The closest most reliable place for red grouse close to London

I have been asked to"produce" some grouse images before year end. Although i have some, i need to get better ones. Where is the most reliable place to go, not too far from Lodnon.
many thanks
Rene de Heer

Hmmm...

I can't find Lodnon in my atlas??



Only kidding. I'm no help with this what-so-ever.

I hope I can find some in the North-West Highlands next week.

Regards

Where to find Red Grouse nr London??? Now there's an interesting thought! You could always try Harrods.

Presumably the nearest live/wild ones are somewhere around the southern end of the pennines/peak district...it being somewhat closer to london than north yorkshire or the north pennines. Other than that you'll just have to come further north

Excellent Nick and then you will guide me to the reliable places right?
Rene de Heer

I could only try - I haven't been out much grouse hunting this year Rene, and the numbers in my local area still seem to be down against other years, so I couldn't guarantee that any spots would definitely hold a number of birds. The numbers up here really crashed in 2005 , and don't seem to have recovered much this season.

Mike Lane and a few other Pro's seem to like the area around Grinton Lodge...again, I haven't been down there this year, so I don't know what numbers are like.

Rene,

The Dark and White peak both have red grouse but, in you want them in quantity, they are mainly on private, maintained moorland.

For what it is worth presently, as it is the shooting season, you would be better avoiding mid-week with Sunday being the most favorable day but, to be completely accurate, you would be better waiting to Xmas for this gives the Grouse time to get re-accustomed to humans after the end of the shooting season (10th Dec)

If you cannot wait I would phone a few estate offices, tell them what you want as ask for direction.

That said, there a load of 'Edges' that grouse can be found upon just avoid days that are very windy or very still as you cannot hear them on very windy days and they don't wing on very still days. The best time to find them is as sun rises or as sun sets as they come up from the heather onto the edges looking for Grit (they rarely drink getting most of their moisture from the heather) so look for a suitable edge.


T

Rene

See link for approximate UK distribution map - None near london I'm afraid

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/redgrouse/index.asp

Clougha Pike, near Lancaster, has a lot of Red Grouse. I read somewhere that it has more grouse per square mile than anywhere in the UK. I live a couple of miles from the hill, and I regularly go for walks up there. On any one walk I will see at least 10-20 red grouse in less than an hour.

But Lancaster is hardly close to London!

Michael S

Rene,
Tom mentions the Derbyshire "Edges" I was on Stanage Edge(close to Hathersage/Sheffield) in the Dark Peak area, at the weekend and was able to get within 15 feet of a number of Red Grouse,only managed a couple of oof shots though :o(
It can be busy at times and I believe a certain Geoff Simpson as "shot" some great grouse up there!!

This area is where Geoff took the his IWP winner.

It is frequented by climbers and not shot commercially that frequently (at least the RHS as you look from Hathersage) and I have had some reasonable shots from it (like below) however it can be a bit hit and miss if there are a lot of climbers - therefore, this location is probably better mid week morning when the climbers are at work. There is also a wee bit of a climb (15min) to get onto it if you go from the lower carpark.

Thinking about it this is as close to London as they are likely to get unless you head to Cornwall

I nomally park here (free!!) and only a 10minute ""yomp" also saw either a Sparrowhawk or PF chasing prey on the way up :o)
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=422745&y=387600&z=4&sv=422745,387600&st=4&ar=Y&dn=621

Rene

The best place I know, is around 210 miles from London.

The car park at Clougha Pike at the northern edge of the Forest of Bowland. Take the Lancaster/Garstang turn-off the M6 and head east for Dolphinholme. The car park is around 4 miles south on flanks of Clougha, it is marked on the OS explorer map.

Usually loads of birds on both heather, grassland, boulder and dry stone walls.

Hope this helps

Brian

Thanks for the replies and phone calls! Really appreciate the help! Great shot Tom! and yes i recall geoff Simpson image, very nice.
many thanks
Rene de heer

Hello Rene

I think I will avoid stanage edge and drive the hunderd miles to grinton I went the other week and there was a hell of alot of grouse but they were a bit jumpy because of the shooting season but like tom said they will calm down when it is over

Danny