Vale House Kitchen

Vale House Kitchen is a bespoke country skills and cookery school situated in the village of Timsbury, 8 miles southwest of Bath. We offer a wide range of cookery courses as well as a unique opportunity to acquire or hone your fishing, shooting, foraging and butchery skills.

We are passionate about fieldsports and have some fantastic shooting opportunities in conjunction with Shellards Shoot located just outside Bath. This family run shoot won The Shooting Times best small shoot in 2013.

Our Shooting Experience is aimed at people looking to get into the sport of game shooting. This two day course covers all aspects of game. On Day 1, you will be driven to Shellard Shoot in Wellow where you will be given a full gun safety briefing by the shooting instructors before enjoying a morning clay-pigeon shooting. After a light lunch you will participate a couple of game drives and have the opportunity to shoot pheasant and other wild game birds. On Day 2, chef and head tutor Tim Maddams will show you just how to bring out the best in game, with a series of practical preparation and creative cookery tasks. You’ll be shown a modern approach to game cookery as well as the more traditional style, starting with the whole animal and ending with a delicious three-course meal. This course will give you the confidence to put game back on the menu in your own kitchen.

Our Game Experience is a weekend entirely devoted to game and aimed at the more competent shot, although we are able to provide loaders for those that would like someone on the peg with them. This weekend provides a unique opportunity to spend two full days with two of the South West’s most inspiring Gamesmen, Tim Maddams and Frank Shellard. On **Day 1 **you'll start the day with a warm welcome at Shellards Shoot, a few breakfast bites and given a full briefing for the day. Each of the 9 participants will get to shoot on a 100-120 bird driven day, with lunch included.  On **Day 2 **you’ll spend the day taking part in a game butchery and cookery course hosted by Tim Maddams at Vale House Kitchen. Starting with deer and then moving onto rabbit and game birds we will cover all aspects of butchery starting with the whole animal and ending with some delicious game dishes. Tim has just published the Game Handbook and you will have a signed copy to take home with you.

Our Simulated Day. Hosted at Shellards Shoot just 15 minutes drive from Vale House Kitchen. Shellards Shoot is an award winning game shoot. 95% of the drives used on the simulated days are the same drives used during the game season which makes it as realistic as possible and resulting in testing clays throughout each drive. The estate has a valley running the length of it creating the perfect setting for a game shoot, giving testing birds throughout each drive. The day will start at 9:30am when a briefing will be given along with some delicious breakfast bites from the Vale House Kitchen. We will draw pegs and you will get acquainted with your peg companion for the day before heading off for the first 2 drives after which we will stop for some sumptuous elevenses. After another couple of drives we will retire back to the house for lunch. The day will see more than 4000 clays over the guns which should provide some fast and furious fun for everyone. Included in the cost – 4000 clays; breakfast, elevenses and lunch; soft drinks; a huge amount of fun. Not included in the cost – cartridges; loaders (but can be arranged at extra cost) Beginners to clay shooting are welcome but must have a qualified instructor with them. We are able to arrange this also.