Summer holidays have a funny way of arriving all at once.
One minute you’re thinking, “We must organise a few days out,” and the next, the kids are off school, the calendar is filling up, and you’re trying to find something that gets everyone outdoors, keeps little ones entertained and gives the grown-ups a chance to enjoy the day too.
That’s exactly why we love summer at Ballyburren.
If you’re looking for family activities in Northern Ireland, a relaxed day out in County Down, or something a bit different from the usual park, soft play or cinema trip, we’d love to welcome you to our outdoor escape in Ballynahinch. Our summer activities bring together friendly alpacas, scenic nature trails, fairy doors, woodland paths, ponds, picnic tables and our unique coffee trailer on an island.
We’re based in the countryside of County Down, just 25 minutes from Belfast and 15 minutes from the Mourne Mountains, making Ballyburren an easy summer day out for families, friends, parents with babies, toddlers, animal lovers and nature enthusiasts.
Why Choose Ballyburren This Summer?
A good summer holiday activity should feel easy, memorable and fun. You want space for children to explore, something interesting for adults to enjoy, and a day that feels like a proper break from screens, routines and busy indoor places.
At Ballyburren, you can spend time outdoors without needing to plan a huge day from scratch. Depending on the activity you choose, you can meet our alpacas, walk our 1.4km nature trail, spot fairy doors, cross wooden bridges, wander through farmland and woodland, enjoy peaceful pond views and stop for refreshments at our coffee trailer on an island.
Our activities are designed to suit different ages and stages. You can book a proper alpaca trekking experience, enjoy a parent and baby or toddler morning, or choose an alpaca meet and interact session during the school holidays. Each one has its own feel, but they all share the same Ballyburren magic: fresh air, gentle animals, nature and time together.
Alpaca Trekking in Northern Ireland
If you want a summer activity that feels truly special, our Alpaca Trekking experience is one of the most memorable ways to enjoy Ballyburren.
This is a guided alpaca walking experience where you’ll be introduced to your very own alpaca companion before setting off along our purpose-built scenic trail. Our alpaca trekking sessions last 1 hour and 30 minutes, with up to 4 people allowed per alpaca. Prices start from £35+ per alpaca, and you can add an optional luxury picnic hamper during checkout, with prices from £29.99.
The trail itself is part of what makes the experience so beautiful. You’ll walk a 1.4km stoned pathway through farmland, woodland and wetlands, crossing bridges and enjoying the peaceful scenery as you go. The guided walk typically lasts around 30 to 40 minutes, with time built into the full session for meeting your alpaca and enjoying the wider experience.
Towards the end of the guided walk, you can enjoy a stop at our coffee trailer, which is located on an island beside one of our ponds. It’s a lovely moment to pause, take in the setting and enjoy refreshments and snacks, with picnic tables available.
For lunchtime slots, you can also pre-purchase a luxury picnic with alpacas. The picnic hamper can be enjoyed at one of our picturesque picnic tables reserved for the luxury picnic experience. If you choose the gourmet picnic hamper option, your time slot is 2 hours rather than the standard 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Alpaca trekking is family, group and individual friendly, and it’s also wheelchair friendly, although there are some small hills. The minimum lead-holding age is 12 years old, under 16s must be accompanied by at least one adult aged 18+, and under 5s must be held by hand or kept in a carrier or pram. No pets are allowed on this activity.
A Summer Activity for Families, Friends and Visitors
One of the nicest things about alpaca trekking is that it works for lots of different groups.
You might be planning a family day out during the school holidays. You might be meeting friends and want something more interesting than coffee in town. You might have visitors staying and want to show them something unique in County Down. Or maybe you simply want to spend time outdoors with one of the gentlest animals you’ll ever meet.
Our trekking experience is designed for friends, families and solo adventurers. We allow up to 4 people per alpaca and offer discounts on additional alpacas.
It’s also a lovely choice if you want photos that feel natural and full of personality. Alpacas have a way of making everyone smile, and the trail gives you plenty of beautiful outdoor backdrops, from woodland paths to peaceful ponds and open countryside.
Parent & Baby or Toddler Morning in Ballynahinch
Summer days out can be harder to plan when you have a baby or toddler. You need somewhere pram-friendly, calm and not too overwhelming. You want a place where you can enjoy a coffee, let your little one experience something new, and still feel relaxed yourself.
