VISIONS of arrows splitting apples or flying with unerring accuracy towards a distant target often spring to mind in association with archery. As I prepared for my first experience of the sport, I resisted the temptation to wear green.

The reality, of course, was very different. I soon discovered that archery is a difficult, technical sport requiring concentration and patience. Not very romantic, but rewarding if you get it right.

I was given an introduction to the art by Derek Wilcock, founder member of Thirsk Bowmen, who are based at Toad Hall equestrian centre, Carlton Minniott.

The weapon of choice for beginners is the longbow, an uncomplicated piece of equipment. Apart from arrows - these are vital - the only other accoutrements needed are a leather arm guard to protect the lower part of the arm and a three-fingered glove for the hand drawing the bowstring.

As you might expect, safety is of paramount importance. Each archer taking part in a shooting session must stand with one leg either side of a rope placed on the ground.

When you've finished shooting, you must step back from the rope. You can only retrieve your arrows from the target - or, in some cases, the grass - after a whistle has been blown to signal that all archers have finished shooting.

The coloured targets are fixed to a circular straw stand called a boss and staggered at various distances, starting at ten yards and stretching to 100 yards for the real experts.

Derek, one of four fully qualified coaches at the club, first showed me how to grip the longbow - "as if you're holding a suitcase" - and how to make a shelf with my finger for the arrow to rest on.

So far so good, but now came the tricky bit. As with many of the sports I've tried so far, the difficulty lies in remembering the different bits of the technique. For instance, I was so busy trying to keep my head still and my back straight, I was forgetting to keep my elbow high.

I had been a bit concerned that I wouldn't have the strength in my arms to draw the string back properly, bashing away at a computer keyboard all day not noted as a way of developing muscles.

But, as Derek explained, archery is one of the very few activities which makes great use of the shoulders - swimming is another. Having huge biceps would not really help anyway.

The key is to draw the arrow back, aim and release in one, flowing movement. I found I was tempted to hold on to the arrow until I was sure I'd got my aim right, but that made it impossible to keep everything steady.

The other thing which takes some getting used to is to take the string back as close to your eye as possible.

The sense of latent power in the bow makes you want to keep it away from your face, but in fact there's no danger of it hitting you when you release the arrow.

Though the target was only ten yards distant and looked pretty big, I was relieved that most of my arrows thudded into it. Unfortunately, not many were anywhere near the gold-coloured centre.

However, after Derek suggested a few alterations to my aim, I began to get a few landing in the middle. I was feeling quite pleased with myself by the time we moved on to try the 30 yards target.

The wind was soon taken out of my sails as most of my arrows flew over, wide and short of the target - anywhere but into it. Suddenly, the technique seemed hard to master again and I began to get frustrated.

One of the problems was that I was straining for more power when I pulled the arrow back to compensate for the greater distance, and therefore losing accuracy.

Derek pointed out that there was no need to generate more power and told me to keep concentrating on getting the technique right. I wanted to carry on a bit longer to get the satisfaction of seeing my arrows hitting the target regularly, but the light was fading and we had to stop.

I was left with a sense that this was a sport which was not easy to master, but which could be very rewarding for anyone with the patience to stick at it and learn the correct technique.

As Derek's wife, Linda - also a qualified coach - pointed out, the aim is to develop a technique which allows you to shoot in the same way time after time.

The Wilcocks started the club in 1994 after moving to the area from Harrogate. There were just four members then, but the club has grown steadily since. It now has more than 60 members, including disabled archers, with ages ranging from six to 67.

Thirsk Bowmen may be a relatively young club, but the name has strong links with the past. It was originally used in the 19th century by a group of enthusiasts who kept the club going from around 1824 to 1890.

Derek, 48, has been involved in archery for 21 years and is keen to pass on his enthusiasm for the sport.

He said: "It's a real family sport. People can participate together or as individuals.

"I get pleasure from watching other people succeed, which is what it's all about. When they start moving up the distances, there's a great sense of achievement."

The sport is certainly an inclusive one which allows people of all ages and abilities to compete, or just enjoy a pastime out in the fresh air if that's what they want. Disabled and blind archers can shoot on an equal footing with the able-bodied.

The Thirsk club runs training courses throughout the summer months. They consist of three sessions under the supervision of archery coaches and cost £25, including all the equipment required.

Club membership costs £65 per year for seniors and £30 for junior members, which includes affiliation fees to the county, regional and national archery bodies.

Members can shoot at weekends, bank holidays and Thursday evenings for a shooting fee of £1 per day.

The Thirsk club was recently awarded £4,045 from the national lottery Awards for All fund, which it will use to buy more equipment and make the sport more accessible to juniors, the elderly and the disabled.

For safety reasons, the club's policy is to wait until new archers have been attending shooting sessions for several months before providing advice on where to go to buy their own equipment.

Anyone who would like more information about Thirsk Bowmen, who are also looking for sponsorship, should contact Mr Wilcock on 01845 522524 or Andrew Whittaker on 01609 778620.

There are several other archery clubs across the region and details can be found on the Northern Counties Archery Society web site.