Tag Archives: lyme valley

Sep 3 2016

Shoot Report – Lyme Valley – August 2016

Lyme Valley shoot - August 2016

Lyme Valley shoot – August 2016

So a few Sunday’s back saw us headed north up the motorway to revisit Lyme Valley shooting grounds. Those of you who read this blog regularly know that this is one of Sharon’s favourite club grounds and if you are interested you can read a previous shoot report here.
The weather was kind being both dry and warm, making for good conditions under foot; an important factor to remember as Lyme Valley course is along either side of a steep valley and it can be very, very slippery conditions if wet.
The course would be 36 targets, two being paper faces and the remaining being 3ds. One weird announcement at the start was for those shooting bare bow. They were told they MUST remove the screws on their bows that are for holding clickers. Why? Because they could be used as a sighting aid which is not permitted in that class. This resulted in a flurry of activity as people tried to find suitable hex keys or screw drivers which would release the screws.
Starting on peg 7 there would be three others joining us Terry who we had shot with previously at South Cheshire and a couple from Centaura Elaine and Stan.

First target of the day - Lyme Valley shoot

First target of the day – 3d Fish across stream Lyme Valley shoot

Our first target would be a 3D fish across the stream which flows at the base of the valley and a shot that Lyme Valley have used a few times but still works well and looks good. Though maybe they could disguise a backing boss so any arrows that miss don’t run the risk of breaking when embedding themselves in the stony river bank.

Down hill 3D crocodile on the river bank

Down hill 3D crocodile on the river bank

By the fourth target we’d caught the group in front at a small 3d rabbit under a fallen tree with the next shot being a small 3d deer across the stream. This would be the norm for the day. In hindsight it might have been better to space these two shots out a bit more as it was a bit crowded.

Sorry bit out of focus - first target after lunch small down hill 3D

Sorry bit out of focus – first target after lunch small down hill 3D

Lyme operates a lunch break from 12:30 – 1:15 and as luck would have it we were at one of the further points on the course when the lunch horn sounded.
Following the lunch break we would return to a long downhill 3d capercaillie. Sadly Stan had to retire at this point due to his arrow rest breaking and he was not able to replace it.
Overall the day didn’t flow well with a number of hold ups on targets while we awaited our turn to shoot. From what I understand I think this might have been due to a number of reasons, some being associated with the course and others with archers.

3D bear - the tree branch forces you to change stance

3D bear – the tree branch forces you to change stance

As a course it didn’t feel it knitted together as other courses have at Lyme Valley. Don’t get me wrong there were some nicely laid shots such as the 3d bedded elk, which i wish I’d got a better picture of. Unfortunately that same shoot saw us waiting over 30 minutes to shoot it. Coping with that long a break and keeping concentration and focus can be very difficult.
There were a couple of sections of the course where the shooting pegs for two targets were very close leaving little space for the two groups to stand. I’ve mentioned the 3d rabbit and 3d deer already. This made people feel a bit uncomfortable as they tried to find somewhere to stand without being in sight of the archer shooting.

Up hill 3D standing bear

Up hill 3D standing bear

I don’t feel the delays can be all attributed to the course though as by some reports there were a few slower groups who let’s say took their time to shoot and retrieve arrows, enjoying a bit of a prolonged chat in the process.
I have little doubt that Lyme Valley course layers will take this on board for future shoots.
Despite the delays Sharon shot well with her winning Ladies AFB. I had far too many second and third arrows. I think I coped better on this course and shoot psychology speaking than on past shoots when dealing with the delays and my poor shooting. When I go to a second or third arrow I tend to let it affect me for the next few shots. That day I tried to focus on just the basics of form and breathing, reminding myself I can do this hobby of ours. Maybe it’s slowly sinking into this thick Welsh skull of mine. Stranger things have happened, I think.
Thanks for reading.

Aug 21 2015

Shoot Report – Lyme Valley Archers – August 2015

Lyme Valley Archers field

Lyme Valley Archers field

I’ve been falling behind on writing these shoot reports over the last few weeks so I’m going to try and catch up now starting with Lyme Valley Archers shoot.
Last Sunday we headed north to Lyme Valley shoot grounds outside Stoke on Trent. Due to the extensive road works on the motorway and the 50 mph speed limit  we seemed to take ages to get there arriving to find the field already full of archers’ cars. A clear sign of the shoots popularity. Here is a link to their past shoots.
The good news was that the weather was dry and warm though I’m beginning to think August is less summer and more early autumn this year. As it was there was a slight chill in the shade of the wood. Thankfully it was not raining, Lyme Valley can get very slippery in the wet, since it is as its name suggests, situated in a valley with quite steep sides in places.
The course was a mix of 3d and paper faces with a couple of new 3d targets I don’t recall seeing before. There were 36 targets in total, unlike last time though they were all in the wood and none in the field.
Dan, David and John

Dan, David and John

There were five in our shooting group with David and Dan from Paget de Vasey shooting flatbow and longbow respectively along with John from Forest of Arden shooting flatbow all joining Sharon and I. The group gelled well and it was a really good laugh all the way round the course.
Dan and Sharon

Dan and Sharon

We started on target 30; a down hill 3d bear that was trickier than first looked.  I think we didn’t stop joking and laughing all day . The course only problem we had was when Sharon’s rest broke about 7 targets in and she had to fit a replacement.

