Barnack Blog

The Ladies Shooting 'Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club' day at Doveridge Clay Sports, Derbyshire.

Here at Barnack Country Clothes we are big fans of the ladies shooting website, www.ladies-shooting.com – you may remember our ‘Girls can do it too – Ladies Shooting‘ blog back in January. Feeling truly and utterly inspired by Victoria and her Ladies Shooting website, plus her fantastic entourage of contributors and Twitter fans, I simply could not turn down the invitation to attend my first Ladies Shooting ‘Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club’ Day on Saturday 7th April.

The Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club is a girls only clay shooting day with plenty of cake, good fun and excellent company. This Ladies Shooting club is perfect for beginners offering an introduction to shooting, but experienced lady guns will also receive expert tuition in a relaxed, safe, affordable and ladies only environment.

So the day arrived, I was booked in to attend the S&CB day at Doveridge Clay Sports in Derbyshire. Victoria very kindly organised for me to lift share with the lovely Katrine who was also travelling from Lincolnshire up to Derbyshire and rather handily only lived about 10 minutes away from me. I met Katrine that morning and we set off to Doveridge discussing our shooting experience and hobbies. I had picked up a shotgun once before when I had a lesson shooting clays with my Young Farmers Club last year, Katrine was a shooting first timer – although a regular on the shooting field, often found beating with her husband, daughter and dogs.

It took us no longer than an hour and a half to get to Doveridge and we didn’t really know what to expect on arrival; it turned out to be a big place with lots of vehicles in the car park, plenty of folk and quite an array of animals wandering around, we approached the club house and were greeted by some friendly faces; a bunch of ladies also there for some shooting and afternoon tea who in turn introduced themselves.

Once everybody had arrived, Victoria dished out name tags and score cards, instructed everybody that we were there to have a good time and took us outside. We were split in to three groups and introduced to our instructors. I was teamed with Katrine, Andrea; an American who had shot pistols but never a 12 bore, plus Krissi and Gabby; who both had previous experience. Our instructor was Pip who had tonnes of teaching and shooting experience and dished out a box of cartridges to each of us, then walked us down to our first stand. We shot 6 cartridges at each of the 5 stands, I was just beginning to get the hang of it on the 4th – a left to right, but then was rubbish on the 5th which was rabbit clays. Andrea and Katrine were both complete naturals and had brilliant scores, overall I hit 8 out of 30 – I was a little disappointed but had enjoyed myself and learnt lots whilst making new friends.

We retired to the club house where there was an excellent spread of tea and cake, prizes given out to the best shots and the most impressive cake makers. We were also visited by multiple world champion; Ben Husthwaite, who happily answered all the questions the lady guns threw at him. We followed this by team photos and set off on the journey home. Everybody had a fantastic time and I think it’s fair to say that we were all bitten by the bug and cannot wait to pick up a shotgun again.

If you are interested in having a go at clay shooting, take a look at the Ladies Shooting website for full details of their Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club Days plus everything you need to know about shooting. There are dates and venues across the country, plus they are planning simulated days and driven game shooting as well. I had a brilliant time and can’t wait to get my next day in the diary!

The Aigle Parcours Vario Wellington Boots are a best seller from Aigle Wellies at Barnack Country Clothes!

Here at Barnack Country Clothes, we are big fans of Aigle Wellies – these hard-wearing wellington boots are best sellers in our range of Traditional Wellies.

One of our most popular styles has got to be the Aigle Parcours Vario Wellington Boots; a unisex design which is unbelievably comfortable, sturdy, supportive, practical, easy to pull on and off, has good traction, is very versatile, durable and lightweight.

These Aigle Wellies are made with hard-wearing natural rubber which is vulcanised to increase durability and hold its shape better, have a fitted ankle for added support, a shock-absorbing rubber sole which offers excellent grip, are fully waterproof and have an adjustable side gusset which allows you to open up the top of the welly for extra room in the calf and added versatility.

Aigle Wellington Boots are suited for an array of activities including: dog walking, fishing, shooting, country strolls, around horses, farming and just about anything you can think of. The Aigle Parcours Vario Wellies are available from Barnack Country Clothes in sizes UK 3 – 14.5 (EU 36 – 50) in Dark Bronze (Dark Green) and priced at £89.99 (RRP £110).

