Wheelchair Archery at House of Mulben
Neither of us have ever tried archery before so I have no idea what made us think of it, but we were looking for things to do in the Speyside area and in our usual fashion said, “Why not!”
We reached out to House of Mulben and before we knew it, we were bundled in the car singing the Robin Hood theme tune. House of Mulben is an outdoor centre offering activities such as clay pigeon shooting, archery, quad biking and more!
When we arrived, we were met at the car and driven down a small track to an old lambing shed beside a huge stack of haybales. From there, the going was not easy - gravel, grass and mud - though only for a few metres. I couldn’t have managed it myself, and even Kirsty struggled to help so I had to accept being pushed by a stranger, which I never like. I wish the terrain had been explained to me when I booked so I knew what to expect. That said, both guys were really friendly and helpful and didn’t make a big deal out of it.
I soon forgot about the logistical issues when I was set up with a bow and arrows, facing a big target. After a few tries I really got into it and even got an almost bullseye!
Kirsty was up next and although she was a bit slower at getting into it, before long she was having a great time and hitting every arrow on the target. It’s not as easy as it looks and takes more upper arm strength than I imagined, so plenty of rests were recommended (and needed!)
Although the guys at House of Mulben aren’t specifically trained in wheelchair archery it’s a good place to give it a go. I think for my next time I’ll head somewhere that can give me a bit more guidance with wheelchair-specific technique (I now know I should have a side-on posture), but it was a brilliant taster, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it!
