An Autumn Staycation in Scotland
For most of the world, this summer has been a bit of a write-off due to COVID-19. Here in Scotland we have lost probably 3/4 of the main holiday season, which is terrible for Scotland and for those who love to spend their holidays here. The chance for a summer staycation has been and gone, but what about an Autumn staycation?
The good news is that we still have 1/4 of the season left, and this last 1/4 is probably the best time to visit if you are into country sports. September and October actually offer the best choice of activities for country sports enthusiasts due to the overlap of the various fishing and stalking / shooting seasons.
Below is a small sample of the available country sports activities for an autumn staycation in Scotland
Salmon fishing
Some of the best salmon fishing available in Scotland happens in the Autumn. Through September almost all of the salmon rivers remain open, giving those on a autumn staycation lots of fishing options. The demand is quite high due to it being the peak of the season for many rivers, but we can help with that at River & Green as our Director Ian has an encyclopedic knowledge of Scotland’s rivers and the fishing available. If anyone can help you with a last minute trip, it’s us!
October represents the end of the fishing season in most of Scotland’s rivers, but those that remain open really begin to peak and the fishing in October is some of the best and most exclusive Scotland has to offer. It can be a bit of a minefield trying to find a beat that has both availability and is not astronomically expensive, so we’d recommend getting in touch with the experts (us 😉) and we’ll make sure to get you the best possible fishing available.
Pheasant, Partridge & Grouse shooting
The partridge season starts on 01st September and continues until 31st January. On 01st October the pheasant season begins and also runs until 31st January. We can offer walked up and driven pheasant and partridge in the Scottish Borders and in Highland Perthshire. Next year we hope to add Royal Deeside to our shooting offering.
We also have a few walked up grouse days left in September in the Scottish Borders. Availability is extremely limited and will be gone very quickly!
Walked up days are great fun for smaller groups of 1 – 6 people (single guns can only be catered for in the Borders) and are also a great way of seeing a large amount of the countryside. The other benefit of walked up shooting is that it is very good exercise!
Availability is quite good for walked up shooting during the week and at fairly short notice, it’s a little more difficult on weekends but it can be done with a bit of luck on the calendar front.
Driven shooting requires a bit more planning as there are a lot more people involved in the running of the day. A driven day can be enjoyed by 5 – 10 guns and, occasionally, we have single pegs available for solo travellers (although you need to be flexible on your dates as these are quite rare)
Deer Stalking
There is no better time than during an autumn staycation in Scotland to go deer stalking. The red deer stag rut happens roughly around 10th October making this by far the most exciting time of year to experience stalking in Scotland.
September is also an excellent time to go stalking, the rut won’t have started but most of the deer will be hard of horn by September and the weather is a little warmer than in October. September is also a good time to plan a trip as the availability is not quite as in demand as in October. We do however recommend booking well in advance to avoid disappointment (6 months or so).
As mentioned above, booking in advance is very important with stag stalking however this year is actually a little different. Due to our American clients being unable to enter the country because of COVID-19 restrictions, there are lots of holes in the diary meaning that, if you are flexible with your dates, you may be able to book a last minute trip with only a few weeks notice.
For this October, during the peak of the rut, we do have a select few days available, so get in touch directly and we can run you through the dates we have left.
Booking at such extreme short notice is something that is absolutely unheard of in normal years so best take advantage of it while you can!
To enquire about an autumn staycation in Scotland get in touch today using the forms on the right hand side of this page. Alternatively, why not message us directly via our Contact page.
We look forward to hearing from you!
N.B. Please be aware that we are still operating with some restrictions on larger groups. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions we cannot offer trips in the immediate future for more than 8 people of no more than 3 different households. Please see this Scottish government advice for more info.