Feathers and Fur

Taking a Walk in the beautiful Berkshire countryside can only be improved by the addition of one thing…..a Harris Hawk. Experience the wonderful exhilaration of having a hawk stoop to your gloved fist from the top of the surrounding trees or dart  powerfully over the hedges.

Feathers and Fur offers you the opportunity to handle and fly the awesome Harris Hawk. Marvel as they follow on, exploring the canopy of trees and returning to you fist for morsels of feed.

A Hawk Walk Gift Voucher makes the ideal gift for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, or has an interest in falconry.

What’s Involved

Our meeting point for the Hawk Walk is Ladd’s Garden Village, Nr Reading, Berkshire. Feathers and Fur has a purpose built area with in Ladd’s Garden Village where the birds are on show to the public. Here you meet the falconers and after introductions we ask you to follow in your cars to the flying area. This is only a short drive across the road, where the cars are left in a private parking area. *

First off is a quick safety talk and you are shown how to call and hold the birds. We then look at all the equipment the bird wears and how it is changed for flying. You are given a falconry glove to use for the duration of the walk. The birds are then released and the walk begins.

The Hawk Walk uses private land, and although the field margins are managed they are only mowed a few times throughout the year. This means that the area has a wide range of wildlife and really adds to the natural ness of flying the birds. We do ask that you follow the requirements on clothing and foot wear though to make your walk as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

The Walks last approximately 1 hour but we are never in a hurry, the individual walks allow you to watch and enjoy the birds at your leisure. The birds are called sporadically to your fist as they follow on, showing perfectly the natural behaviour of the Harris Hawk.

The birds are perfectly photogenic and the walk is ideal for improving your photography skills with the bird landing on your fist and in the surrounding trees and on posts. Click here for details of our specialized photography session.

Once we reach the end the birds are fed up with their main meal and we travel back to Ladd’s Garden Village. Here you can pop down to the café to enjoy a wide variety of coffees, teas, cakes and hot / cold meals.

Clothing

In the words of Billy Connelly “there’s no such thing as bad weather – just bad clothes!”  We are going to be walking in the countryside, so we ask that you wear suitable out door clothing.

Tops and Jackets: we do ask that you wear a long sleeve top that covers your lower arms. In the winter months layers work best, and although we try not to fly in the rain we suggest a water proof jacket, this is British weather after all. Colour makes no difference to the birds.

Trousers: Although the margins are mowed a number of times a year we do not recommend shorts just in case of stinging nettles (never a dock leaf when you need one!). Jeans are perfect but any comfortable walking trouser will do. Be aware if it has rained in the days leading up to your walk then it may be possible that the grass will be wet and your trousers will get damp so you may want to pack a spare pair.

Footwear: We are walking around a grass field so your best dancing shoes are not recommended. We ask that you wear something with a good grip, Wellington or walking boots are perfect. Trainers are fine if it has not rained. We do have a number of spare Wellingtons if you have nothing suitable for walking out of doors. We then just ask for you to bring thick socks!

Weather

Unfortunately the birds do not fly well in the rain (nor do falconers like walking in it!). If it is raining on the day of your walk Feathers and Fur will re arrange with yourself a suitable time to rebook the walk. We ask you to call on the morning of your walk if you are unsure of the weather conditions. Feathers and Fur reserves the right to cancel a walk at any point prior and during the walk.

Health

Walking with birds and having them fly to you is an exhilarating experience. If you are known to suffer from any condition that may be affected as a result of the walk please note that Feathers and Fur does not accept responsibility for any illness or incident that occurs as a result of the Hawk Walk.

Hawk Walks are not suitable for wheel chair users however Feathers and Fur can offer tailor made experience session at Ladd’s Garden Village for those wishing to fly these magnificent birds.

* Feathers and Fur accepts no responsibility for damage or loss from any vehicles