Emma Kennedy always suspected she had a hidden talent for archery ? and then she scored a bullseye with her first arrow in Sherwood Forest
I've always wondered if I might be amazing at something I've never tried. Golf is something I have a deep suspicion I may have an untapped natural propensity for. I have no idea of knowing this because I've studiously avoided finding out. I'm terrified I'll love it and start wearing check trousers and flat caps and spending a third of my yearly income on a cart bag made of cashmere.
I have form on suddenly finding out I'm quite good at niche sports. I once discovered I was phenomenal at conkers and ended up being the runner-up in the World Conker Championships. I would have been the champ but I was let down in the final by a soft nut. Thankfully, conkers doesn't come with swanky kit so each year, all I have to do is wander round my local park, hang around under horse chestnut trees, then buy a ball of string. That's it.
I have a terrible weakness for kit. Woeful. The merest sniff of a passing interest and I'll have bought every single thing I can ever need, use it for a month and then consign the lot to the basement. I once bought a saxophone, learned how to play the American national anthem, took it apart and never blew into it again. Sports that come with expensive kit are dangerous and so it is with a certain amount of dread that I find myself heading to deepest Nottinghamshire to have a go at archery.
I'm going to be joined by a pal, Danielle. I've told her we're going to a place in Sherwood Forest called Adrenalin Jungle where, aside from the archery, you can also have a go at thrilling things such as blindfold driving and extreme paintballing. Danielle has become rather fixated with the blindfold driving and has been trying to persuade me for a month to do it. She can dream on.
All the same, I'm keeping my cards close to my chest. I'm springing the archery truth bomb on her when she arrives, which was a good idea until I get a call from a fractious Danielle telling me her satnav has stopped working. She's been driving for four hours from the toe of Kent and, I'll be honest, she's not in the best of moods.
"Archery?" she says, in her trademark American drawl. "ARCHERY? You've made me drive for four hours to have a go on a bow and arrow?"
"They might also let us ride a Segway," I offer. "It'll be fine. Leave this with me."
I quickly show her round the Sherwood Hideaway. It's a luxury cedar lodge and it's got a flat-screen telly, a hot tub and complimentary slippers. She is appeased. For now.
The following morning and we're in a clearing in the middle of a wood. Four other people have turned up and we're all standing, quietly eyeing each other up as Dave, our affable instructor, is lining up a row of bows and distributing arrows. We're going to compete against each other, to make it interesting.
At this point, the worst possible thing that could happen, happens. I score a bullseye with my first arrow. That small section of my brain that embroils me in pointless hobbies sparks into action. I've got a bullseye. I must, therefore, as I have always secretly suspected, be a genius at archery. This happened to actress Geena Davis, I think. She took up archery and nearly won a place in the US archery team at the Sydney Olympics. In my mind, my place in the 2012 Olympic squad is now only about the paperwork.
Never mind that my next four arrows shoot way over the target. Never mind that. My first arrow was straight and true.
I turn and nod serenely towards Danielle. She's got her scarf entangled in her bow string and has assumed monstrous form. If she was in a Japanese B-movie, she'd be called Moanzilla. Half an hour later and she's come last. To make matters worse, I've won.
Thank God then, for Dave. He gets three Segways out of a trailer. "Come on," he says, smiling, "I'll teach you how to ride them and then I'll take you round the park."
I don't think I've ever been more grateful in my life. Adrenalin Jungle is clearly brilliant. Set in wonderful woodland, the vast paintball areas are fantastically inventive: tanks, castles, there's even a church to play in. There's an assault course and, of course, the blindfold driving area. Although the least said about that the better.
And I loved the Segway. As we're quietly zooming down a gorgeous woodland track, I look back over my shoulder at Danielle skimming along behind me. Dare I say it, but she might actually be smiling.
Now then, where can I find an archery shop ?
? One-hour archery lessons at Adrenalin Jungle (adrenalinjungle.com) cost �20. Accommodation was provided at Sherwood Hideaway (sherwoodhideaway.com, lodges sleeping four start from �265 a week)
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/jun/15/archery-lesson-nottinghamshire-emma-kennedy
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