Archery

Archery is the sport of shooting arrows from a bow at a target. It began as a way to hunt and go to war, and today it's a precision sport, a hobby and a brilliantly calming way to switch off. Target archery has been a permanent Olympic sport since 1972. It's all about focus and technique, not brute strength, so anyone can pick it up.

The recurve bow's tips curve away from you, storing extra energy for a faster, punchier shot. It's the Olympic bow, and the one you'll most likely learn on.

The longbow is tall, simple and straight-limbed, often about as tall as the archer. The English longbow was made from yew and struck fear into medieval armies.

The compound bow is the high-tech one. Cables and wheels called cams do some of the work, so the string is much easier to hold at full draw. It's popular for target shooting and hunting.

Barebow means no sights, no stabilisers and no gadgets. Just you, the bow and your aim.

The horsebow is short, curved and built to be shot from horseback, with roots in Central Asia. Horse not included.

The crossbow is a bow turned sideways, mounted on a stock and fired with a trigger. It shoots short arrows called bolts.

It starts with a safety briefing and the range rules: where to stand, when to shoot and when to collect arrows. Then your Activity Leader takes you through the basics. Stand side-on, nock the arrow onto the string, draw back to your anchor point (the same spot on your face every time) and release smoothly. Most archers wear an arm guard to save their forearm from the string. Start close, step back as your arrows begin to group, and before long you'll be taking on challenges and eyeing up the bullseye.

Perfect. Beginner bows have a low draw weight, which means the string takes less effort to pull back, so technique beats muscle every time. Progress is easy to spot, arrow by arrow, which makes it one of the most rewarding skills you can pick up in an afternoon. It's made for a bit of friendly rivalry too, and yes, the bragging rights when you hit the gold are all yours.

Comfy clothes and closed-toe shoes. Save the flowing sleeves, scarves and dangly jewellery for the evening, as anything loose can catch on the bowstring. Tie back long hair too.

You might also like Archery Battles, Crossbow Shooting and Axe Throwing.

See all Camp Wildfire activities