High Lodge

[Growl]

Travelled down to High Lodge for 4 nights in a VIP lodge (Christmas presnt from the wife, God I love that woman!) towards the end of march

How far is it to the East Coast!!! never realised you could drive for so long in an easterly direction without dropping off the country :crazy:

arrived safe and sound on a bright sunny day (-2 degrees and a 40mph wind)

as part of my gift I had been booked in for 4 x 1 hour lessons with Roger Rackam, John Bidwell was on site but does not do much coaching now.

We were welcomed by a lady who I can only describe as Miss personality, she was great, friendly and very much in control, we were given a filter coffee and handed our keys along with an explanation of where everything was, I had just enough time to get my gun and shells before a session with Roger - fun time!

The shooting grounds are well laid out, but if I were to criticise I would say they just looked a little tired, though to be fair we had just come through a long winter and we can all look bad after that many days of short hours!

I found the style of intruction to be very goog and was subjected to tougher and tougher clays as Roger weighed up my abilities, I never felt over stretched and enjoyed his instruction.

By the end of my 4 sessions (spread over 2 of my days there) I was happily shooting big FITASC birds with full choke and nailing them, a great improvement and very confidence boosting.

High Lodge use a promatic counter so you can practice when not having a lesson and I took advantage of this, over 4 days shooting I got through about 800 shells.

We stayed in Nightingale lodge which has a hot tub and underfloor heating (same lodge as our Mr Deaville stayed in!) -it was warm, large and had everything you needed, it was VERY clean, which impressed both myself and the boss, the pool was just out from the front patio, I did not take my gear as I expected (and was proved right) that the water would be frozen.

Local facilities are good and there is some reasonable pub grub to be had within about 10 - 15 min drive.

If I were asked to suggest some improvments it would probably be, to tidy the grounds up a little, open later (which may already happen in the summer) and get some beer flowing into the evenings.

I have popped a couple of pics on of the lodge but didn't take any of the shooting - too busy enjoying myself reved:

It is clean, the clays as as testing as you will ever need, it is friendly, the coaching is good, the amenites are fine, it's a sound place to go for a break.

Would I go again......Yes

Would I recommend it.....Yes

Should a group go from ShootClay.....Yes 

Book it up - you won't be disappointed

cheers all, Growl.

http://www.shootclayforum.com/uploads/monthly_04_2013/post-1064-0-31572100-1366919882.jpghttp://www.shootclayforum.com/uploads/monthly_04_2013/post-1064-0-02796600-1366919905.jpghttp://www.shootclayforum.com/uploads/monthly_04_2013/post-1064-0-47604700-1366919931.jpghttp://www.shootclayforum.com/uploads/monthly_04_2013/post-1064-0-47671100-1366919956.jpg

 

[shortlegs]

Should a group go from ShootClay.....Yes 

Nice report Growl :good:

maybe interested there Growl if it comes about

 

[Growl]

i'll give it some thought Shortlegs, once I've had my hip done and back on the razzle, hope you're keeping well, cheers, Growl

 

[shortlegs]

i'll give it some thought Shortlegs, once I've had my hip done and back on the razzle, hope you're keeping well, cheers, Growl

that's good it could be a good shootclay social weekend perhaps ?  Yeah keeping well mate thanks for asking, hope all goes well with the op and you have a speedy recovery cheers butty

 

[Tim]

Excellent report Growl, I also find there is much to test you there but also some easier ones to 'get you started'.  John B used to do instruction days for four people running from 10 - 4.30/5.00 and including lunch but they've disappeared from the website so I guess he's stopped doing them - they were about £250 p.p though.  There are about 25+ sporting stands.  As for the comment about 'looking tired' I was there today and noticed some earth-moving plant there so maybe they're changing things around, some largish piles of logs dotted about also implies I think, the trees are getting a 'makeover'

Your picture looks good - good head position, head straight, both eyes open, well positioned front arm, but is that some kind of sight aid you're using there? as my Ultra has just the plain white 'pip'

Good review

Tim

 

[Growl]

Thanks Tim, enjoyed it down there and will definately go again, thank you also for the comments, the red pip came with the gun when I got it and I have just never got round to changing it, I do prefer just a plain white one but it's not bothering me so it can stay.

thanks again, all the best, Growl

 

[Tim]

Both the last two times I've shot I've used a Browning 725 club gun, as going after working (both at HL and Kibworth in Leicestershire) has made it difficult to take my own gun.  Although a decent gun it's not the same - it doesn't seem as smooth to use, handle and move as an Ultra also my right hand didn't fit on the grip as well.  Possibly the 28" barrelled 725 is better than the 30" I used today

 

[Growl]

Hmmm, not a great fan of the 725, little bit flighty IMHO I like the solidness of the ultra - quite an underestimated tool, does the job, looks fine just didn't sell massively, I have the 30" ultra and normally pop a pair of U2 Mullers in for the comps - I practice with 3/4 and Full, always use 7.5 shells - always same ones, seems to work well enough, good breaks so I'm a happy bunny.

Could you not take your stock into work and leave the barrels in a case in the car or is there no way to lock it up where you work? just a thought.

cheers, Growl

 

[Tim]

Yes it would be nice to be able to do something like that, I'll have to think on.  3/4 and full are pretty tight chokes.  I pattern tested mine and the half choke (M) gave a superb pattern (or so I was told) which you could use for, probably, 90% of sporting targets.  The guy I was with even suggested I buy another one and have one in each barrel. The IC pattern which I think is equivalent to a 1/4 was too spaced at 40 yds to ensure a kill.  The 3/4 (IM) pattern was very tight though at 25 yds.  I don't need anything to make it more difficult.  Looking on the 'net revealed that there is a 'Light Modified' choke available which I might buy.  That's I believe, a 15 thou constriction.

I don't know anything about Muller chokes, are they the Mutts Nuts of chokes?

 

[Growl]

There is a good review on this very site U2's are about 3/8. I use tight chokes in practice to give me more info on where i am hitting my birds then open up with the mullers for the registered comps, very very happy with the patterns, very even spread with no hot centres.

 

[Tim]

According to my maths 3/8 would be about 15 thou or LM.  Hmm I'm going to look into this, cheers Growl.

 

[S.Deaville]

Glad you had both had a great holiday.

A shoot clay few days away would be great

 

[Growl]

Jem0911 also said he and his good lady would be up for this, I'll sort something post hip. Cheers Growl