The sheep are ready for shearing at Hall Hill Farm, and top shearer Gary Tyers is giving demonstrations of this traditional skill over the Bank Holiday weekend at Hall Hill farm, Lanchester.
Visitors are invited to come along to the North East’s best tourism experience and enjoy a demonstration of the traditional skill of sheep shearing on Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th & Monday 30th May 2011 from 12 noon.
Gary Tyers, 46, has been shearing for 25 years and having spent time shearing in New Zealand he has the ability to shear 200-300 sheep a day.
’This is a big weekend in what is a very exciting year for us ’ it’s our 30th anniversary, we have the new playbarn and we have won farm attraction of the year,’ said Ann Darlington, Tourism Manager, Hall Hill Farm.
’Sheep shearing has been an important part of the UK sheep industry for thousands of years and is one of the most entertaining traditional farms skills. It is an important part of the visitor experience here at Hall Hill Farm to inform people about the animals, as well as providing an excellent family day out.’
Over 60,000 people already enjoy visiting Hall Hill Farm every year attracted by the opportunity to see and touch animals at close quarters. Visitors can bottle feed lambs, see fluffy chicks, inquisitive goats, magnificent Highland Cattle and get close to children’s favourites such as guinea pigs and rabbits, as well as enjoy puppet shows, tractor and donkey rides around the beautiful countryside.
The Farm has recently opened a fantastic new indoor playbarn with a large soft play area and pedal tractors, giving parents the chance to relax with a coffee, whilst the children run off steam. Other facilities include a tea-room and giftshop.
As well as winning the best tourism experience in the 2010 North East England Tourism Awards, the farm park has also recently received the National Farm Attraction Network (NFAN) ’Farm Attraction of the Year’ award for 2011.
