Mudchute Farm, London

Mudchute Park and Farm is a large urban park and farm on the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, just south of Canary Wharf. It is a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It is a community-based charity that engages with its users and responds to the needs of its local community. Entry is free.

As I walked through the park towards the farm, several squirrels ran up to me hoping for food, but I had nothing for them. 

The first of the farm animals that I saw were sheep grazing in a field. To see the built up Canary Wharf behind was a strange site -

Inside the farm I spotted the llamas so went over to see them -

Visitors can buy food for the farm animals, but of course are not allowed to feed them anything else. The squirrels knew some visitors have food and I soon had one climbing my leg!

There are lots of birds, such as ducks and geese. These ones were all puffed up in the cold -

Aylesbury ducks

I particularly like pigs so was disappointed that they weren't around. So a couple of weeks I went back, this time taking peanuts for the squirrels. And to my delight, the pigs were there. I smelt them before I saw them! They are middle white pigs, an English breed, now classed as endangered on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's Watchlist as only 100-200 registered breeding females are left.

Then I went to see the llamas again. Llamas are bigger than alpacas. Alpaca farming and tourism is getting quite popular now in England. There are 2 alpacas at Horniman's in London.

Llamas have longer ears and longer snouts than alpacas. This is Eva the alpaca at Horniman's -

As I left I fed the squirrels and soon had quite a lot around me. Again one or two climbed my leg and one even tried to get into my pocket, intending to help itself to nuts.

looking in my pocket

See Mudchute webpage.