Olney Tweed Caps and Country Hats from Barnack Country Clothes

If you are looking for a tweed cap which is made with attention to detail, excellent quality and is truly British then you have come to the right place. Here at Barnack Country Clothes, we stock Olney Country Hats; makers of fine English Headwear since 1914. The company, Olney Hats is based in Luton, Bedfordshire and is currently run by the 4th generation of the Olney family.

Olney Hats are available in an array of styles, colours and various tweeds; their product range has something for everyone and their quality is second to none. Our range includes tweed flat caps, sports caps, wax hats, baker boy caps and more – equally at home in the town or country.

Our Olney Hats and Caps collection includes something for everyone with a selection of hats inspired by everything British, designed to be stylish, practical, comfortable, durable, lightweight and versatile.

Here we feature a selection of Olney Tweed Flat Caps (pictured) – these tweed caps are available in two styles; the Olney Hereford and the Olney Kinloch. Both styles live up to Olney’s exacting quality standards and are best sellers here at Barnack Country Clothes. Each style is available in a choice of traditional tweeds which are 100% wool and make a smart addition to your outfit for wear in the town, country or shooting field.

Our Olney Tweed Caps are available in hat sizes 6¾ (55cm) – 7½ (61cm) with prices starting from £27.99!

Schoffel Jackets and Coats - the Ladies 3 in 1 Uppingham Waterproof Coat is available in 3 colours!

If, like us, you are feeling a little confused by the constant weather changes at the moment then you might just need a waterproof jacket which can keep up with the temperatures and demands. The Schoffel Ladies 3 in 1 Uppingham Coat (available in 3 colours) might just fit the bill. This Women’s jacket from Schoffel Clothing is incredibly practical and versatile and will ensure outstanding protection whatever the weather.

This Schoffel Coat is available in the following; Schoffel Ladies 3 in 1 Uppingham Waterproof Jacket – Dark Olive, Schoffel Ladies Uppingham Country Jacket – Midnight and the Schoffel Womens Uppingham Country Jacket – Spruce – each of these country coats is stylish, elegant and comfortable. Schoffel Clothing is of superb quality, made with durable materials, innovative designs and attention to detail and the Uppingham Coat is no exception. This 3 in 1 jacket has a waterproof, windproof and breathable outer jacket with a detachable hood, a drawcord waist to adjust fit and improve the shape if desired, zipped hand warmer pockets, large bellows pockets with poppers, adjustable cuffs and an inside zip pocket, plus it has a zip-in liner; a quilted jacket which could be worn alone on dry days, remove the liner from the outer jacket on milder days or wear the two combined for ultimate weather protection and whats more, both jackets are machine washable!

The Uppingham Country Jacket is available in our range of Ladies Schoffel Clothing at Barnack Country Clothes in sizes UK 8 – 20, priced at £299.95 in Dark Olive (new), Midnight (new) and Spruce.

Nikwax Cleaning and Waterproofing Products - perfect for cleaning your shooting gear before putting it away for the closed season.

The shooting season is over and it’s time to put away all your shooting clothing but, before you do, be sure to make sure you get your kit cleaned to prolong its life and ensure it is at its best when you get it out again next season.

Nikwax Cleaning Products are simply fantastic. The range of Nikwax products covers cleaning and re-proofing for absolutely everything, from footwear to tents and clothing to horse rugs. The code for Nikwax is simple; green for clean and purple for waterproofing. We would always recommend cleaning your clothing and footwear before re-proofing and did you know that if your waterproof clothing isn’t performing to its best,  it might not need to be reproofed? Often it just needs a good clean as dirt and residue can build up on the surface affecting its ability to breathe and repel water.

At Barnack Country Clothes we stock Nikwax products because they are easy to use, safe, have minimal impact on the environment and do the job intended. Our staff are trained on how to use the products so can advise which product is most suitable for your garments. Our bestsellers include the Nikwax Tech Wash which is suitable for cleaning most items, Nikwax TX Direct Wash-In which is the simple way to re-proof garments in the washing machine and Nikwax Polar Proof – who would have known how simple it is to make fleece highly water repellent before finding this product?

