Ardifuir (Argyll and Bute)

Ardifuir describes itself as the “Perfect Scottish Retreat”. Just “a mile west of the oldest, continuously inhabited castle in Scotland”, Ardifuir says that “Whether you use Ardifuir as a base for her wide range of marine and terrestrial activities or simply choose to come and relax in an environment of peace and unspoilt beauty, then Ardifuir has something to offer you.” Perhaps in the summer it has that ‘environment of peace’, but like so many venues in Scotland come the autumn/winter and the atmosphere changes. Under ‘Shooting’, we learn that “Ardifuir offers a fantastic range of shooting options for all guests. We have a small, established pheasant shoot, supplemented by a wide variety of wild residents including geese, snipe and pigeon. Woodcock are in good numbers by mid November and wild duck are flighted on fed ponds and the river throughout the season.” So, not only introduced pheasants and semi-domesticated ducks but guests are invited to come and kill Red Listed Woodcock and Amber Listed Common Snipe. And if you’d rather put holes into deer, Ardifuir has you covered for that too…and if you don’t have a permit to shoot, no problem – Ardifuir will even “act as sponsors to effect a visitors’ firearm permit.”