Raygill Fisheries

Whilst in Yorkshire, we were invited down to Raygill Fisheries, in the heart of the Dales just outside Lothersdale, to take a look round and do a spot of fishing. Previously a lime quarry, Bernard Clement bought it in 1987, landscaped the site and began to stock trout. Twenty years later, they have four lakes (two fly and two coarse) and people come from all over the country to try and catch trout, pike, carp, roach, breem and many other kinds of fish.



It's very much a family-run operation with Bernard's children, and their other halves, running the fishery, as well as the clothing store and café they have built at the edge of one of the lakes. His son, Berb, was going to let us do some fishing and, having done a bit of fly fishing growing up, we expressed an interest in trying our hands at some coarse fishing. However, we looked out the window and thought that it was hardly the weather to be sitting still (and that most likely we would be put off for life), so we opted to help him feed the fish instead - much more exciting. We are, it seems, fair weather fisherwomen!


Emma feeding the fish

Much to our embarrassment/amusement, they also asked if we would model some items from their clothes range. Here we are striking one of our more embarrassing poses:



They have just started stocking a new range of shooting waistcoats, designed by lady shooters for lady shooters. Sarah Crookston, who set up Talon, the clothing company that makes them, came to deliver some new stock while we were pottering about wondering what to wear for our next pose and we had a good chat to her about what it was like setting up the business and how she came up with the idea. Like most good ideas, hers stemmed from not being able to find something she liked from what was then available on the market. Talking to other lady shooters, she discovered that she wasn?t the only one, so she decided to research what women really want from their shooting clothes and make them herself. She will be adding to her range in the near future. For more information, visit www.talonshoots.co.uk.



Raygill Fisheries and Country Clothing, Lothersdale, Nr Keighley, North Yorkshire BD20 8HH
01535 632500
Raygill Fisheries
Raygill Country Clothing