Our Parent & Baby or Toddler Morning has been created with that in mind.
This is a 1 hour and 30 minute session with a £6 redeemable entry fee per adult. Your visit includes a hot or cold drink and a traybake when you reach our island coffee trailer.
The experience begins with the chance to meet our friendly alpacas at the start of the trail. Visitors can feed them using our alpaca feed vending machine, so bring a £1 coin if you’d like to give them a treat. You can take a selfie, pet the alpacas and enjoy a gentle introduction to the animals before heading out along the trail.
Then it’s time to enjoy our 1.4km nature trail. The path winds through picturesque farmland and woodland, across wooden bridges and around tranquil ponds. Along the way, little explorers can keep an eye out for over 20 fairy doors hidden throughout the trail.
The paths are well maintained and suitable for prams or baby carriers, making it an easy walk for parents with young children. Baby changing facilities are available in the car park toilets, and toddlers are welcome as long as they are supervised at all times.
The Island Coffee Trailer
One of the highlights of both our Parent & Baby or Toddler Morning and our Alpaca Meet & Interact Session is the island coffee trailer.
After your walk, you can stop for a relaxing break at our coffee trailer on an island in a pond, with picnic tables and parasols. For the Parent & Baby or Toddler Morning, your entry fee can be redeemed for a hot or cold drink and a traybake, and you can pre-purchase further cake and drinks packages to save 20%.
It’s a simple thing, but it makes a big difference. You get a chance to sit down, chat with other parents, enjoy the view and feel like you’ve had a proper little outing rather than just a rushed walk.
For parents with babies and toddlers, that kind of relaxed space matters. It gives you somewhere to pause, feed, reset and enjoy the moment before heading back along the trail.
Alpaca Meet & Interact Session During the School Holidays
If your children love animals but you’re not quite ready for alpaca trekking, our Alpaca Meet & Interact Session is a brilliant summer holiday option.
This is not alpaca trekking, so you won’t walk with an alpaca. Instead, it’s a fun and educational alpaca encounter where you can meet our friendly alpacas, spend time with them under the guidance of our ranger, feed them, pet them, learn interesting facts and take photos.
The session lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes. Prices are £7 per adult and £5 per child, with under 2s free. Sessions are listed for Wednesdays during school holidays at 1.30pm and 3.30pm.
After meeting the alpacas, you can continue the adventure with a stroll along our 1.4km nature trail. The stoned trail meanders through farmland, woodland and around ponds full of wildlife, with fairy houses to spot along the way.
Three-quarters of the way through, you can stop at our coffee trailer on an island for hot or cold drinks and traybakes. Coffee trailer items are not included in this activity, but you can pre-purchase a cake and drinks package and save 20%.
This experience is perfect for individuals, groups and families, and it is also push pram and wheelchair accessible. It’s especially lovely for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts who want a gentle, affordable and memorable day out.
Which Summer Activity Should You Choose?
If you want the full alpaca walking experience, choose Alpaca Trekking. You’ll have your own alpaca companion, follow the guided trail and enjoy one of the most unique outdoor activities in Northern Ireland.
If you’re coming with a baby or toddler, choose our Parent & Baby or Toddler Morning. It’s calm, pram-friendly, includes a drink and traybake, and gives little ones a chance to enjoy fairy doors, alpacas and nature at a gentle pace.
If you want a family-friendly animal encounter during the school holidays, choose our Alpaca Meet & Interact Session. You’ll meet, feed, pet and learn about the alpacas, then enjoy the nature trail, fairy houses and optional coffee trailer stop.
All three options offer a lovely way to get outside over the summer holidays and enjoy something that feels different, wholesome and easy to remember.
Make Memories This Summer at Ballyburren
The summer holidays don’t need to be complicated. Sometimes the best days are the ones where you get outside, meet a friendly animal, walk somewhere beautiful, find a fairy door, enjoy a coffee, take a few photos and head home feeling like you’ve made a memory.
That’s what we hope you’ll find at Ballyburren.
Whether you join us for alpaca trekking, a parent and baby morning, or an alpaca meet and interact session, we’d love to help you make the most of the summer holidays in Northern Ireland. You can find us on Instagram!
Book your summer day out, bring the family, invite your friends and come and enjoy a little outdoor adventure with us at Ballyburren.