Nikwax will help to extend the life of your outdoor and country clothing whilst keeping it performing at its best whilst you are battling the elements. Click here to view our full range of Nikwax Cleaning and Waterproofing Products.

Women can shoot too! Visit Ladies Shooting - an informative, fun and inspiring website.

I recently stumbled across a fantastic website which is informative, fun, friendly, helpful and inspiring; www.ladies-shooting.com. In a hobby and sport which is dominated by men, this website must be visited by any ladies who have any involvement or interest in shooting. Ladies-Shooting also have forums, Facebook, Twitter and an array of experts willing to give you advice on just about anything.

The story behind Ladies Shooting began when Victoria Knowles-Lacks, 28 from Worcestershire picked up a shotgun a few years ago, she says “I had been beating a few times when I was younger but never really got that into it. I started having clay lessons in 2010. I was totally addicted immediately, I loved the buzz and just knew I was in it for the long haul. I wanted to get to a fairly decent standard then have a go at driven shooting. Thing is I didn’t find the people at the shooting club very forthcoming, nor could I really find any information on the internet detailing all of the important stuff, i.e the law on shooting, how to get a licence, what to wear, when I could shoot game, how or where to buy a gun, what sort of gun to get, how much to spend, what sort of things you can shoot – I had so many questions but couldn’t really find many answers which I thought was ridiculous. I tried a few more shooting grounds for lessons and couldn’t believe how few girls there were.” this inspired Victoria to do something about it “I spent a small fortune on shooting books, magazines, joined countless forums, websites, went to game fairs, country shows, joined BASC and literally hassled local farmers, found a local shoot and went and pestered a game keeper and literally drew information from wherever I could, learnt as I went along and threw it all onto a website.” Victoria put all this work in during her spare time whilst working full time, planning her wedding and training for a marathon – we think it was well worth it as the website is simply fantastic.

Ladies-Shooting.com went live on the 1st August 2011 and the idea of the site is to encourage more girls in to shooting, plus there are lots of informative guest blogs including The Pregnant Shot – a lady who is 6 months pregnant with twins and is still shooting, Davina Rowe who competes locally, fashion fixes, recipes and tonnes of technical advice such as how cartridges are made and buying your first gun.

Victoria also runs introductory clay days called ‘The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club‘ days which are non-profit girls only fun days which include clays, cartridges, expert tuition, and a gorgeous afternoon tea which provide a really fun and safe environment to learn to shoot, with no men around and therefore no pressure (some guys can be really judegemental can’t they!).

Here at Barnack Country Clothes we are truly inspired by Victoria and her website Ladies-Shooting.com and our message to any ladies wanting to try shooting is to go for it! Our website www.barnack.co.uk stocks a range of Women’s Country Clothing suitable for shooting, beating, picking up or just going along for a social. We stock ladies shooting jackets, women’s breeks, shirts, jumpers, shooting socks, hats, gloves and scarves, wellies and leather country boots plus our Shooting Clothing area includes an array of Shooting Accessories from dog whistles to cartridge bags. We’d like to wish Victoria and any current or future lady guns lots of luck, keep up the good work!

Aigle Benyl Wellies from Barnack Country Clothes - buy them now and receive a FREE Aigle Boot Bag

Have you seen the Aigle Benyl Wellies from Aigle Clothing? These hard-wearing Aigle Wellington Boots were re-launched for Autumn/Winter 2011, formerly known as the Aigle Benylsport Wellies, these boots were given a new look and have proved to be very popular.

The Aigle Benyl Wellies are lightweight but very hard-wearing, incredibly comfortable, they have a cool and quick drying lining, a durable sole with excellent grip and sturdiness, are made with natural rubber to ensure they are built to last, have a shock absorbing insole for added comfort and improved protection, plus they are perfect for all-round use whether you are farming, shooting, dog walking, fishing, going for country strolls or just about anything!

The Aigle Benyl Wellies are available from Barnack Country Clothes in Bronze (Dark Green) in sizes UK 4 – 12 (EU 37 – 47) priced at £64.99 (RRP £80) – whats more, for a limited time only (while stocks last) you will receive a FREE AIGLE BOOT BAG with selected Aigle Wellies.

