Birthwaite Cottage & Sporting Rights, Ripley, Near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3

LOT 4 – Sporting Rights extending to 1,800 acres (728 ha) including Birthwaite Cottage, shoot yard and land extending to 28.89 acres (11.69 ha)

The sporting rights on the Ripley Castle Estate extend in all to approximately 1,800 acres (728 ha) and are currently let on a 5-year lease that commenced on 2nd February 2022. The lease benefits from a break clause in favour of both parties whereby the lease can be terminated at the end of the fifth year subject to the relevant notice being served. This provides a purchaser with the ability to exercise the sporting rights with effect from the 2027/28 season. In the event that the Break Clause is not exercised, the Lease contains a right in favour of the Tenant to renew the lease for a further 5 year term.

The shooting tenant currently operates the Ripley Castle Estate sporting rights in conjunction with the neighbouring Hob Green Estate situated on the northern boundary, alongside agreements with other third-party landowners.

The traditional parkland and lakes together with the rolling topography of Cayton Gill and the extensive woodland cover over which the sporting rights are owned means that Ripley Castle Estate, in its own right, provides the ability to show high pheasants and partridges that would test the most accomplished team of guns, thereby providing an exhilarating shoot.

The shoot is currently operated from Birthwaite which is situated approximately ¾ mile to the north of Ripley village. Birthwaite Cottage is let by virtue of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) to the shooting tenant and offers comfortable accommodation for a gamekeeper and family. Birthwaite Cottage is a detached property providing approximately 1,275 ft² of accommodation with breakfast kitchen, utility and two reception rooms to the ground floor with three bedrooms and house bathroom to the first floor. Externally there is a large garden with parking for numerous vehicles. The yard, which is included within the shooting lease, comprises general purpose portal frame buildings providing ideal workshop and storage facilities together with an adjoining grassland paddock that has been utilised as a rearing field.

In the event that Ripley Castle and Parkland (Lot 1) is sold in isolation, the sporting rights over Lot 1 will be included with that sale, but subject to the existing shooting lease.