Leighton Hall Estate Shoot
Shoot · Lancashire · 88 followers
88 followers
Leighton Hall is a traditional family estate located in the North West, and the shoot has been operating for over 100 years.
We have a mixed shoot of both a Syndicate and Let Days, offering different size bags - 150 / 200 bird days.
The Guns are welcomed to the estate by a family member (the Shoot Captain) and the Keeper. A shoot day starts with breakfast, introductions and a safety briefing located in the Victorian Conservatory.
The day consists of up to 5 drives, snacks, as well as a 3 course late lunch.
We pride ourselves in being able to provide birds for mixed abilities without compromising on safety and bird quality.
A bit about the shoot
We have a variety of Drives; Guns are pegged in the wood glades and within an open landscape environment.
Each drive is designed to produce sporting birds that can be killed in a clean and professional manner, rather than birds being pricked. This is achieved by using a mixture of cover corps, the natural woodland and limestone topography i.e. we have natural flushing points of limestone outcrops within many woods that push the birds up and over the trees.
New drives are being developed throughout the season, the latest 2 being the use of an old limestone pond which was naturally made when the limestone cave collapsed. This allows the Keeper to push his birds off the higher escarpment over the guns stood below; but on this particular drive there are only small windows of opportunity to shoot the birds within the tree line. We are now moving on to develop another drive within a re-established wood, using the newly planted trees and shrubs as fantastic ground cover.
Dogs - well trained gun dogs are welcome, but must be kept under full control on peg during the drive.
Transport
The estate has limited 4x4 transport, so we require the Guns to bring their own.
When the land is wet, we ask that we use as few vehicles as possible, to limit damage to the land.
The Estate is very easy to find, with good transport links for guests that travel from further a field - we are located only 3 miles from junction 35 off the M6. Lancaster station is on the North West main line, with the fast train only 2.5 hours from London.
Local Accommodation
The best place to stay is The Longlands Hotel / Pub, which is dog friendly and is only 4 miles from the Hall.
We welcome both individual and teams of Guns. A day for a mixed team of guns will run with a minimum of 6 guns and a maximum of 9.
Hospitality
We include refreshments and drinks throughout the day. Breakfast - Sausage or Bacon Baps, Lancashire Tea and Fresh Coffee Mid to late morning snacks - a mixture of savoury and sweet bites, home made soup, sloe gin, fizz and soft drinks. Late lunch - is a hearty homemade 3 course served meal - main, pudding & cheese, with wine, beer, port and or soft drinks included.
We are happy to accommodate any dietary requirements and look after any guests in addition to the guns. All food is to be booked in advance and guests will be charged for separately. The price is confirmed on booking.
Topography
The estate looks over Morecambe Bay and on to the Lake District Hills. We have a mixed landscape and topography, with wide outcrops of limestone pavement and escarpments, mixed with rolling ancient woodlands and pasture lands. Being fairly close to the sea, we can experience a good sea breeze, which can help to push the birds, creating some challenging and entertaining shooting.
Conservation Efforts
The estate has been proactive to incorporate conservation, sustainability and environmental issues in to the shoot by adopting protocols such as :-
- Moving away from lead shot and only allowing Fibre Eco Cartridges.
- Guns, beaters and pickers up are to travel in as few vehicles as possible across the land.
- Feed and building materials are sourced locally to help reduce & management carbon footprint and support our local rural economy.
- We have increased the number of release pens enabling us to reduce the stocking rates in one area / woodland, supporting the ecology and reduce the pressure on the land.
- When creating or redeveloping a cover crop we aim to use organic, pollinator rich materials and seeds that are right for our heritage landscape and support our biodiversity.
About the hosts
Leighton Hall is a family owed and managed estate, with family members being part of all the shoot days. Mr and Mrs Arthurs own the estate, with Mr Arthurs being the Shoot Captain, ensuring guns are on their pegs in a timely manner. Mrs Arthurs runs the hospitality, making sure everyone is fed and watered throughout the day! Their son is a regular member of the beating team, supporting the gamekeeper and learning all aspects of the land and the management of a shoot.
Shoot here
No dates found. Why not ask the shoot to update their availability?
News & updates
Recommended by 0 guns
Reviews
Mr. Alan McLaughlin
This was the second time i had booked a 150 bird day in November and look forward to booking another next season every part of the day was excellent from the moment we arrived, big thank you to Lucy ,Danny, and Michael. Not forgetting the beaters and picker ups. Plenty of birds to chose from all well presented can't recommend this shoot enough
Visit: multiple visits
Mr. Lee Fisher
Our team has shot at Leighton for the past few years and the days get better and better each time. A fabulous shoot and a great team. Cannot recommend enough and we have already rebooked for next season.
Visit: multiple visits
P. M.
Lucy and Danny made us very welcome and all the team enjoyed a relaxed day that was very well organised with birds suitable for all of us.
Visit: November 8th 2018
R. M.
What a great day out! Our shoot party were warmly welcomed by the keeper and family and the day started with a memorable gathering in the Gun Room of Leighton Hall. Our first drive provided high quality pheasants across all nine pegs and the following drives continued in the same vein. The topography at Leighton Hall lends itself to exciting and varied driven game shooting, with some drives set in undulating open grazed parkland making use of the neighbouring woodland and cover crops, whilst other drives required a sharp eye and snap shooting as the birds were driven over as we stood in the depths of an old limestone pond. The shoot captain, Danny, was highly accommodating throughout the day and we were very well catered for during 11’ses, lunch and following the days shooting. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I would highly recommend this as a day for your shoot diary.
J. W.
This truly is a memorable and challenging day out shooting. The topography on the estate is attention-grabbing, mature and the drives are clearly thought out and present the gun with some generous yields. The views around the estate are incredible and its location means it is easily accessible from the M6. The organisation, the numbers of beaters and dogs, coupled with the military planning by the Shoot Management Team, make this day one of the best in the Shoot Calendar: to have the opportunity to purchase a Let Day highly is unusual and they wont hang around for long. We have sold some days before and they have been known to sell in a 24 hour period. The shoot captain(Danny Arthurs Esq.) is fabulous company, he knows the shoot inside-out, nothing is too much trouble and he is one of lifes great raconteurs. The provenance of the estate makes this days shooting unique too. From shooting on the front lawns, in front of the hall, sat amongst mature oaks, to meandering down to the estuary and driving through mature, dense yet well maintained woodland. One drive which looks like a moon crater but heavily populated with woodland perched on a small hillock, is astonishing both in the number of presented birds and the shoot challenge itself. The windy areas on the estate also help increase the level of challenge and the hospitality and the welcome you will receive is, frankly, second to none. If you are looking to thank clients or treat your friends to a decent historic days shooting, look no further than Leighton Hall, a rare gem in fantastic surroundings in a beautiful and private part of the world.