SealSkinz Gloves and Hats are waterproof, windproof and breathable - simply fantastic!

Have you heard about SealSkinz Gloves? If not, keep reading because everybody who spends time outdoors needs to know about SealSkinz. Here at Barnack Country Clothes we stock a range of SealSkinz Gloves and Hats which can only be described as outstanding.

SealSkinz Gloves are fully waterproof, windproof and breathable – perfect for any outdoor activity. There is an array of different styles available, suited to different climates and uses – ideal for cycling, shooting, fishing, dog walking, equestrian use, skiing, running, sailing and watersports, motorcycling, team sports, general outdoor and country use – you name it, SealSkinz will give it a go.

SealSkinz Gloves really are waterproof – we have tested them in icy troughs, submerged them in water, run them under the tap, plus we have tested them in cold and windy conditions and have not been disappointed.

SealSkinz Gloves are available from Barnack Country Clothes in Ladies, Mens and Unisex styles with prices starting from £27.99. If you enjoy time in the Country and great outdoors then be sure to treat yourself for ultimate weather protection.

The Musto Deepdale Leather Gore-TEX Country Boots are a fantastic choice for town or country. They have a waterproof and breathable membrane and are incredibly comfortable and stylish.

Have you seen the amazing Musto Deepdale Country Boots from Barnack Country Clothes? These stylish leather country boots by Musto Clothing are practical, versatile, fashionable for the town or country, incredibly comfortable, lightweight and are also fully waterproof and breathable, plus have a full length side zip for easily pulling on and taking off.

The Musto Deepdale Leather Country Boots offer excellent protection from wind, rain, cold, sleet, snow or hail and any other elements thrown their way, they will keep your feet toasty warm, dry and cosy with help from the Gore-TEX® Membrane. The durable Vibram® sole offers excellent grip and stability, whilst the leather lined shock absorbing footbed ensures your remain comfortable all day long. The Musto Deepdale Boots have a full length side zip with the option of removable or changeable tassels (3 colours are supplied), the boots are also styled with a brogue stitch and hole detailing.

The Musto Deepdale Country Boots are currently on offer at Barnack Country Clothes available for just £249.99 (RRP £309.99) in Brown, sizes UK 4 – 8.

The Schoffel Saxby Unisex Packaway Waterproof Overtrousers are excellent all round - perfect for country wear!

If you are looking for a lightweight, waterproof, windproof, breathable and quiet set of Overtrousers then the Schoffel Saxby Unisex Packaway Overtrousers might be just perfect for you!

The Schoffel Saxby Overtrousers (formerley the Schoffel Wyoming Overtrousers) were given a new look this season, now made with a lighter, quieter, more durable material with a matt finish.

The Schoffel Saxby Unisex Overtrousers are made with Schoffel’s Venturi® membrane which offers excellent protection from the elements as it is 100% Waterproof, Windproof and Breathable, these Overtrousers also have a handy feature enabling you to pack them away in to a small pouch which doubles up as a back security pocket. The Saxby Overtrousers have an elasticated waist and hem with two position popper closures, have full length side zips to allow for easy access over boots and also allow quick and simple access to your pockets underneath. These Schoffel Overtrousers are also machine washable and dry very speedily.

Pick up a pair of Schoffel Unisex Saxby Packaway Overtrousers from Barnack Country Clothes today for £109.95 in sizes XS – XXL in Tundra Green. The Saxby Overtrousers are excellent when teamed with the matching Schoffel Ketton Unisex Packaway Waterproof Jacket (pictured left), click here to view our full range of Schoffel Clothing.

January Sale NOW ON at Barnack Country Clothes - take a look at our fantastic savings on top brands including Aigle, Barbour, Musto, Joules, Didriksons and more...

Barnack Country Clothes have launched their January Sale, offering excellent savings on top branded country clothes including Aigle Clothing, Barbour, Joules, Musto, Didriksons Clothing, Olney Hats and many more. Visit www.barnack.co.uk to view the sale.

The Barbour Mens Sporting Superlight Gore-Tex Waterproof Jacket from Barnack Country Clothes is a fantastic all-round and shooting Coat.

