Elton Barn Fishery and Retreat

Glamping BBQ huts

Elton Barn’s two BBQ Huts offer a more glamourous aspect to camping with their own internal BBQ pits for heating and cooking, a double bed and two additional sleeping areas for children or teenagers on benches that pull out to make single bunks.

The BBQ Huts will suit the more adventurous visitors without the traditional hassles that go with camping such as the unpredictable English weather. They offer an ideal base to explore the land and surrounding area and are nestled in the orchard so ideal for the fruit picking season.

The internal BBQ pit offers a roaring fire on chilliest evenings and enable guests to cook meals and hot drinks. During the summer an external BBQ is available for al fresco dining. The BBQ huts have electric points and include a microwave, Freeview TV/DVD, kettle and small fridge.

The two Shepherds Huts

The two Shepherds Huts offer a double Bed, two cosy arm chairs for relaxing looking out onto the view of the lake, together with a log burning stove for heating and cooking.

Both huts come with electric and are equipped with a a microwave, kettle, toaster, small fridge, TV/DVD combi with Freeview and a small heater. To make the most of summer evenings there is also a bistro set with external BBQ so guests can dine outdoors whilst overlooking the lake.

Camping at Elton Barn

For traditionalist, Elton Barn Fishery and Retreat offers a limited number of pitches for camping. Although there are no electric hook-ups, campers have full access to the shower and toilet block on site. A maximum of 10 tents are allowed at any one time although exceptions may be possible depending on size of tents booked. Fishing is extra but visitors should contact the venue to check on availability.

The toilet and shower block are a short walk from all accommodation. There is also a pot-wash area to wash cooking items and  recharge lanterns, torches and mobiles. In addition there is a shared fridge for perishable food and a drinking water tap for water.

Fishing the Elton Barn Lake

Carp to 30lbs and a good mix of silver fish

At an acre in size and with just 12 pegs to ensure anglers have plenty of space, the fishing lake at Elton Barn is well stocked with a mix of carp and silver fish including common and mirrors – three of which are known to run to 30lbs – as well as ghost, koi and grass carp, a catfish which weighed 65lbs when it was caught three years ago and a good head of roach, tench to about 4lbs, rudd, chub and a few bream.

With depths varying from four feet at the shallow end next to the car park to a maximum of eight feet near the lodges, the lake has two small islands which give anglers features to fish to.

Margin fishing can be rewarding

Although the fishing is good all around the lake, it can be particularly rewarding in the margins and near the islands with margin fishing generally most effective in the evenings. The lake is also good for night fishing when it obviously pays to leger fish using bite alarms.

Popular pegs are Peg 1 near the car park and Peg 3 near the corner whilst the Shepherds Huts pegs are also usually very productive. However, the fishing is generally good throughout the lake and being only relatively shallow is ideal for anglers who like to float fish, especially for the silvers which can give plenty of bites when the conditions are right and keep anglers busy.

Even Chorizo and Haribo sweets make good baits!

Anglers targeting the carp fish modern and traditional techniques with maggots, sweetcorn, luncheon meat, pellets, boilies and spicy sausage such as Chorizo being popular. It is also said that Haribo fruit gummies are a particular favourite with the carp so it is obviously one of those waters where anything is worth a try!

Being only an acre in size there is no need for bait boats, throwing sticks or bombs for baiting up swims as all areas are easily reached from the banks.

When it comes to fishing for the silver fish, sweetcorn, maggots, and small cubes luncheon meat all work well as do smaller hook pellets. Regular light feeding with a mix of hook samples and feeder pellets helps to attract the fish to your swim and a philosophy of ‘little and often’ should keep the fish feeding and near your bait.

Don’t use floating bread – but dog biscuits are allowed

Anglers are asked to note that they shouldn’t fish floating bread because of the ducks and geese on the lake but that they can use floating dog biscuits. There is a car park and toilets on site for use of anglers and bivvies are allowed around the lake for overnight fishing, although guests are not allowed unless previously agreed with owners.

Other than that there are few rules, all that is asked is that anglers respect the fish and the surroundings and have a good time.