Catanger Llamas is a llama trekking and educational facility which provides school parties with opportunities for cross curriculum learning for key stages 1 and 2 (Primary School children up to age 11) and eventually also Key Stage 3. The Llamas come originally from South America and can be studied for both geography and history. Owner Mary Pryse demonstrates traditional skills in spinning, weaving and felting the Llama fibre, providing education for design/technology and art together with hands-on experience.
Mary Pryse of Catanger Llamas said: “We have been working towards our dream of building a centre for educational activities for a long time, and the combination of the llamas, the landscape and the log cabin with its zero carbon footprint just make it perfect. Schools will be able to make so much of the visit at all levels of the curriculum and we are delighted at how well all the environmental aspects of the building have come together. Rural Log Cabins really knew how to help us achieve our design and environmental goals.”
For Nature/Biology studies the llamas themselves are, of course, on hand to study, plus 20 acres of native woodland established since the Llama trekking began in the 1990’s. The trees, wild flowers, pond life, birds and wild mammals all provide opportunities to study natural history. The couple also hopes that schools will want to study the alternative technologies they are using as part of the science aspect for the curriculum.
“Catanger wanted something which was suitable for school parties visiting the site and they wanted it to be zero carbon,” says Steve Missen. “Our log cabins are made from natural materials sourced from sustainable forests so that is an ideal starting point. We also take great pains to research the best building technologies available to achieve a low carbon footprint.
The result is an attractive building that is entirely in keeping with the eco message of the farm and will be very educational for the young people visiting the site.”