This Barbour Mens Sporting Superlight Gore-Tex Waterproof Jacket is the ultimate Shooting Coat and all-round Waterproof Jacket which will turn its hand to anything.

This Barbour Jacket is very popular due to its windproof, waterproof and highly breathable yet lightweight design, it has a 2-layer Gore-TEX membrane and plenty of features to keep you warm, dry and comfortable all day long. Barbour Clothing have designed this jacket mainly as a shooting coat but its fantastic versatility and array of features make it a favourite in our range. The Barbour Superlight Jacket has large bellow cartridge pockets with retainer straps for easy access in to the pockets, plenty of inner pockets for safe storage of small items, cosy fleece lined pockets for additional warmth and comfort, an adjustable and removable hood, a drawstring waist, set in sleeves to ensure a good range of movement in the shoulders and it is even machine washable!

The Barbour Mens Sporting Superlight Gore-TEX Waterproof Jacket is available from Barnack Country Clothes in Marsh Green, in sizes S (38″) – XXL (49″) and is priced at £349.00!

Its Free Delivery Week at Barnack Country Clothes, take advantage of this fantastic offer and receive free delivery when you buy Outdoor Clothing, Wellington Boots and Christmas Gifts today!

Its FREE DELIVERY WEEK here at Barnack Country Clothes so why not take advantage of this fantastic offer today, you will receive free delivery when ordering outdoor and country clothing, wellington boots, shooting clothing and Christmas gifts too! Free Delivery Week ends at 5pm on Monday 28th November, so order now and receive Free Standard Delivery on all items sent to Mainland UK – please visit our Delivery and Returns Information page for full information plus terms and conditions.

Visit www.barnack.co.uk today and get your free delivery – orders despatched on our standard service which takes approximately 3 – 5 working days – couriers include Hermes, Interlink Express and Royal Mail. Choose from our top brands including Aigle, Barbour, Musto, Joules, Schoffel, Seeland, Didriksons, Barmah Hats, Hunter Wellies, Le Chameau, Dents, SealSkinz, MacWet, Sax Ties, Nikwax and many, many more.

The Schoffel Mens Hambleton Soft Shell Jacket from Barnack Country Clothes has proved to be a popular addition to the Schoffel Clothing collection.

Take a look at one of the newest additions to the Schoffel Clothing collection; the Schoffel Mens Hambleton Soft Shell Jacket. This Schoffel Jacket has proved a very popular piece in the Schoffel Countrywear Autumn/Winter range for 2011.

This Softshell Jacket has been included as a fantastic all-round jacket which will be reliable whatever you choose to do in it. The Schoffel Hambleton Jacket offers ultimate protection with its abrasion-resistant and highly water repellent outer, its windproof and breathable membrane, plus a cosy fleece lining which is soft against the skin and offers additional warmth.

The Schoffel Mens Hambeton Soft Shell Jacket has a full length front zip, a chest pocket with vertical access and zip closure, 2 hand warming pockets with secure zip closure and a hem draw cord too. This soft shell jacket is also machine washable.

The Schoffel Mens Hambleton Soft Shell Jacket is available from Barnack Country Clothes in chest sizes 38″ – 48″ in Dark Olive, priced at £189.95. We also stock the matching breeks, take a look at them here: Schoffel Mens Braunston Soft Shell Breeks.

The Schoffel Mens Chelsea Check Shirt in Navy from Barnack Country Clothes

NEW IN – the Schoffel Mens Chelsea Check Shirt in Navy is a brand new addition to our Mens Schoffel Clothing collection. The new Schoffel Chelsea Shirts compliments the Schoffel Clothing range fantastically. The Schoffel Mens Chelsea Check Shirt in Navy is perfect for wear in the town or country and looks great under a gilet, cosy jumper or tweed jacket.

This Mens Schoffel Shirt is made with 100% crisp cotton, has a double cuff button position and can be used with cufflinks, has a large check in navy and is also machine washable.

The Schoffel Mens Chelsea Check Shirt in Navy is available from Barnack Country Clothes in collar sizes 15.5″ – 18″ priced at £64.95.