Tag Archives: Shooting

St Brides Major and Heritage Coast Campsite

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Sunday 8th May, we packed the van and left Fforest Fields campsite at 7.45 and headed south to St Brides Major. We were making good time and paused for a bacon butty on the A470 in the Brecon Beacons. The van was doing a roaring trade catering for the hordes of bikers who were enjoying the road.

We made it to St Brides Major and met up with our other club members, and then headed off to the quarry for the shoot. We managed to lose this leg of the shoot. Lunch was booked at the Star Inn, Wick, so I dropped Rosemary off and drove to the campsite we were staying at. It had been our intention to stay overnight there the night before, but because of a wedding, there had been no camping on the Saturday night. I arrived and dropped the van onto a pitch and raced back up the hill for lunch, on foot it was a little over 20 minutes fast walking and jogging.

A traditional Sunday lunch and some excellent ales, speeches and prize giving and then we were on our own as everyone left for home. We walked back down the road to the campsite and met the owner. Tale of woe, their cafe wasn’t open due to lack of staff. Chefs were hard to come by and could command a high salary.

Next day R and I walked to the coast, over the local stone stiles in places. R was incredibly pleased with the local flora. I continued down the coast, walking into Marcross and back to the campsite. Also walked over the old ruin of an Abbey in Monknash. Nothing to see other than masses of stone and a few ruins.

The next day we headed home. I decided to fill the van with diesel, the first time I had to pay more than £100 to fill the van and it wasn’t exactly empty with 150 miles to go.

The Game Fair at Ragley Hall 28th July

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R and I were up early to attend the second day of the Game Fair at Ragley Hall. The event celebrates the countryside, shooting, fishing and hunting. We were inside the fair before the opening time of the stalls. Traffic was not too bad. We had a long wander around all the stores. Some neat outdoor cooking systems, including a wood fire semi-portable pizza oven. The price put us off it!

Of course, we checked in at D B Guns to say hello to Dawn and Brian. I am happy to say they were very busy, so couldn’t stop and chat.

We ate lunch on the food alley which has masses of vendors selling goodies, and of course beer and cider in one of the many bars. Food most definitely has improved in recent years.  A few years back we complained is was only hotdogs and burgers.

We watched the dogs agility show. It was not a competition but a showcase from the Kennel Club. Fun, loved the longhaired dogs when the jumped.  There were also a myriad of retriever competitions going on as well.

We missed out on the ferrets, only seeing a pile of ferrets sleeping at the bottom of the cage. Rosemary was interested in the fly tying, I have some photographs of the flies, she was interested having read a book about a thief who stole a whole load of old and rare bird skins from the Tring Museum and sold these to collectors. Many of which ended up being turned into fishing flies.

It was a hot day, though a rain storm arrived at the end, so we left mid-afternoon as did so many others so rather tedious getting out of the place.  I think next year we may go for the three days and stay in the campervan. There is plenty of other entertainment in the evenings.

CLA Game fair

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24th July, Rosemary and I visited the hunting, shooting and fishing festival, the CLA Game Fair.  We must say the food at these events is not a patch on Glastonbury catering.  The pictures are from the dog and gun stand, a chase, where the dog runs after a lure, any one can enter.  There also was a pageant of birds of prey marking the history of hunting with birds.

The Gun and Dog stand was where Chris and Ann entered their dog Boss.  Alas I have no pictures of Boss, but have of one of his siblings.

We are not sure we will go again, or at least give it a miss for a few years before going back.