Diglake Gundog Training Holidays
Enjoy a dedicated gundog training retreat at the fantastic Papermill Park, combining quality training, varied ground and the opportunity to spend a few days completely focused on developing you and your dog.
Papermill Park provides an excellent variety of training opportunities, with open parkland, wild grasses, woodland, water, fences, jumps and natural obstacles. The varied terrain allows us to create realistic training scenarios and progressively develop both dog and handler throughout the stay.
Training will be tailored to the level of the dogs attending and can include marking, memories, blind retrieves, directional work, steadiness, handling at distance, water work and walked-up training. Emphasis will be placed on building confidence, improving teamwork and helping handlers understand how to get the very best from their dogs.
Whether you are working towards Working Tests, Field Trials, the shooting field, or simply want to progress your training on quality ground, this Diglake Gundogs training holiday offers a fantastic opportunity to train, learn, socialise and enjoy a few days dedicated to your gundogs.
After each day's training, handlers can relax and enjoy the social side of the experience with other like-minded gundog enthusiasts, sharing experiences and discussing the day's training in a friendly and informal environment.
Accommodation is not included in the training package and will need to be booked separately by each handler. Papermill Park offers a range of on-site accommodation options, including log cabins, shepherd huts and camping, allowing you to choose the option that best suits your requirements.
Gallery | Bespoke Retreats | Papermill Park Ventures Contact Sue at the venue directly on 07974 740421 quoting Diglake to book accommodation at Papermill Park
Guests can also enjoy the on-site facilities, including a BBQ area and fire pits, perfect for relaxing and socialising after a full day of training. There is also use of the Gun Room Lodge, with a kitchen & dining area, providing a comfortable communal space to unwind, chat about the day's training and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the Diglake Gundogs training holiday.
Itinerary:
* Arrival on Friday 14th for training at 10:00
Lunch at 13:00 - 14:00
Check in from 14:00 at Papermill Park Accommodation
Training 14:30 onwards
*Saturday 15th training starts at 10:00
Lunch at 13:00 - 14:00
Training 14:00 onwards
*Sunday 16th training 09:30 - 13:00
Our Exmoor training holiday offers the opportunity to work your dog across some of the finest and most varied gundog training ground in the South West.
Training begins around The Coach House, Upton, where the surrounding countryside provides natural woodland, rolling pasture, valleys and traditional farmland. These beautiful surroundings create the perfect environment for developing essential gundog skills including hunting, steadiness, marking, memory retrieves, directional handling and confidence over varied terrain. The peaceful setting allows handlers and dogs to progress at a pace that builds both ability and confidence.
Throughout the holiday we also make use of additional training ground in and around Dulverton, taking advantage of Exmoor's unique landscape of wooded combes, open moorland, streams and challenging hillsides. Each location presents new training scenarios, enabling dogs to adapt to different environments while improving game-finding ability, balance, fitness and teamwork with their handler. Every exercise is carefully designed to reflect realistic shooting situations, helping handlers gain practical skills they can confidently take into the field.
To complete the experience, we finish the holiday at the outstanding South West Gundog Training Centre, where over 60 acres of purpose-built training facilities provide the ideal setting to put everything into practice. Featuring water, cover crops, retriever lanes, ditches, banks, jumps, hunting areas and challenging valleys, the centre offers the perfect opportunity to consolidate the week's learning and finish on a high.
Itinerary:
Friday 23rd - Arrive from 15:00 - Postcode TA4 2JE
Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th - All day training
Monday 26th - Enjoy the day however you choose, whether that's exploring the local countryside or visiting nearby attractions
Tuesday 27th - Training day at South West Gundog Training Centre - Tiverton
Accommodation included at The Coach House, Upton, TA4 2JE. To ensure the comfort of all guests, we kindly ask that dogs are not brought into the accommodation.
Our Exmoor training days offers the opportunity to work your dog across some of the finest and most varied gundog training ground in the South West.
Exmoor provides natural woodland, rolling pasture, valleys and traditional farmland. These beautiful surroundings create the perfect environment for developing essential gundog skills including hunting, steadiness, marking, memory retrieves, directional handling and confidence over varied terrain. The peaceful setting allows handlers and dogs to progress at a pace that builds both ability and confidence.
