Whitworth Hall Deer Park

It was my birthday and we were at a loose end, so we decided to visit Whitworth Hall Deer Park in County Durham to feed the fawns and watch the young bucks compete for breeding rights.

It was rutting season, so we weren't allowed in the enclosure with the animals. The stags get pretty riled-up, and with a set of freshly-sprouted antlers, can be pretty aggressive.

We bought a couple of bags of feed from the hall reception, and immediately attracted a crowd of adolescent bucks, jostling for position.

It was hard to make sure that even the smaller, more timid animals got some of the pellets, but with a bit of team work and misdirection, they all got their share.

I've been to Whitworth Hall a few times and it's always been pretty quiet. It's a bit of a hidden gem, and a great experience for children - especially outside of rutting season, when you can take them into the enclosure and get up-close and personal with the animals.

These photographs were taken with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the extraordinary Canon 35 mm f/1.4 L II USM .