North Yorkshire Wildlife Photography Hide Review

I spent the day at North Yorkshire Wildlife Photography Hide in Malton, North Yorkshire. This is the first visit to this hide I’ve been on so far.

Quick Overview

📍 Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
🌿 Habitat Type: Woodland & Lake side
🎯 Target Species: Birds
📅 Best Season: All year round
🕒 Best Time of Day: All day
💰 Cost: £75+
📅 Booking Required: Yes
👥 Max Photographers:  2

🔗 Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063531369702

What Makes This Hide Unique?

The hide at Malton is set on the side of a lake surrounded by woodland on the outskirts of the golf course. The hide is comfortable and has a wide selection of wildlife that visit all year around. The hide is open on two sides so you can get a view of the lake with various perches for Kingfishers, and then the other side is set up with perches on land for the woodland birds.

The hide can seat 2 people with room for your gear and lunch bags. Gimbal heads and bases are provided for both spaces. The hide is located within the Malton Golf Club grounds off Welham Lake. Access is really good and you can drive through the course then onto the private land for the lake to park up, a short walk through the woods to the hide.

Setup & Shooting Conditions

Distance to Subjects

• Minimum focal length: 200mm
• Ideal focal length: 400mm to 600mm (800mm for some of the further perches would be good)
• Various water birds, sing birds ad squirrels. Buzzard does come in as well.

Background Quality

• Clean / natural / busy? The background is varied depending on the side you’re shooting from. There are trees and reeds.
• Artificial perches? The perches are made from branches and look realistic in the shots.

Species You Can Expect

Regular Sightings

• Buzzard
• Kingfisher
• Ducks, Heron, Moorhen
• Plenty of the usual British song birds all year round

My Experience

• What surprised you?
  How peaceful the hide was (I was on my own) and the sound of the birds within the woodland.
• What frustrated you?
  As I was on my own, switching sides took its toll on me through a long day.
• Did the activity match expectations? Although I did get a lot of shots (2000+) through the day it was quieter than usual. I think this was due to the nesting of the smaller birds and buzzard.
• Was it worth the price?
  Yes it was worth the price. I paid £75 for the full day (0700-1500). I also stayed in Malton the night before at the Wentworth Arms.

Camera Settings & Gear I Used

Body: Nikon Z8
Lens: Nikon Nikkor 180-600mm
Support (tripod/beanbag): Gimbal head & base provided

Typical Settings I use:

• Shutter speed: Varies depending on static or flight shots
• Aperture: F6.3
• ISO range: 1250

Who Is This Hide Best For?

✔ Beginners
✔ Advanced wildlife photographers
✔ Behaviour shooters
✖ Landscape photographers
✖ Portrait shooters

Tips If You’re Visiting

• Arrive 10-15 minutes early to get yourself through the golf course, parked and walked to the hide then set up.
• Bring camera & lenses, spare batteries, warm clothes for winter, food and drinks.
• Avoid being too loud, leaving when the raptors are in the hide.

Check start times on the email/message you receive before arrival.

Final Verdict – Would I Return?

• Is it worth the money?
  Yes worth the money, I would return away from nesting season.
• Is it worth travelling for?
  It is 1hr30 from me in West Yorkshire. I did stay over the night before to be ready for an early start. I would recommend doing this unless you live really close.
• Would you recommend it?
  Yes.