Build your own Highland adventure at Gledfield

A sporting holiday in the Highlands has to be on nearly all fieldsports enthusiasts’ bucket list, but many of us might feel that it is far beyond our reach, either financially, or in terms of getting past the rest of the family. The common picture is that such an adventure is costly, and has little to offer all but the ardent outdoorsman or woman. The team at Gledfield Estate beg to differ. 

The estate, which until recently was run as a private shoot, was purchased in 2020 by Pure Leisure Group, which is making the property’s stalking, shooting and fishing opportunities available to book for the 2023/24 season. 

Occupying just over 5,000 acres the estate includes heather moorland, one mile of the river Carron, multiple ponds and lochs, forestry and untamed hillside, affording visitors the chance to enjoy stalking for red stags and hinds, walked up grouse shooting, fly fishing for salmon in the river and rainbow trout in the lochs, and evening duck flights. 

Build your own adventure

Alexander Field, Consultant Estate Manager at Gledfield, told me: “What’s so exciting about Gledfield is that we can offer a personalised programme of activities, and something that’s a bit different to the traditional driven shooting estate. With our offering of duck and goose flights, stalking, walked-up shooting and fly fishing, we can allow our guests to build a package that meets their interest, without it costing the earth.”

“I think of it a bit like a buffet,” says Alexander. “Some people are only interested in one of the activities - the stalking, for example, others may prefer to have a go at everything. What I think is great is that it makes a trip to Scotland a comparatively affordable thing, as well as accessible for families as well as groups of friends.” 

Country sports smorgasbord

The menu, so far as fieldsports is concerned, has a strongly wild (yet managed) flavour. 

Gledfield is a member of a local Deer Management Group, to ensure that there is a healthy and thriving population of red deer. Visitors will be able to take up an accompanied stalk in the stunning Strathcarron Glen, targeting either hinds or stags, depending on the time of year.  There are 16 stag stalking days and 30 hind stalking days available this season.

At lower altitudes, the wetlands along the river offer the chance to take on mallard, teal and geese. “There are so many wild ducks around,” says Alexander. “There must be at least a thousand there at the moment.” There are ten evening duck flights available throughout the season.

The estate's 5,000 acres also includes that precious commodity, heather moorland, and the coveted red grouse that call that habitat home. A handful of walked up grouse days are available each year, dependent on grouse numbers, available only as a part of a sporting weekend that includes one or more other activity.

The estate is taking a conservative approach to how much shooting and stalking they sell. “We don’t want to exhaust the sport each year," Alexander explains. "Even though we have the space and numbers to have far more rifles out on the hill, and to offer far more duck flights or bigger bags, we are limiting not only the number of stalking trips each season but also the number of rifles on the hill at any one time and we’re only offering a handful of duck flights, with guns limited to 10 birds each, and parties limited to six guns. We're also limiting who can have a walked up grouse day in order to give those going for a Macnab the best possible chance."

For the fluff-chuckers, the estate’s mile of right-hand bank salmon fishing includes 15 named pools, some of which have been fitted out with platforms and walkways to make access easier and reduce the need to wade.

The river fishes best in higher water, though even in lower waters you are in with a chance. Having fished the Carron myself, I can attest that it is a stunning river, and a delight to fish. Limited to two rods on the water, you can be sure of a peaceful time on the river. A professional ghillie is available to put you onto fish, should you require their services. In keeping with the philosophy of caring for the beasties that provide the excitement, all salmon fishing is on a catch-and-release basis, and salmon fishing days are limited to 25 in the season.

In addition to the salmon fishing, there is also the chance to fish the hill lochs, with their population of rainbow trout. Again, there are only 25 days of trout fishing available this year.

The Ultimate Challenge

The eagle-eyed among you will have noted that Gledfield is one of those few estates blessed with the means to offer visitors the chance to try for a classic Macnab. Again, Alexander notes that the estate will only be making a handful of Macnab attempts (8) available each season. “We are doing a lot of heather restoration work, and hope to gradually build the grouse numbers, but we don’t want to over-exploit the resource.” 

Whether you’re after that purest of fieldsports experiences, cramming three of the toughest challenges the UK has to offer into one day, arriving at the estate just before daybreak and leaving in time to get home for supper (or at least a nightcap), or you’d prefer to spread things out over a longer stay - a week, say - Gledfield can fix that for you. 

Fieldsports and beyond

In addition to the shooting, stalking and fishing, there’s plenty to keep non-fieldsports visitors occupied, from riverside walks to longer hikes in the hills, birdwatching (the area is home to Ospreys, Golden Eagles and a wide variety of waders and seabirds), and the nearby sandy beaches of the Dornoch Firth.

The fieldsports curious - or those in need of a warm-up for the wildfowling - can try their hand at clay-shooting. The estate is also a great jumping-off point to take on the North Coast 500, the circular roadtrip around, or pay a visit to local whiskey distilleries 

Currently the estate offers two recently refurbished self-catering cottages as accommodation options; Carron Cottage, which sleeps six in three bedrooms and boasts a private sauna, private garden and views of the river; and the smaller Gledfield Gate Lodge, which sleeps four. 

Big plans

This is, Alexander says, just the beginning for Gledfield. “Having known the Chairman of Pure Leisure for over 20 years, his knowledge and experience in the worldwide leisure industry is unrivalled,” (the Chairman of the Pure Leisure Group, a group of leisure parks, as well as of Royal Westmoreland, which includes a 750 acre luxury golf and beach resort in Barbados and Mains of Taymouth Country Estate and Golf Course in Perthshire). 

At Gledfield work is shortly to begin on a restaurant, a spa and a number 47 luxury lodges. Alexander continues: “I am thrilled to have joined Gledfield at this pivotal time, not only is it one of the most beautiful estates in the highlands, the development plans are incredibly exciting. The future development will generate many jobs locally and contribute greatly to the local economy. It will also give individuals, couples and families the opportunity to buy a holiday home or stay in one of the most beautiful places in the UK.”

See the current availability at Gledfield Estate on GunsOnPegs