The gate to the car park will be open 15 minutes before the start of your session. We will meet you in the parking area and guide you up to the hide. Once at the hide we will give you quick overview of the facilities to ensure you know exactly where everything is and how it all works. In winter time we will have already heated the hide so it’s nice and warm when you arrive

The approach to the hide can be a little muddy after heavy rain and we suggest wearing suitable outdoor shoes when approaching the hide. As the hide has underfloor heating, and in an effort to keep the hide interior clean and comfortable, we suggest leaving dirty outdoor shoes on the porch. You’re more than welcome to bring a clean pair of shoes/slippers to change into when inside…or a comfy pair of socks and let the underfloor heating do it’s thing 🙂

Yes, absolutely! If you have booked the hide for exclusive use you can bring up to two other people with you. The hide has a maximum occupancy of three so unfortunately we can’t accommodate anymore that this.

No unfortunately dogs are not allowed in the hide or anywhere on site – including being left in your car.

If you have booked the hide on an exclusive basis then yes you are welcome to bring your child provided they are at least 11 years old. Children under 18 years old are not allowed in the hide for shared bookings.

Full toilet facilities are located a one minute walk away from the hide in our photography studio. We are planning to add a composting toilet facility adjoining the hide but this is currently a work in progress.

Unfortunately due to the uphill location and uneven terrain approaching the hide it is not suitable for wheelchair access. The entrance doorway to the hide is also quite narrow. If you any mobility difficulties please get in touch with us and we will do our very best to try and accommodate your needs.

The hide has two K&F professional gimbal heads as well as two hide plates on which to mount them. This set up is perfect for anything up to a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 150-600 zoom lens. We also have two large beanbag supports. Any of these are available for your use within the cost of your booking. You are also welcome to bring your own hide plates or camera mounts if you prefer.

Whilst we have designed the hide to use shooting shelves in conjunction with hide plates or bean bags, we also know that some people prefer to use a tripod. To accommodate this the shelves fold down against the wall allowing closer tripod access. However please note that due to construction of the windows it will be necessary to tilt the tripod forward to ensure the cameras lens reaches the openings.

The hide has four shooting windows, two on each side. When the hide is fully booked with three people, we ask that sensible hide etiquette is used and the seating is rotated on an agreed timed basis to ensure everyone has equal opportunity at each window.

Yes of course. If you are new to bird hide photography but don’t want to book onto a workshop, do let us know when you book and we can give you a few pointers to get you started when you arrive.

The most ideal lens for a full frame camera would be a 150mm-600mm zoom lens. However anything in the range of 400-600mm is perfect for photographing the birds on the various perches. For the reflection pool anything from 200-600mm is ideal as the birds tend to be a little closer to the camera.

Dark or camouflage clothing is preferable. Whilst there is camouflage netting at the hide windows, if you wear bright colours you may still be visible to the more observant birds. Dressing in layers means that you can regulate your temperature depending on the conditions. We have underfloor heating and also a separate adjustable electric heater in the hide, so it mostly stays very toasty. However if all the hide windows are open and it is very windy, the temperature may drop, so it’s advisable to have something warm to wear just in case.

There is a kettle in the hide and we provide tea, coffee, sugar and milk for you to help yourself to drinks. If you plan to stay on site all day, please bring a packed lunch with you. Just avoid anything too noisy or smelly for the sake of other hide users (and the birds)!

Yes of course. The hide is a wonderful space to spend the day simply watching the antics of our resident birds or for drawing and painting. The views are stunning too! There are binoculars in the hide you can use to help you to observe the visitors to the feeders and also to see the raptors and ravens that frequently fly overhead.

Of course, we can never predict which birds will visit the perches on any given day. But you are almost guaranteed to see the following resident species all year round: Chaffinches, Nuthatches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Dunnocks, Sparrows, Robins.
Very frequent visitors are: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-Tailed Tits, Goldfinches (mostly in Summer), Bullfinches (mostly in Winter), Wrens, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and Starlings.
Not likely to visit the perches, but often seen in the meadow and trees around the hide: Treecreepers, Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Redstarts, Jays, Willow Warblers, Siskins, Stonechats, Greenfinches, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Meadow Pippets, and Redwings.
Frequently seen overhead: Red Kites, Buzzards (sometimes they perch within shot of the hide), Ravens, Sparrowhawks, Crows, Jackdaws and in summer, Swallows, Housemartins and Swifts.

The hide is fully weather proof with heating, so you will be able to stay comfortable in all weathers. The birds will still visit in rain and snow (maybe even more so). However, if we are aware of any extreme weather conditions which may affect your session or travelling to us, we will get in touch to book you onto an alternative date.