift shop! It's so well stocked - with everything from toys and stationery to sweet treats, souvenirs, and both traditional and modern children's gifts.
Overall, GreenWood Family Park offered a brilliant mix of outdoor adventure, hands-on animal encounters (we also met and stroked Misty the Rabbit!), and creative play - all wrapped up in a family-friendly atmosphere.
Bunting for the 'Festival of Fun' at GreenWood Forest Park (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) The new alpaca walk was a genuine highlight and a lovely way to slow down and connect with nature.
With the Festival of Fun running throughout the summer holidays, it's the perfect time to visit.
The Festival of Fun will run until August 31.