My mobile lit up with an unknown number. That’s not unusual, as suppliers, contacts, would-be writers, and PR companies often call out of the blue, but this time it was a little different. The caller was Lady Linlithgow, introducing herself with a tone and gravitas that would put the upstairs dwellers of *Downton Abbey* to shame. Far from being a blue blood myself, this was a little different from my usual calls, as was the invitation to a sim day at Bryngwyn Hall in Llanfyllin, which happens to be right next door to me—or as close as it gets in mid-Wales, being only 25 minutes away.
“Lady L,” as she’ll be known henceforth, had picked up my number from John Yarnell, an exceptional shot and a lovely guy I’d been lucky enough to meet at another local estate. I couldn’t make the initial date she suggested but snapped at the chance to attend at the next available. I was to join a group of local businessmen and farmers for one of their regular days at Double Barrel Shooting. I was asked to bring along a 4x4 if I had one, as it would be a sizeable group and some of the drives would be off the beaten track and too much for a traditional gun bus. “All hands to the pump” may have been the phrase used. I’ll be honest, that was reassuring. It had the makings of a proper day’s shooting, not just a facsimile of game day. I wasn’t disappointed.
Tweeds and Onesies
I arrived a little early and was immediately greeted by Ian, the shoot captain, and his assistant Matt, both resplendent in their tweeds. For these days, there’s no dress code *per se*, with teams of guns even having shot in matching onesies in the past. I opted for a halfway house of tie, check shirt, and shooting vest rather than going full tweed—out of respect for our host and staff as much as anything else. Ian informed me that they get repeat visitors year after year from across the UK and beyond. A relaxed atmosphere pervaded the whole visit, with Ian and the team ensuring everything was in good order.
Obviously, the majority of the visitors come exclusively for the shooting, with Bryngwyn Hall even providing accommodation to guns attending other shoots in the area, with a total of 11 rooms available, including a separate coach house in the grounds. Not long after my initial chat with Ian and Matt, Lady L appeared and welcomed me aboard as I met the other guns, and we all made our way to the dining room for breakfast. Another good omen revealed itself in the form of a full Welsh breakfast of fried bread, black pudding, piles of bacon—basically everything you’d expect—all cooked to perfection. I think you can always judge the merit of an establishment by the quality of the scrambled eggs. These were creamy, delicious, and set the tone for the rest of the day. Classic dishes beautifully prepared and fully in keeping with a traditional shooting experience.
Shooting Begins
With the safety brief complete and pegs assigned, I jumped into Matt’s 4x4, and we were off to the first drive, a steep-sided gully that had high birds written all over it. Thankfully, they weren’t too high, and I shot reasonably well on the first and second drives. Refreshments were served between each on a picnic table that had been erected by the staff.
The estate offers a selection of 18 drives, and there are plans to add more, so Double Barrel Shooting can cater for quite a range of skill levels—and is more than happy to tailor your shooting experience on request. A few of the regulars were quite handy with their shootin’ irons, so high birds were the dominant theme of the day.
Back at the main house, it was time for elevenses, and the catering department didn’t disappoint. Lady L was on hand to welcome the guests back and joined in with the banter and buffet. Think *Ab Fab* with an added dash of aristocracy, and you wouldn’t be far from the mark.
There’s no doubt who is in charge at Bryngwyn Hall. Lady L keeps the staff—and, when necessary, the clients—in check. She clearly likes things done properly, and there’s nothing wrong with that. A woman very much in keeping with her environment, with a G&T in one hand and a cigarette in the other, she brings a personality to the occasion that only adds to the ambience.
Almost Real
Sim days can feel a bit artificial, but this didn’t. It was a real game day in every respect, other than the birds being replaced by clays of course, but it didn’t feel fake. It was an experience, not just a shooting opportunity, and like many estates, its ability to diversify will be the key to future success. There’s still a small syndicate on the estate, which helps to keep the tradition and community that supports it alive, but we live in changing times, and Lady L seems more than capable of changing with them.
Elevenses over, it was off to one of the highlights of the day. Crossing the manicured gardens and over a small bridge straddling the lake, we arrived at the grouse butts embedded at the foot of a gentle slope. The clays came bustling over the brow, and the shooting was fast, furious, and great fun. Ian mentioned that, on average, guns use a couple of slabs for the day. Even the slowest gun will dispatch at least one of them, so don’t be too conservative with cartridges. I rather rashly grabbed the first slab I came across on my way out of the house, not noticing that they were 28g. By the end of said slab, I was starting to regret my mistake. Luckily, I topped up back at the hall with a second slab of very reasonably priced 21g shells to see me through the rest of the day.
Final Drives
To finish off the day, we were given the opportunity to try two new drives on a neighbouring farm a little higher into the hills. A narrow track led to the pegs, which were tucked into the mountainside on a 40° slope overlooking a beautiful valley. The horn blew, and the clays began to fly. Buoyed up by my shooting earlier in the day, I had high hopes, but my excesses in terms of cartridges and catering had caught up with me, no doubt aided by a touch of fatigue. These birds were very high, and I really struggled to master lead as the unseen traps sent volley after volley of clays over our head at varying speeds and heights. It was challenging shooting, but you won’t get any better by continually shooting the easy ones—and these weren’t easy. A visit to Bryngwyn is the perfect opportunity for anyone looking to improve their high-bird technique prior to, or even during, the game season.
Wrapping Up
The final two drives complete, we headed back to the house for yet more glorious food, joined as ever by Lady L. At this point, the prosecco and sloe gin cocktails served through the day started to take effect on some of the guns, but Lady L took it all in her stride as the jokes became more colourful and conversations a little more raucous.
With the final meal consumed, we retired to the beautiful billiard room, festooned with relics from the family’s military past. Major Generals looked on from their frames as one of the poorest games of snooker I’ve ever seen unfolded—or, more accurately, unravelled—as banter and excuses were exchanged across the green baize.
A sim day with Double Barrel Shooting isn’t just a sim day. It’s an experience. There’s a real ambience to the place and the people. A taste of the good old days perhaps, and a luxurious one, capturing the essence of a traditional game-shooting day at a fraction of the cost.