While at Hever Castle in UK there were many activites besides touring the historical building itself. Our kids decided to try learning a new skill, archery. Buddy was first up. He impressed us all with his ability to follow the instructions and get his arrows launched into the air. One even managed to make it to the closest target.
After his 10 arrows were used up he told his sister it was her turn. She found the tension needed to make the arrow fly required good muscle control in the upper arm and shoulder. She got hers to the close target too.
Then it was our SIL's turn. And if you look carefully you'll see that our daughter managed to click the camera in time to catch his arrow in flight just above the close target! Her hubby managed to get his arrow to the boar in the distance.
All three have decided this activity was great fun. In the future each may join a group to really learn the skills needed to become a proficient archer.
Just before posting these pictures I did a search and discovered that the use of the bow and arrow dates back as far as 10000 BC with discoveries of some in northern Europe. These tools have been discovered in all continents except Australia where only spears appeared as weapon.
While many of today's weapons are launched by computers, it's relaxing to watch as people as they try to recapture one of the more historical ways of shooting a missile at the castle grounds. That's because there was no threat of pending hunger or a dangerous enemy if the target was not met.
Have you had any bow and arrow experiences?
Dear Heidi, I have no bow-and-arrow experience, but I've heard of a movie that's popular right now about a futuristic world in which young people have to compete with bows and arrows. I've read that the sport is becoming really popular because of that movie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these photographs. They make everything more real.
Peace.
Think archery and I think of bows and arrows, cowboys and Indians, Heidi, and of Robin Hood. It sounds like fun with quite a degree of skill necessary to hit that target.
ReplyDeleteHi, I saw your comment at Manzanita's and popped over to visit. Hope you're still having a great time here in England. I've had a go at bow and arrow too and I have to say it was much harder than it looked.
ReplyDeleteNice to see young uns enjoying this cool sport. Makes me want to go dig out my bow and see if I can still pull the string.
ReplyDeletei learned to shoot a bow when I was 12, but have not shot one since then. it was a lot of fun. that is a big bow they are using. my brother had a cross bow, but it scared me silly so i refused to shoot it
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school we had target practice in PE, and I loved to shoot arrows. I got pretty good at it, but haven't done it since, unless you count the Wii game my brother has. Nice pictures! :-)
ReplyDeleteHallo liebe Heidrun,
ReplyDeleteihr wart im Hever Castle! Dort war ich im letzten Jahr bei meinem Englandbesuch auch mit meiner Freundin. Ein schönes Castle und so geschichtsträchtig.
Da ich nicht so viel Englisch kann, schreibe ich dir ja auf Deutsch. Kannst du noch alles verstehen?
Schau doch mal wieder bei mir im Blog vorbei. Würde mich sehr freuen.
Liebe Grüße,
Christa
I've never had the experience of using bow and arrows! It looks to be fun and a lot of work, but that is what a good sport should be.
ReplyDeleteI've always been impressed by how much strength you need to pull a bow. Those olden days archers must have been extraordinarily strong, and it would have been terribly tiring to do it for hours on end, although I suppose they were used to it.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the head of an archery club. I went hunting every year with bow and arrow. Then I finally got tired of it and quit. I don't even own a bow now. It is a super sport and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteI was never able to do well at archery! I envy those with a good eye!
ReplyDeleteI always liked the idea of archery, though I was never any good at it. Have you seen Kenneth Branagh's Henry V? The visual (not to mention the sound) of the Welsh archers shooting their arrows is phenomenal.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am glad I do not have to survive by my bow and arrow skills. I would certanily be thinner though. Here is my bow and arrow experience. http://www.grayquillmusings.com/2011/10/bow-and-arrow-adventure.html
ReplyDeleteNo, no bow and arrow for me; I haven't the necessary strength. But I have seen some wonderful archery displays with every arrow hitting the target and many bull's eyes.
ReplyDeleteEvery major country-summer fair has an archery exhibition.
Looks like Buddy had a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI had a serious addiction to archery in summer camp, still can't explain it :}
ReplyDelete