Throughout the training days we also make use of additional training ground in and around Dulverton, taking advantage of Exmoor's unique landscape of wooded combes, open moorland, streams and challenging hillsides. Each location presents new training scenarios, enabling dogs to adapt to different environments while improving game-finding ability, balance, fitness and teamwork with their handler. Every exercise is carefully designed to reflect realistic shooting situations, helping handlers gain practical skills they can confidently take into the field.
To complete the experience, we finish at the outstanding South West Gundog Training Centre, where over 60 acres of purpose-built training facilities provide the ideal setting to put everything into practice. Featuring water, cover crops, retriever lanes, ditches, banks, jumps, hunting areas and challenging valleys, the centre offers the perfect opportunity to consolidate the week's learning and finish on a high.
Itinerary:
Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th - All day training
Monday 26th - Enjoy the day however you choose, whether that's exploring the local countryside or visiting nearby attractions
Tuesday 27th - Training day at South West Gundog Training Centre - Tiverton
Please note: this price is for the training days only - if you require accommodation, this will need to be booked separately
Enjoy an unforgettable training holiday with like-minded people, Hillhouse Farm offers the perfect combination of first-class training grounds and the outstanding beauty of the Scottish Borders.
Hillhouse Farm offers an exceptional setting for gundog training, combining natural terrain with high-quality accommodation. Surrounded by rolling hills, heather, bracken, woodland, burns and open moorland, the estate provides the perfect environment to develop every aspect of a working gundog's abilities, from hunting to handling, marking and confidence across varied, challenging ground. The diverse landscape allows dogs and handlers to experience realistic training scenarios while enjoying spectacular scenery and the peace and tranquillity of the Scottish countryside.
After a rewarding day in the field, Bracken House provides warm and comfortable accommodation in the heart of the estate. Beautifully renovated from it’s former life as a shepherd’s cottage and gamekeeper’s cottage, it offers spacious open-plan living, modern country interiors and stunning views across the surrounding hills and woodland. Designed with both comfort and practicality in mind, Bracken House is the ideal place to relax, unwind and prepare for the next day's training adventure. Guests can step straight from the door onto miles of farm tracks and countryside, making it a perfect base for both handlers and their dogs.
Socialising at the end of the day, sharing meals together and staying at the same accommodation is great fun. It’s a wonderful opportunity to relax, chat about the day’s training and enjoy time with like-minded people.
Price includes, holiday accommodation and 3 days training.
Itinerary:
Friday 25th - Arrive from 15:00 - Postcode TD2 6RD
Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th & Monday 28th - All day training
Tuesday 29th - Enjoy the day however you choose, whether that's exploring the local countryside, visiting nearby attractions or just heading straight home.
To ensure the comfort of all guests, we kindly ask that dogs are not brought into the accommodation.
Fully Booked
Diglake Gundog Training Holidays
Elite Field Training Meets the Great British Countryside
Elevate your training journey with an immersive retreat designed by Diglake Gundogs. Set against the stunning, rolling landscapes of the English countryside, our exclusive training holidays offer a rare blend of high-level field instruction and relaxed camaraderie. Whether you are looking to sharpen your competitive edge or simply enjoy a dedicated break with your dog, these retreats provide the perfect environment to focus, learn, and excel.
The Diglake Standard
We believe a training holiday should be as memorable as it is productive. Each retreat is carefully curated to include a Supportive Community: Evenings spent with like-minded enthusiasts, sharing stories and insights from the day’s work.
Tailored Excellence for Every Partnership
From the ambitious novice to the seasoned field enthusiast, our holidays cater to all levels of experience. Guided by Dawn Scott’s IMDT-trained behavioural insights and her "train the dog in front of you" philosophy, we focus on:
Precision & Reliability: Building a well-mannered, biddable gundog that excels under pressure.
The Silent Bond: Strengthening the communication and trust between handler and dog through positive, modern reinforcement.
Personality-Driven Training: Adapting techniques to suit your dog’s unique drive and temperament, ensuring a happy and willing worker.
Intimate, Expert-Led Sessions
To ensure the personalised coaching that Diglake is known for, we maintain a strictly limited environment with a maximum of 8 dogs in any one session. Training is conducted in small, focused groups this ensures you receive one-on-one feedback that is necessary to truly transform your handling and take your dog’s performance to the next level.