Downhill 3D bird

Downhill 3D ptarmigan

Lunch break was between 12:30 – 1:15 after which saw us return to a tricky uphill shot at a 3D turkey. Lyme Valley operates a lunch break where all shooting stops to allow archers safely off the course for lunch. To be fair I think it would be very hard for them to do a shoot through due to the woodland shape being along a long narrow valley.

Archers heading back after lunch break

Archers heading back after lunch break

Over lunch and chatting to others we discovered there had been a problem at the opposite end of the woodland which had stopped archers shooting for a short time but we were unaware of.
The mix of targets and distances was good though I think the crocodile was a little on the far side as you were aiming at its side.
There was a great shot across the stream to a 3D bedded large deer that I completely misread resulting in a third arrow as my first and second landed in the mud in front.

Uphill shot

Uphill shot

I think something that could improve peoples’ enjoyment of the shoot and save on broken arrows is if when the course layers dig out the bank for a shot they put either a boss or thick foam behind. They could camouflage it easily enough with undergrowth etc. The reason I mention this is that both Sharon and I broke the piles off a couple of arrows when we skimmed the top of 3ds and went into the bank.
To be fare the course layers must have worked really hard to get in some of the shots so credit to them for that.

3D goose

3D goose

There were some really nicely framed shots and some good use of up and downhill terrain features. I liked a 3D deer between a fork in a tree which we shot early in the day.
3D deer between the trees

3D deer between the trees

The large grizzly bear up against the tree was another shot which made you think about which angle to take.

3D Grizzly

3D Grizzly

Overall it was a good challenging course with a couple of shots that could have been improved with modification to peg position and consideration of overshoots.

Sharon came away with first in ladies hunting tackle but nothing for me other than a couple of arrows to repair and good memories. Sadly the journey home was even slower due to more traffic and reduced speed limit.
Thanks for reading.
Mar 30 2015

Shoot report – Lyme Valley – March 2015

Lyme Valley

Lyme Valley 2015

Lyme Valley is one of our favourite shoots, but getting there was a pain this year with motorway traffic and some very inconsiderate driving which nearly saw us in an accident. Fortunately we escaped, though the car didn’t as we now have a sizable chip in the windscreen, but could have been much worse.

As its name suggests Lyme Valley club’s ground are situated in a steep sided, narrow valley not far from Stoke on Trent. You can read a previous shoot report here.

First Target of the day

First Target of the day – very small at this distance

The course was a mix of 3d and paper faces with 36 targets in all. Our group besides Sharon and myself would be made up of Mark, David and Wendy all shooting longbows.

Mark drawing arrows from our first target

Mark drawing arrows from our first target

Thankfully the weather was dry and mild as Lyme Valley paths can  be very slippery when wet. (Treacherous is a phrase that has been used in the past )
As it was it felt a very long day, possibly because it was a challenging course which meant more second and third arrows by those present. We were waiting on nearly all the pegs for the group in front to finish because they had been delayed. I think the delays were all along the course which  meant that the day didn’t feel like it flowed.

Another 3D target

Another 3D target – Grizzly Bear

Due to the geography of the grounds Lyme Valley have a lunch break at 12:30 and as luck would have it were at the opposite end of the wood when it started which made for a long walk out for lunch and an equally long walk back for the restart.
I think a few strategically placed bosses would have saved a few broken arrows and might have speeded the day up.

Sharon shooting a small 3D deer

Sharon shooting a small 3D deer

There were some nicely set targets, with a couple in the field which made for a bit of variety.
There were quite a few shots framed between the trees which many archers struggled with not just me. Most notably the large cobra which was a talking point for many.

As luck would have it we both came back with all our arrows but I know several people didn’t. Though Sharon didn’t feel she shot well she won ladies hunting tackle. I’m still struggling with the flat bow though and need to get my head and heart sorted.

3D fish was our last target of the day.

3D fish was our last target of the day.

Due to traffic and road works on the motorway it proved a long, slow drive home but fortunately with less idiotic driving by fellow road users.
Thanks for reading.