🇺🇸 US (762) 224-3086 🇬🇧 UK +44 7951 436997 💬 WhatsApp ✉ george@griffinsportingclub.com
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Griffin Sporting Club
Wildfowling · Inner Forth Estuary, Scotland

Wildfowling on the Inner Forth Estuary

5 days on the Inner Forth foreshore and surrounding farmland stubbles — morning goose flights and evening duck flights, with hospitality at the Buchanan Arms Hotel in Drymen. From $3,200 per gun, all-inclusive.

📅 1 September – 31 January
🦆 Pink-Foot Geese · Duck · Snipe
✈️ 1h 15 from Edinburgh Airport
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What's included

A Properly Hosted Scottish Foreshore Week

Every detail from Edinburgh or Glasgow airport pickup to the last dram of the week is taken care of. You bring the shotgun skills; we handle the rest.

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3 Hunting Days

Guided personally by George or a hand-picked local wildfowler across the Inner Forth foreshore and surrounding farmland stubbles.

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The Buchanan Arms

Historic Scottish coaching inn in Drymen near Loch Lomond — log fires, warm hospitality, hearty dinners after a day on the marsh.

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All Meals & Drinks

Full Scottish breakfast, lunch, three-course dinner with house wines and spirits.

Ready to plan your wildfowling week?

Wildfowling season runs 1 September to 31 January for geese, to 20 February for duck on the foreshore. October–December are the prime months.

Check Availability 📞 (762) 224 3086
The Hunt

Classic Scottish Wildfowling

The Inner Forth Estuary stretches west from Edinburgh past Stirling — a wide tidal landscape of mudflats, salt marsh and reed beds that holds some of Scotland's most reliable goose and duck flighting. Beyond the foreshore, the surrounding farmland stubbles pull pink-footed geese in their thousands as they feed off the winter fields. Dawn on the marsh; evening flights over the stubble. Classic Scottish wildfowling, worked the same way for generations.

Each day starts in the dark. You'll leave the hotel around 04:30 for the hour drive to the foreshore, get set up in the hide or behind the seawall before light, and wait for the flights. The birds come fast and low against the dawn sky — fast shots, atmospheric setting, the whole point of wildfowling. Dogs work the saltings to retrieve. Later in the day, decoy setups over farmland stubble give a different look at the geese — patient, considered, birds committing over the pattern. By dusk you're usually packed up and heading back.

Back at the hotel for a full Scottish breakfast, then the middle of the day is yours — explore Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, or a short trip to Stirling. Three-course dinner at the hotel each evening.

Guns with a bag of pink-footed geese on the Scottish countryside
Pricing

Transparent Per-Hunter Pricing

All-inclusive 5-day wildfowling week. Pricing tiered by group size.

Small Group

$3,750
per gun, in parties of 2
  • Same trip length and inclusions
  • Small group supplement applies
  • Same ground, same retrievers
  • Quieter, more personalised pace
  • All meals, drinks, transfers

Observer

$1,000
per observer, without sightseeing
  • Same hotel, meals and drinks
  • Welcome on the foreshore or at the hotel
  • Loch Lomond, Glengoyne Distillery nearby
  • Stirling, Edinburgh both within reach
  • +$1,000 to add guided Scottish day trips

Wildfowling season runs 1 September to 31 January (geese), 1 September to 20 February (duck on the foreshore). Not included: flights, gratuities.

Talk through pricing directly

Want to discuss package options, add observers, or build a custom itinerary? A 10-minute call answers most questions.

💬 WhatsApp George Send an Enquiry
The Buchanan Arms Hotel, Drymen — Scottish coaching inn at sunset
Buchanan Arms private dining room Buchanan Arms bedroom
The Lodge

The Buchanan Arms Hotel — Drymen

You'll stay at the Buchanan Arms Hotel — a 4-star country hotel in the village of Drymen, just south of the Trossachs National Park and a short drive from the Forth foreshore. It's a classic Scottish coaching inn: stone walls, log fires, tartan in the bar, and a kitchen that knows how to feed a hungry shooting party.

