Welcome to Ashcroft Alpaca

Ashcroft is tucked away overlooking a valley on the South West tip of the Cotswolds. This is about as wild and woolly as Gloucestershire gets. We used to farm rare breed sheep and our blankets were made for us in Wales from our own wool (using entirely 19th century equipment !)

Ashcroft Alpaca started in 1998 with a group of gelded males. In 1999 we bought four breeding females, all of which came into the UK via the two original Chilean importations, and all four with female cria at foot.

We have since added opportunistically to our breeding herd, always with older Chilean stock. But we have at the same time sought out and used the best bloodlines in the UK for matings. The results have been very mixed: some significant, and unexpected, successes (BAS Junior Female Champion in 2002, BAS Reserve Junior Female Champion in 2003), some big improvements, and a lot of also-rans.

We have three ambitions: to grow a sizeable herd of alpacas producing consistently high quality fibre; to make premium end products from our own fibre and market them profitably; and to create a centre of alpaca knowhow. We want to help new owners get started (onfarm training, open days etc.) and, as well as supplying breeding females and stud males, we stock a lot of the basic equipment you will need when you get started (or can advise on where to get it).

Enjoy your alpacas. Farming them is a real pleasure.