//Archery: the sport of legends//
Archery (from the Latin word ‘arcus’ meaning ‘bow and arrow’) is a sport that dates back to
the Stone Age. Archaelogists have uncovered stone arrow tips that date back to more than
50,000 years ago, when archery was used in hunting and in warfare. The Egyptians created
wooden bows, tipped with animal horn and held together with animal sinew and glue, from
which arrows could be fired over 400 yards and penetrate armour.
//Right on target//
The art of hitting a target from a distance is no mean feat and the bow and arrow has long
been associated with some of the greatest mythological and film heroes of our time, from
Cupid, the god of love, to William Tell and Robin Hood. The sport requires exquisite skill, a
steady aim and years of practice to become expert but it’s easy to get started and highly
addictive once you get going… there’s a reason that the ancient art of archery has lived on
through the centuries.
At Adventure Sports, we offer archery lessons against 100 acres of beautiful surroundings in
grounds that were once owned by Warwick Castle – a site protected by archers throughout
history. It was the British people back in 1780 who started a major revival of archery as a
sport for the upper class. Back then it was a privilege of the posh and wealthy and often came
with all the trimmings including flags and ceremony. Some archery clubs today still come
complete with the traditional felt clothing and feather decorated caps an obligatory uniform
for members.
We retain the tradition of the sport but do not require traditional dress! Instead, we request
that our archers wear suitable clothing, including a waterproof jacket, flexible upper body
wear to allow easy arm movement and sensible footwear – wellington boots are ideal but
trainers or walking boots are also acceptable. We see archery as a fun and team building
exercise that offers a real sense of progression and achievement for every participant. The
sport has an easy entry level and, with the guidance of our experienced instructors, every
archer can quickly build up their skills. Many of our sportsmen find themselves entering our
archery competitions soon after their very first try with the bow and arrow.
//Into battle//
We teach the modern version of archery that originated back in 14th-century England. The
longbow was an important weapon in well-known historic battles of Crecy, Poitiers and
Agincourt. Between 1330 and 1414, English kings banned all other sports so that men could
perfect their skills and the British could boast the largest army of archers.
Our sessions include an hour-long session with an experienced instructor with full tuition on
the art of using a recurve longbow (otherwise known as a regular bow and arrow!) All
participants will learn how to hold a bow, aim and shoot at a full size archery target. Archers
will have the chance to use practice arrows to master the basics before moving on to a
competition round. All of our past participants have been astounded at how quickly their
accuracy and ability improves with patience and practice.
In their early days, bow and arrows were very basic but today you’ll find many types,
including compound bows, cable-backed bows, longbows and flatbows. In prehistoric times,
arrows were made from flint but now they can be made of anything from wood, bamboo,
fiberglass or other composite materials. We work with aluminium-shafted arrows.
Adventure Sports offers a beautiful and relaxing place within which to learn this legendary
sport and life changing skill. Archery is part of the Olympics and has spawned famous figures
such as Kenny Allen and Pippa Britton, who are part of the GB Paralympics team. We would
love to show you what all the fuss is about…
If you want to know more please just give us a call on- or read more on the
archery page at our site: http://www.adventuresport.co.uk/archery