Heol Senni company's pig walks in Brecon Beacons By Ben Frampton

BBC News Published duration 8 July 2017

media caption Pig-walking days out in the Brecon Beacons

If someone told you they were taking pigs for a walk in the Brecon Beacons, you might think they were telling porkies.

But Good Day Out, in Heol Senni, Powys, gives people the chance to go for a stroll with Kunekune pigs Babz, Holly, Hazel and Willow.

Helena Barnard, who runs the walks with Julia Blazer, began after she adopted two pigs and walked them with family.

"It's really about getting people closer to nature," she said.

They are Kunekune pigs - a New Zealand breed whose name means "fat and round" in Maori.

Mrs Barnard and Ms Blazer needed to get a Defra-approved licence and have a vet inspect the routes in order to get the go-ahead.

image caption Kunekunes were first introduced to Britain in 1992 but it is not known how they first arrived in New Zealand

image caption Helena Barnard started doing the pig walks in summer 2016

The pigs are not on a leash and wander alongside people, motivated in no small part, by the promise of food.

Mrs Barnard was a nurse and a sergeant for Bedfordshire Police and then Dyfed-Powys Police before making the switch to pottering about with pigs and she juggles it with her work as a dance teacher.

The duo stared doing the walks in summer 2016 after Mrs Barnard adopted two pigs.

She said: "Julia said to me 'if you like walking pigs, then I'm sure other people would do as well'.

"There's a thing about walking pigs that's very calming because they walk slowly and happily just jog along with you.

"They are very, very social animals and they love human contact."

image caption Some Kunekune have tassels, or pire pire, that hang from their lower jaw.

image caption Kunekune pigs can weigh up to 240lbs