A traditional driven game shoot and grouse moors where a warm welcome and good shooting awaits you...

Introduction by Frank Boddy, Shoot Captain

The Ripley Castle Shoot is a traditional driven game shoot and grouse moors. Established fourteen years ago by myself and three good friends, the Shoot has grown and although run as The Ripley Castle Shoot, it is actually two driven pheasant and partridge Shoots and two driven grouse Moors.

Our parkland and farmland shooting near Ripley Castle covers over 7,000 acres and includes four estates, Ripley Castle, part of Nidd, Hob Green and Cayton Estates together with land leased from neighbouring farmers. Near Pateley Bridge we have the Eagle Hall and Ashfold Side Shoot which covers 2,500 acres of high ground pheasant and partridge shooting which also includes some moorland edge drives below our grouse moors. Finally we have our little piece of heaven with Hardcastle and Heathfield Moors which gives us over 4,000 acres of some of the finest grouse shooting anywhere – so I am told! That is providing we have the grouse.

In all I employ 7 full time Keepers, 4 at Ripley Castle and 3 on the Moors and Eagle Hall and Ashford Side.

At a time when too many shoots of our quality and size are now run purely as a commercial enterprise The Ripley Castle Shoot remains in principle a Members Shoot with a limited number of Exclusive or Corporate Days mainly for Members to entertain their friends or business clients.

Each Shoot day at Ripley Castle, Eagle Hall & Ashfold Side or on the Moors is special and as today we all seem to live under quite enough pressure and stress, although the actual shooting and the sporting quality of our birds are very important, one of my main priorities on the day is always to enjoy ourselves in the good company of like minded people, meeting old friends and making new acquaintances, whilst experiencing some memorable quality shooting. Non shooting guests are most welcome to join us just to enjoy the day. So far we have always succeeded in achieving these priorities.

As I am unable to run every shoot day I am assisted by my good friends, Clive Wells and Nigel Graham. We endeavour to run our shoot days in a safe a