Ellington Estate

Warm Welcome & Estate Led Dining

Hospitality at Ellington is generous, unpretentious and rooted in the traditions of a proper shooting day. Guns are welcomed with freshly brewed tea and coffee alongside bacon sandwiches before shooting begins.

Elevenses are enjoyed in the field with warming drinks and excellent locally made pies. Lunch is a true highlight. An exceptional sit down meal prepared using locally sourced produce, much of it from the estate itself, served with care and pride. The day concludes with a generous cheese board featuring the estate’s much loved Blue Wensleydale.

Hospitality at Ellington is about warmth, quality and shared enjoyment rather than formality.

Rolling Dales & Testing Birds

Set within the sweeping landscape of the Yorkshire Dales, Ellington benefits from outstanding natural topography. The estate rises from around 300 feet above sea level near Masham to almost 1,000 feet as it meets the grouse moor above.

This rolling, open ground allows birds to fly long and honestly, often using the wind to full effect. On the right day, certain drives can be genuinely testing, rewarding good judgement and confident shooting. The variation in elevation and aspect ensures that no two drives feel the same.

Conservation underpins every aspect of the Ellington Shoot. All 24 drives are managed with sustainability firmly in mind, balancing quality sport with genuine environmental responsibility.

Over 100 acres of game cover are dedicated to maize and conservation friendly wild bird mixes, providing vital winter food and shelter for gamebirds and a wide range of farmland wildlife. Wide field margins support breeding pheasants, wild English partridges and numerous songbird species.

Feeding continues well beyond the shooting season, through to late spring, reflecting a long term commitment to habitat, bird welfare and biodiversity.

Experience, Continuity & Quiet Excellence

Ellington Estate is run by Steve Hopkins, who has overseen the shoot for more than 25 years with unwavering dedication. Alongside his wife Mia, who works her Labradors and plays an active role on shoot days, Steve has never missed a day’s shooting.

Head Gamekeeper Richie has been on the estate for the same length of time and has been instrumental in shaping the shoot into what it is today. Supported by a loyal team of friendly beaters and highly capable pickers up, he ensures that every day runs smoothly and every Gun is well looked after.

Together, they offer a shoot defined by integrity, warmth and consistently excellent sport.