Clay pigeon shooting is the modern descendant of hunting and game shooting. It preserves the pleasure of spending time in the great outdoors, while eliminating the animal cruelty of its predecessors. The perfect setting is a wide open space, with some trees and undergrowth where you can hide the trap - the machine which fires clays for the shooters. The landscape of Surrey isn’t dominated by big cities or intensive agriculture, and it’s the most wooded county in England, which makes it the perfect destination for clay pigeon shooting. On top of that, its proximity to London makes escaping here even easier.

But you don’t have to take our word for it - in the 1890s the National Rifle Association of the UK moved its London headquarters to the village of Bisley near woking, the biggest town in the county. This is the governing body of shooting sports in the UK and it has a large site with tree lined ranges outside Bisley where clay pigeon shooting, alongside other shooting sports, take place. Here, and at clubs around the county, you can take a breath of fresh air, and a couple of shots at airborne clays, to enjoy the countryside in the best possible way.

Where are the best places to do clay pigeon shooting in Surrey?

• Bisley: As home to the British NRA, this is where you can experience top tier clay pigeon shooting. It’s a 3000 acre site in the green and pleasant land of Surrey, and though it’s just 30 miles from central London, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a peaceful fantasyland when you arrive. There are youth sessions, group sessions, and individual tuition available here and, for more experienced shooters, simulated game experiences.

• Redhill: There’s a clay shooting club inside the M25 ring road of London in the East of the county. Rolling hills with criss-cross hedgerows are the backdrop to your shooting experience here. It’s a great place to take lessons if you want to take up this sport seriously or improve your technique, or you can organise a group event to give your social event a bit of an edge. The team can also pack up their guns, traps and other equipment and bring the action to where you are - provided that you have a suitable outdoor space.

• Horley: You can watch the planes flying in and out of Gatwick Airport here but we encourage you to save your shooting for clay pigeons! There are two shooting clubs in the area that welcome beginners to smash some clays to pieces. With expert individual or group coaching you’ll be hitting the clays in no time here. At the club in nearby Newdigate, the shooting takes place on open field, hedgerow and woodland stands so you’re surrounded by nature as you take aim - and there’s a food truck on site during sporting shooting days.

What kind of experiences can you find?

- To have some fun with your friends, we recommend that you organise a group shooting activity. Maybe you’re looking for a stag or hen do activity with a difference, or a novel way to do some team building with your colleagues - in Surrey you can find the perfect plan. You’ll be in the hands of an experienced instructor who’ll make sure that you shoot safely and effectively, while having a good time throughout the session. Unique among shooting sports, clay pigeon shooting involves multiple people aiming and firing at the same target, because the flying clay travels across the range and up to 5 people can take a shot at it before it hits the ground. You’re guaranteed to feel a bit of friendly competition with your companions when you want to beat them to each target! Most group activities last around 1.5 or 2 hours, enough for everyone to hit some clays.

- This is also a fantastic place for seriously getting into this sport, and after getting a taste for it, we know that you’ll be keen for more! Lessons and coaching are available around the county and you can arrange them on a one to one basis, or as a small group. 15 minute have a go sessions are available at some ranges, while most lessons are 1 hour long. With the guidance and support of an experienced instructor, you’ll find that you can quickly improve your technique and up your hit rate in no time. And once you’ve got the hang of standard shooting (known as Down the Line), you can try more imaginative shooting layouts which involve clays flying onto the range from different angles, and sometimes without warning.

- Reserved for those who know how to handle a shotgun, simulated game shooting is an imitation of hunting real life birds. You’ll leave the carefully maintained ranges and take to the undergrowth, where hidden traps fire clays at random times and angles, like a bird breaking cover. Quick reactions are needed to shoot these clays out of the air, but it’s a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours in the great outdoors.

Requirements to do this activity

You don’t need any experience, equipment or licences to get involved in this sport. Residents and visitors in Surrey are welcome at the ranges to try their hand at clay pigeon shooting even if they’ve never held a gun before. The instructors will take charge of safety, making sure that everyone is assigned the appropriate equipment and uses it well, and they’ll ensure that you’re having a good time too.

If your kids are always shooting each other - and strangers - on their playstation or xbox, why don’t you give them a chance to try shooting for real? At the National Rifle Association’s Bisley facility (NRA), you can find junior sessions for youngsters aged between 10 and 17 years olds, where the sport is taken seriously but entertainment is guaranteed. Other clubs around the county welcome shooters from 13 years old and up to have a go or take part in lessons.

This adventure is closer than you think! If you make a booking now, we’ll get right on it.