Mayfield Alpacas: Popular Sheffield visitor attraction adding new animals after tenant moves

A popular visitor attraction nestled amid Sheffield’s stunning countryside remains open depite its longstanding tenant having moved.

Elaine Sharp began rearing alpacas at her farm in the Mayfield Valley, on the edge of the Peak District, during the late 90s, and she opened it up to visitors as Mayfield Alpacas in 2001.

It quickly became a popular destination for families, and Andrew Jonas, who Elaine said had initially joined as a part-time employee, eventually took over running the site as Mayfield Alpacas Animal Park, and assumed the lease there nine years ago.

After the business, at Quicksaw Farm, on Fulwood Lane, Ringinglow, was put up for sale by Elaine last year, Andrew took up an offer to move to Gulliver’s Valley theme park in Rotherham with the animals he had introduced.

A new home called Mayfield Animal Park is being created there for those animals, which include Strix the owl, meerkats and a skunk.

Llama, pigs and rabbits among other animals

But the alpacas, which belong to Elaine, remain at the original Mayfield Alpacas site, where the other creatures which visitors can meet include a llama, Shetland ponies, pigs, ducks, cockerels, rabbits and guinea pigs.

The cafe there is open from 10am-4pm each day between Wednesday and Sunday, there’s an indoor children’s play area, and there are plans to give visitors the chance to hold and pet the creatures in the small animal house.

There’s also animal food to purchase so people can feed the aplacas and other creatures at the park.

Elaine, who previously worked as a clerk at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, told The Star how she had taken a break from running the site for health reasons.

‘Building the business back up’

The business remains up for sale, she said, but in the meantime she is trying to build it up again and restore it to what she described as its ‘former glory’.

“We want to remind people we’re still here and we’re building the business back up to what it was,” said Elaine.

“We’re slowly bringing back more and more animals, by taking in animals which need rehoming.

“We’re also improving our outdoor seating arrangements in readiness for the forthcoming summer season, and making improvements to the outdoor animal housing, fencing and walling.”

‘It all started from my passion for animals’

Elaine told how she had bought her first alpacas after being diagnosed with cancer, as she was looking for a ‘distraction’. In its ‘heyday’ the farm had around 125 alpacas, she said, but there are now around 25.

“It all started from my passion for animals and we never intended for it to turn into a business but it became quite a renowned visitor attraction,” she added.

She has written an autobiography, called Fight For Your Dream, telling her inspiring life story.

Because there are currently fewer animals than there had been, Elaine said she had reduced the entry fee from £6.50 to £2 for adults, with children going free.

Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox, with The Star’s free emails

Andrew, at Mayfield Animal Park, said he had been unable to afford to buy the land and Gulliver’s Valley had offered a ‘more sustainable and secure lifeline’.

He added: “We hope Mayfield Alpacas at Ringinglow is bought by someone who loves it as much as we did. We offer a different experience so are in no competition with our previous landlords.”

For more about Mayfield Alpacas, at Ringinglow, you can follow them on Facebook or Instagram.