Drymen sits at the southern gateway to the Highlands, between Loch Lomond and the Forth Estuary. The hotel has hosted shooting parties for generations and is set up for it — boot room for gear, secure gun cabinet, early breakfasts before the foreshore, late dinners after the dogs are kennelled. House drinks are included throughout your stay.

Reserve your dates for Wildfowling

Peak-season dates (October to December, when the pinkfeet are settled on their wintering grounds) book out furthest ahead. Get your dates in now to lock them in.

Check Dates 📞 (762) 224 3086
Example Itinerary

What Your Week Looks Like

MondayArrival Day
Pick up from Edinburgh Airport (about 1h 15min to Drymen). Settle in at the Buchanan Arms, lunch, run through the plan with your wildfowling guide. Three-course dinner at the hotel.
Tue–ThuHunting Days
Up at 04:00. Drive 1 hour to the Forth estuary, set up before light. Observers head out on a local sightseeing day — Loch Lomond, Glengoyne Distillery, or Stirling. Flight at dawn — geese off the roost, duck trading through. Back at the hotel by late morning for a hearty Scottish breakfast. Three-course dinner.
FridayDeparture Day
Up early for a final morning flight. Full Scottish breakfast. Pack up and transfer back to Edinburgh or Glasgow airport, with a stop en route if time allows.

Want to customise this trip?

Adding a salmon day, bringing observers, arriving early or staying late — we tailor every itinerary. Tell us what you have in mind.

Tell Us Your Plan 💬 WhatsApp George
Meet Your Outfitter

Hunting with George

George Watkinson, founder of Griffin Sporting Club

Raised on the family farm in the south of England, George developed his fieldcraft early. After Durham University and six years as a management consultant in London, he moved to the Outer Hebrides to work as a professional deer hunter and fishing guide.

It was a handful of encouraging American clients who convinced him to start his own outfitter — and Griffin Sporting Club was born to deliver traditional, hosted British fieldsports to visiting hunters.

Speak with George directly

Most American clients prefer WhatsApp — it works across the time difference. Send a message and he'll be back within hours.

💬 Message George on WhatsApp 📞 Call US (762) 224 3086
From the Hill

From the Marsh

Morning goose flights on the foreshore, evening duck flights over farmland stubble, pink-feet off the roost, dogs working the saltings. Classic Scottish wildfowling, every bird earned.

Ready to Book?

Plan Your Wildfowling Week

Tell us a little about your trip and we'll be in touch within 24 hours. No pressure — just an honest conversation about what to expect.

We'll reply within 24 hours. Your details are never shared.

FAQ

Common Questions

Do I need to bring my own shotgun?

No — shotgun, cartridges and licensing are all included. For wildfowling we recommend a 12-bore semi-auto or over-under capable of heavier loads (steel shot is required on the foreshore). You're welcome to bring your own — UK shotgun visitor permits are straightforward and we'll walk you through the paperwork in advance.

How does trophy export work?

Wildfowl can't practically be exported back to the US — quarantine rules make it impractical. Your daily bag is shared at the hotel that evening (geese roast brilliantly), and the rest is gifted to local game dealers. We can arrange feather mementos or a mounted brace if you'd like a keepsake.

When's the best time to come?

The wildfowling season runs September to January for geese and to 20 February for duck on the foreshore. October–December are the prime months — the geese are settled on their wintering grounds and flight patterns are predictable. The earlier (September) and later (January) weeks are quieter but the cold and dark are real considerations.

What's the fitness level needed?

Low. This is gentle countryside walking — flat terrain, short distances, considered stalks rather than big hill days.

Can my partner come?

Yes. Observers stay at the Buchanan Arms for $1,000, or add sightseeing for $2,000 — Loch Lomond cruise, Glengoyne Distillery, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh day trips.

Ready When You Are

Limited availability for the upcoming season. Get in touch now to lock in your dates.

Send an Enquiry