snow, snow, and some more snow

This has nothing to do with archery and simply a series of pictures of my walk home on Friday. The UK doesn’t get snow that often and in turn often suffers from not always being prepared.

The weather forecast had been predicting snow for a few days but it still caused problems. Despite this many of us managed to get to work. Having said that I did head in prepared with my winter walking gear (walking boots, lined trousers, hot drinks etc)

The first picture is taken at the train station at about 7:30 am when I had walked there from the house, not too bad yet.

taken on way to work

taken on way to work

8:30 am and here are the next photos taken from my office window, it had only just started to fall any amount

8-30 am

by 9:40 Birmingham was seeing heavy snow fall

9-30 am, note the snow on cars

View from office at 9:30 am, note the snow on cars

 At 1 pm an email went out saying managers could allow staff to go home early due to weather. My next train was at  2 pm so I headed to the train station, and this was where these were taken.

university station from walkway

university station from walkway

university station from platform

university station from platform

Unfortunately because the previous train had been cancelled when the 2 pm train arrived (late) it was already packed and no-one could get on. Option left was to wait for the 3 pm train or catch a different train and have about a 3.5-4 mile walk home via country lanes.

Me being me I chose to walk and in some ways so glad I did. Okay so walking 4 miles in snow might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but to put it simply I love cold weather. It also gave me an opportunity for a country walk and this is where these photos were taken.

Starting walk home

Starting walk home

snowy train

snowy tree

snowy lane

snowy lane

snowy field

snowy field

And finally got home. Have had about 4-5 inches (10-12 cms) of snow since 7:30 am

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Just like to say a big thanks to all the workers and volunteers who have kept UK going, whether it be rail service, gritting roads, meals on wheels or emergency services, thanks.

Hope you like them and for those of you out in the cold, keep safe and stay warm, thanks for reading.

Aside

Jordan Sequillion writes a very informative blog on archery and has just started a series on Basic bow tuning and set up, which is well worth reading – Bow Tuning – Basic Setup.

Jordan Sequillion

It is well worth a visit to her site just to review the different articles and advice available.

Thanks for reading.

Good write up on basic bow tuning

What is a club, more than a place to shoot!

No I’m not talking golf, this an archery blog after all.

I believe a club is far more than somewhere you turn up once or maybe twice a week, shoot a few arrows and maybe chat with other archers.

Clubs are made up of groups of individuals with a common interest, archery. How they approach these interests will also be individual but it is a common interest. If you have either been involved with any club or organisation you will know there are always a few characters in every club.

One thing to remember in any or all clubs, no matter its size, needs the support from members.

So far in our archery life we have been actively involved with 2 clubs (Black Arrow and Artemis both being Derbyshire based) With moving house last July we have left these two behind and joined Severn Valley. That is not to say we have forgotten about them. I still get emails and calls from colleagues at these clubs to swap notes and ask advice.

Like people clubs have their own personality and characteristics. Some might be very traditional, favouring traditional style bows, other clubs might be competitive, or interested in new styles of bows or the latest compound gadget and sight, but they are all there to support the archer.

bafaclogo

Black Arrow  is a small club with a small but very challenging course on a hillside. If you want to learn how to shoot up, down or across a hillside its a great proving ground. Largely a wooden arrow club with many fine longbow and recurve archers.

forestfloor-artemis

Artemis based not far from Belper, might be familiar to EFAA archers as they have both a NFAS course and EFAA course. Artemis are also well-known on the circuit having run a few shoots and laying a course at national championships.

svyf

So the new club  to us is Severn Valley, one of the oldest field archery clubs in the UK. It is due to celebrate its 60th anniversary later this year.autumn-shooting01

Likewise membership of a club is commitment by the individual to the club and supporting its activities, whether those activities be running shoots, laying courses, running have a go sessions at country fates or shows, or doing the hard work down the wood repairing target bosses, digging in steps, clearing snow in the winter, clearing undergrowth in the summer.

BAFAC workday

Club need members to help out

Charles blog has a recent entry on how individuals efforts can support a club or a shoot.

So if you are a member of club may I suggest that you make a new years resolution that you do your best to support your club and its executive body.

Thanks for reading.