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Do you have what it takes? Now I wouldn’t change him or his passion for game keeping for the world but being a gamekeepers girlfriend is far from the pub lunchin, tweed wearing , pooch under the arm perfect lifestyle that somehow us gamekeeper’s girls have been labelled.
“Oh, you go out with a gamekeeper, you must love having staff”. Now forgive me if i'm wrong but being a gamekeeper is not a in it for the money job. As for the staff, I’d love to hear from anyone that has staff? Feel free to inform me about how I go about acquiring some. I know Tom wouldn’t say no.
Staying within the topic of money, staff and luxuries. Don’t be expected to be treated like a queen, like the people suggest soon as you mention your partners career. If you’re in it for the expensive country style, then dream on darling, you will find a gamekeepers girl normally dressed in wellies or boots, their boyfriends huge jacket and covered in mud. Just the way we like it. Ok, so they may treat you to a schoffel but you have to look the part sometimes.
Long hours.
Like many jobs, long hours are involved. So far in my experience with Toms hours are that there’s no such thing to how many hours you can work in one week and what even are days off and holidays. In other words at some(most) points in the year be prepared to spend very little time with your gamekeeper. I currently work shifts and live 3 hours away from Tom until I finish uni but even when I visit in my holidays we unfortunately see very little of each other. So any time you have together counts, make the most of it.
The gamekeepers cottage.
Not always what it’s cracked up to be. You may even be sharing with another keeper. Don’t expect luxuries, expect nothing and then be overjoyed if there’s more to the house than you thought. However the views are normally to die for and you’ll probably spend most of your time outside anyway. Especially if there’s no phone signal or internet like with Toms.
Cleaning.
As I mentioned earlier staff would be amazing but it’s not going to happen. With very little hours in the house other than a few hours kip, you’d expect the house to be of an acceptable state. Nope. There’s probably more mud, bedding and feathers in the house than outside and leave them alone for even a week and it looks like you gamekeeper has had the whole pen in for tea. Where possible help them out, if it’s your day off or you finish early , give the house a quick clean. They probably don’t care what it looks like you probably do.
Dead.
Don’t like the idea of dead animals or the killing of animals then you either need to turn a blind eye or overcome your fear. Its never really bothered me yet my friends have always been the opposite. It goes without saying you probably will see a dead animal, hear the gun shots or see a bird that’s been half eaten. You will end up walking into a room and almost knocking yourself out on dead animal that’s been hung up , with no warning from your other half.
Helping out.
My favourite part is probably helping out where I can. Although I’m probably more of a hindrance than a help I love fixing pens, sitting out and doing whatever I can to make my gamekeepers day a little easier. Sitting out for hours just next to your gamekeeper having quiet chats can actually be quite romantic. You never know you may even get that pub lunch and pooch.
Being with a gamekeeper is a little crazy at times, it can be challenging but it has so many amazing parts too! Just because they spend more time with 1000’s of birds rather than you doesn’t mean they don’t love you. If they do what they love and you do what you love, meeting in the middle should be no problem.
Speak soon,
Meg xx