Clay shooting is one of the easier country sports to try as a visitor: a have-a-go session puts a qualified instructor at your shoulder, and the gun, cartridges, clays and ear and eye protection are normally part of the price. You do not need a shotgun certificate of your own. Several grounds in and around the Cotswolds run sessions for complete beginners, and they differ more in when they open and where they are than in what a first session involves.
TL;DR:
- A 50-target have-a-go session costs roughly £60–£65 at the grounds that publish a price, usually with gun hire, cartridges, tuition and protective kit included. Check the venue's own page, because prices change.
- You don't need your own shotgun certificate for a supervised session at a clay ground, because the Firearms Act exempts supervised shooting at artificial targets.
- There is no legal minimum age for clay shooting, but under-15s must be supervised by someone aged 21 or over, and the grounds that state a minimum set it at 12.
- The grounds keep different days: Cotswold Clay Club's main ground runs have-a-go on Sundays, while Cotswold Shooting Ground near Broadway is closed on Sundays.
- Ask about cancellation, bad weather and access needs when you book. Terms vary from ground to ground.
Table of Contents
- Where to try clay shooting in the Cotswolds
- How do you choose the right shooting session?
- What should you expect on price, age and licensing?
- What are the cancellation and refund policies?
- Is clay shooting accessible for participants with disabilities?
- Fitting a shoot into a Cotswolds day
- Plan your day around the shoot with The Cotswolds App
- Sources
Where to try clay shooting in the Cotswolds
Four grounds offer sessions for beginners. The facts below come from each ground's own website. Confirm the details when you book, because days and prices change.
- Cotswold Valley Clay Shooting, Longborough, near Moreton-in-Marsh. This is the closest of the four to Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water. It publishes a clear price list: 50 targets for £60, or a one-to-one lesson with 50 clays for £70, with equipment and cartridges included. Coaching is by Bryan Parker, whom the ground describes as an ex-British and three-times English champion. The minimum age is 12.
- Cotswold Clay Club. Its "Try Clay Shooting" package is 50 targets from £65 per person, including clays, ammunition, gun hire, tuition and protective kit. Have-a-go sessions run on Sundays at the club's main ground. From Monday to Saturday it brings sessions to private locations around the Cotswolds, which is useful for groups. It takes stag, hen and corporate bookings. The club's site doesn't give the ground's address, so ask for directions when you book.
- Cotswold Shooting Ground, near Broadway. This suits a day in the north Cotswolds around Broadway and Chipping Campden better than one based at Bourton. Its tuition page lists one-to-one lessons, group sessions and "fun packs", with gun hire, clays, cartridges and coaching included. It is closed on Sundays, and the minimum age is 12.
- Ian Coley Sporting, just outside Cheltenham. It is a competition ground that also offers individual lessons and have-a-go sessions, by prior booking only. Practice facilities are for certificate holders only, so a beginner books a coached session.
If you want the look of it without live ammunition, Laser Clay Cotswolds is based near Cirencester at the Cotswold Lakes. It uses deactivated shotguns that fire infrared beams at reflective clays, either at its own sheltered venue or at a location of your choice. It's a different activity, but it suits mixed-age parties and events where live shooting isn't practical.
How do you choose the right shooting session?
Run through a short checklist before you commit, especially if you're booking for a group with mixed experience.
- Match the tuition to the group. First-timers want an instructor-led have-a-go session, not a ground set up mainly for practice by certificate holders.
- Check the day. The grounds keep different opening days, and some weekend dates book up.
- Confirm group size and privacy. Ask whether the session is shared with other bookings or exclusive to your party, particularly for stag, hen or corporate days.
- Check what's included. Clays, cartridges, gun hire, tuition and ear and eye protection should all be spelled out before you pay.
When you book, ask who will be coaching and whether they hold a recognised qualification, such as one from the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association. A well-run ground answers questions about coaching, insurance and safety briefings without fuss. If a venue hesitates over them, book elsewhere.
What should you expect on price, age and licensing?
Price. At the grounds that publish one, a 50-target have-a-go session costs £60 at Cotswold Valley and from £65 at Cotswold Clay Club. One-to-one coaching costs more, and group rates vary by party size. Check the venue's own page when you book.
Age. The law sets no minimum age for clay shooting. Under the Firearms Act 1968, section 22, anyone under 15 may only have an assembled shotgun while supervised by someone aged 21 or over. The grounds set their own limits on top of that: Cotswold Valley and Cotswold Shooting Ground both state a minimum age of 12. Ask before booking a family session.
Licensing. You don't need your own shotgun certificate for a have-a-go session. The Firearms Act allows people without a certificate to shoot at artificial targets in two situations. The first is at a time and place approved by the chief officer of police (section 11(6)). The second is when borrowing a gun on private premises from a certificate holder, who must be 18 or over and must stay with the borrower (section 11A). Owning a shotgun is a separate matter: you apply to your local police force. Since 5 August 2025, new applications need two referees rather than one, under the Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025.
Signs of a properly run ground:
- A safety briefing before anyone handles a gun, every time.
- Ear and eye protection issued as standard.
- Coaches who can tell you their qualification, and public liability insurance the ground can confirm.
What are the cancellation and refund policies?
These vary by ground, so ask when you book rather than assume. Clay shooting happens outdoors, and heavy rain, high wind or poor visibility can stop a session for safety reasons. Ask what happens if the ground cancels, how much notice you need to give to cancel or move your own booking, and whether a deposit is refundable.
If you're buying a gift voucher, check how long it's valid and how it is redeemed. That matters if the session is months away. Get the terms in writing, whether in a booking email or printed on the voucher.
Is clay shooting accessible for participants with disabilities?
Clay shooting can be adapted for many shooters, but what's possible depends on the ground's layout and on the coach. Talk to the ground before you book.
Ask about the ground surface between the car park and the stands, since many stands are reached across grass or uneven ground. Ask whether a seated position or an adapted stand is available. An experienced coach can also adjust stance, support and gun fit for an individual shooter, so describe any specific needs when you enquire rather than on the day.
If a ground can't meet a particular access need, ask whether it can recommend another ground that can.
Fitting a shoot into a Cotswolds day
Clay shooting works for a family day, a stag or hen party, a team day, or as a gift. A morning session leaves the afternoon free for lunch and a short walk. Dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes, because you'll be standing outside for the whole session. The lanes to rural grounds are often narrow, so allow extra time, and check the ground's opening days before you plan the rest of the day around it.
Plan your day around the shoot with The Cotswolds App
The app doesn't book shooting sessions, and the grounds above aren't listed in our directory, so you book directly with the ground. The app helps with the rest of the day. Use the interactive map and the directory to find pubs, cafés and places to stay near the ground. Each listing shows opening hours where they're known, and visitor ratings where people have left them.
The area guides collect what's around each town in one place. For Cotswold Valley, try Stow-on-the-Wold or Bourton-on-the-Water. For the Broadway ground, try Broadway, and for Ian Coley's, Cheltenham. If you're signed in, you can build an itinerary, add the ground as a custom stop, see driving times between stops, and share a link with the rest of the group. Install the app to keep it on your phone.
Sources
- Have a go Clay Shooting Prices — Cotswold Valley Clay Shooting
- Try Clay Shooting — Cotswold Clay Club
- Tuition — Cotswold Shooting Ground
- Shooting ground — Ian Coley Sporting
- Laser Clay Cotswolds
- Firearms Act 1968, section 11 — legislation.gov.uk
- Firearms Act 1968, section 11A — legislation.gov.uk
- Firearms Act 1968, section 22 — legislation.gov.uk
- The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025 — legislation.gov.uk