Just the words ‘William Tell’ or ‘Robin Hood’ will remind you that archery is a sport deeply rooted in history. Indeed, competition archery dates right back to the use of the longbow as a hunting tool and a weapon of war in ancient times.
As a competitive sport, it first entered the Olympic programme at Paris in 1900, returning after a break of more than 50 years in 1972. Olympic archers shoot at a 122cm-diameter target from a distance of 70m. To achieve maximum marks they must hit the gold centre ring – the bulls-eye – measuring just 12cm.
The Shropshire Hills provide great opportunities both to try your hand at the sport for the first time and for accomplished archers to practice at Olympic-size indoor and outdoor facilities.
Where better to experience archery than the Shropshire Hills. Eaton Manor just a few miles from Church Stretton houses a 70-metre Olympic-sized indoor range, and a 20-metre indoor range have been used by both the GB Olympic and the Commonwealth Squads for training.