It Started With A Llama

From modest beginnings, Heads Of Ayr Farm Park has truly flourished

THINGS might have been very different if Craig and Edna Rankin had decided to get their children a rabbit, or a hamster.

The Rankins are farmers, though. They had a bit more space to play with - and so they opted for a llama and a peacock, with no idea what they were starting.

The new arrivals proved popular with passers-by, as well as the family. More and more people took to stopping and peering over the fence at them. And the Rankins got to wondering what else they could do to attract visitors.

Fast forward three decades and those unusual pets have grown into a whole menagerie, while Craig and Edna and their three children now find themselves at the helm of one of the most popular family days out in Scotland.

The Heads Of Ayr Farm Park is home to more than 80 species of animals, from domestic breeds such as goats and horses, to more surprising residents, such as lemurs and monkeys.

There is also a huge range of indoor and outdoor activities and play areas, as well as a restaurant, takeaway and coffee bar, making Heads Of Ayr a magnet for kids and adults alike.

"We are now in our 30th year of business, and customers who once visited the park as children, are now returning with their own little ones," says son Greg, who's now a director.

"This means a great deal to us, as the very beginnings of the park had everything to do with family."