TASTER DAY


Gone fishing


With facilities that are the envy of the world, Scotland’s estates should be maximising their potential as country sports venues – and encouraging the next generation of enthusiasts. Robin McEwen samples a taste of the activities on offer with a Country Sports Experience


put simply, the rest of the world can only dream of having the landscape, wildlife, locations and ease of access that should make country sports tourism an attractive proposition for estates.


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Now land managers and estate owners are being asked to wake up to the potential economic impact that traditional sporting activity could have on their balance sheets. In 2006, the PACEC report showed that shooting sports alone were worth £1.6 billion to the UK economy and


LANDBUSINESS ISSUE 36 JUNE-JULY 2010


hooting, stalking and fishing – traditional country sports where Scotland wields an unfair advantage. Because,


supported the equivalent of 70,000 jobs. In straitened times, it would be folly to overlook the possibilities for tapping into this market, currently estimated as being worth £240 million in Scotland. Armed with this knowledge, and similarly impressive figures from angling, the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group (SCSTG), of which SRPBA Chief Executive Doug McAdam is a board member, recently launched the Country Sports Experience in a bid to encourage first-time participants and tourists to enjoy country sports. The “experience” initiative, which is backed by Angus and Perth & Kinross councils as well as the SRPBA, takes the


form of half-day taster sessions in shooting, fishing and stalking. The sessions are currently only offered from locations across Perthshire and Angus – although SCSTG can arrange participation in country sports across the whole of Scotland. Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort, near Broughty Ferry, offers a half-day fishing experience that is perfect for the uninitiated. Given that it might be your first time with a rod, the fact that the experience is delivered in a rural setting complete with all mod-cons makes it very popular with novices and seasoned fishermen alike. Kingennie has several man-made


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