Badminton, England
One of the most renowned estates in the UK. This shoot has some of the finest drives in the Cotswolds.
The Badminton shoot is everything you would expect from such a special and prestigious estate located on the southern edge of the Cotswolds.
The emphasis at Badminton is on a high quality day and this is shown from the input of the whole team, from The Duke of Beaufort and the Head Keeper Ben Darley downwards, everyone works as a cohesive and happy unit. The shoot covers two main beats; Kilcot to the north of the House and Park, and Harcombe to the south of the motorway. Kilcot consists of deep wooded valleys and can show birds of top quality. Harcombe is a more open valley, where the shooting is excellent and also shows partridges.
Guns meet in the Shoot Drawing Room and have lunch in the dining room, both located in the west wing of the main house. Lunch and tea are to a very high standard. Elevenses consists of homemade soup and variety of delicious treats.
The non-commercial and traditional atmosphere of the estate, combined with the quality of the shooting, and indeed the fact that availability is extremely limited, makes Badminton a very unique place.
Occasionally, the Duke and Duchess will personally host a team, who stay in Badminton House itself. The experience and service is exemplary, which would be expected from the only great house in England that is not open to the public.
