Just a Typical Day Shooting at Belvoir Castle

There are few more imposing sights than approaching Belvoir Castle for the first time, and seeing it towering above the surrounding countryside.

This was the setting for a very enjoyable partridge day arranged by Ian Coley Sporting which is one of the country’s leading providers of quality driven game shooting, and they work closely with GunsOnPegs to offer game shooting of the highest calibre on a range of estates. 

Ian Coley have visited each of the estates on offer and thus are confident that they can guarantee some of the finest and most challenging shooting in this country.

They had certainly put together a diverse and interesting team for this partridge day at Belvoir Castle.  

We gathered for coffee and bacon rolls in the Great Hall of the castle warmed by roaring fires at either end, and the walls decked in weapons of a bygone era. The Duchess joined us and greeted each of the guns as they arrived and introduced them to the keepers who would be looking after them throughout the day.  

As might be expected my conversation with the Duchess turned to guns and I was delighted to learn that the Duchess shared my enthusiasm for Longthorne guns and had commissioned a pair of side by sides and a pair of over and unders which had been beautifully engraved with motifs reflecting her personal passions and interests.  

To my surprise the Duchess asked one of her staff to get one of her over and under for me to see and it was soon being handled by several of the guns who were very impressed with it and had heard of the ever growing reputation of these talented and innovative gunmakers.  

Alas, I was unable to use the guns offered by the Duchess as I was just an observer on this occasion and not a gun but was very flattered to have been offered the opportunity to shoot with such a superb gun on such a prestigious estate.

After our safety briefing, pegs were drawn in the form of miniature hip flasks suitably filled with raspberry gin to keep the cold at bay, although the day was very mild with just enough wind to get the birds flying well. 

The guns were then summoned to climb on board the gun bus which is painted in the dark green livery of the Duke of Rutland and fitted out with tweed curtains and padded seats. This is a much more sociable way of travelling around a shoot from drive to drive as all the guns can get to know one another better rather than driving around in splendid isolation in their own 4x4s.  

It soon became evident that we were in for a fun day as a bottle of champagne was popped and a hip flask of sloe gin shared amongst the guns, into which category we were kindly included.

The first drive began almost as soon as the guns arrived on their pegs, as the first covey of partridge broke cover to be succeeded by further large clouds of birds, so the guns were truly spoilt for choice and found it difficult to select a target and stick with it.

On reflection, and with the benefit of hindsight, this ‘warm-up’ drive might helpfully have been curtailed in favour of the subsequent drives which were more challenging, but it provided a good indication of what was to come.

The second drive took place in a steeper valley where the birds rocketed over the trees and it was clear that several of the guns were really getting into their stride, including a very charming South African lady who had only recently learned to shoot, and performed confidently and elegantly amongst her male companions.

By this stage, the team was bonding well as we set off for our elevenses, to a small lodge in a beautiful lake side setting, surrounded by animal sculptures, one in particular, a willow horse,  by Belvoir Castle’s artist in residence, Laury Dizengremel.  

Elegant champagne flutes were handed around and locally made sausage rolls and sausages followed by fruit cake consumed while the conversation flowed and the dogs looked on hopefully for any dropped morsel.

The party moved off for the third drive where more partridge were awaiting our arrival, and this too proved to be a challenging drive, with some of the guns performing very well.

This was followed by another refreshment break, whilst the beaters got into position for the penultimate drive, with ‘Big John’, who helps out on shoot days, dispensing more raspberry gin from the most enormous ‘hip’ flask. In conversation with him, it transpired that he had spent 14 years as a Yorkshire miner before the pit closures necessitated him finding another way of making a living so the contrast from being underground to spending his life in the fresh air and stunning landscape of Belvoir must have been paradise to him.

The fourth drive was very enjoyable, and took place in a large valley with a lake at the bottom, and some birds when shot had fallen into the middle of these lakes, so we all enjoyed watching the dogs eagerly leaping into the water to retrieve the birds.

We then proceeded to the final drive, which was in the corner of a large open field, with wide strips of trees forming shelter belts, and by this time the wind had got up considerably, and many of the birds were coming out high over the trees, and then curling over the guns, so it promised to be a great end to the day, but just as the drive was getting going, the whistle blew to bring it to a premature end.

However, all the guns had enjoyed plenty of shooting, in good company in a stunning landscape, so there were no complaints as we headed back to the castle for our lunch, having ‘shot through’ so we could really relax and enjoy the excellent lunch. Here the guns were presented with their game cards recording the day’s bag to have been 347 birds.

Pre-lunch drinks were served in an elegant drawing room on the first floor of the castle, and then we moved into the adjoining dining room which was delightful and we ended the day perfectly with a delicious lunch of traditional roast beef followed by crumble and then a selection of cheeses all accompanied with the appropriate wines and port.

The conversation flowed freely, and the team had become very familiar by this stage, and of course we all had something in common!

This is why GunsOnPegs has been such a huge success, because people who shoot are naturally sociable and are always interested in meeting new friends on the shooting field.

The guns began to drift off after lunch, and I think we were some of the last to leave, and, as I headed for the huge doors to the castle, I could hear an unusual engine noise. There I found the Duke’s Veteran Renault, warming up at the end of the hall, and as we all emerged into the sunlight, we were followed by this magnificent car with a driver wearing an old leather helmet, and goggles, and looking for all the world like ‘Toad of Toad Hall’. A great finale to what had been a glimpse into castle life.

Find out more about Belvoir Castle shoot.

Staying at the castle 

The most obvious place to stay is the castle, and whilst it is first and foremost a family home, the Duke and Duchess are pleased to welcome overnight guests. There are eight stunning rooms with wonderful names which reflect their style, The Chinese Bedroom, The Chinese Dressing Room, Wellington and Tapestry, Pink Bedroom, The Duchess’ Bedroom, The Brown Bedroom and the Duke’s Bedroom. The cost of staying here based on a group of eight guns is £8500 for double occupancy or £7000 for single, but this will include pre-dinner drinks and canapés in the private drawing room, three course dinner, after dinner drinks in the library, drinks and breakfast and bagpipes at breakfast, if available! 

Written by Robert Jarman, the Founder and Editor of The Vintage Magazine.