Peak Hill Llamas was set up by "llama-mad" Maggie Jee (me!) and my long-suffering partner, Paul.
In 2007, as proud owners of two pet llamas and members of the British Llama Society, we wanted to offer other animal lovers the chance to meet these amazing animals. We bought 6 llamas from a lady who was emigrating to New Zealand so that we could offer llama trekking experiences - and from that moment our llamas have completely taken over our lives!
I have always been an animal lover and have owned and worked with a wide variety of them over the years - from Guernsey cows to guinea pigs! However, since the age of 5, after seeing a "Pushmi-Pullyu" (a fictional llama with a head at each end!) in the original Dr Dolittle film, I've had a particular fascination for llamas.
After agricultural college, I lived in Guernsey for a few years and ended up setting up my own educational visitor attraction there called "Petland" where children could learn about animal care and take part in supervised animal activities. I was also a volunteer for the Guernsey Riding for the Disabled Association, Vice President of the Guernsey Driving for the Disabled Association, and committee member of the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. After returning to England, I worked for 17 years at the Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary, including a couple of years with the Schools, Education and Therapy Unit - taking donkeys into schools, care homes and hospitals. This turned out to be a very useful learning experience for our llama therapy and community work.
Paul is a marvellous multi-tasker! His day job as a self-employed carpenter comes in very handy for building projects at the farm (he designed and built our llama-lookout gazebo) as well mending things the llamas break in their barn! However, he also enjoys helping me with the llamas and meeting our guests at weekends, as well as being a big part of our therapy and community work - as a llama handler as well as llama van driver extraordinaire! He is particularly skilled in getting it in and out of some very tight spaces in care home car parks. He is also a keen photographer and a bit of a computer buff - he designed and maintains this website and provided most of the photographs.