Archery

Archery is a sport you can take up at any age, and it's great fun! Archery is an ancient sport and was regarded by many cultures as an art, much like music or poetry, and it figures repeatedly in Roman and Greek mythology.

Today, archery is a modern Olympic sport - British archers have won 9 medals at the last three Olympic Games. People of all abilities can take part in archery. In fact, paraplegic archers competed at the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games alongside the able-bodied competitors.

Most archers use recurve bows - the modern version of the traditional Longbow. Although wooden arrows are still shot by some archers, most people now shoot lightweight arrows produced from aluminium, carbon or a combination of both.

Target Archery is where you shoot at the target of coloured rings. You try to get every one of your six arrows into the 10" centre, from distances ranging from 20 yards for beginners up to 100 yards for the experts. It takes lots of practice and dedication, but it can be done!

Field Archery is quite different - many targets are placed around a wood and you shoot at them as you come across them. There is no rush, you have plenty of time to aim, but you might have to avoid tree branches and bushes to hit the target, and you may have to shoot across valleys or rivers, or up and down hill!

Or, if you really want to get into the spirit of things….

Medieval or "Re-enactment" archery is catching on fast, using only English longbows with wooden arrows, similar to the equipment used in the days of Robin Hood. The archers wear the costume of the period, and put on displays at castles and country houses across the country.