Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the White Dragon Activity Centre FAQ – your guide to everything you need to know before booking an archery experience, trying airgun shooting or bushcraft, arranging a birthday party, or joining our archery club.

Where is White Dragon Activity Centre?

We’re based on the Essex–Suffolk border, between Colchester and Sudbury. Our five-acre outdoor site is surrounded by woodland, offering the perfect backdrop for archery, airgun shooting, and other adventurous outdoor activities. You’ll find detailed directions, including a What3Words location, on our Directions page.

When is the centre open?

All year round! Our outdoor activities run from April to September each year (sometimes longer if the winter is short). From October to March, we host indoor archery, axe throwing, indoor airguns and winter birthday parties in our atmospheric castle-themed hall, so the fun never stops.

Most of our regular bookable activities (archery, airguns, Triple A, longbow experiences) are available Wednesday to Sunday. But if you’re bringing a large group, you can contact us about having a bespoke session outside these times.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes – all sessions are by prior booking only. This ensures we have the right equipment, the correct number of coaches, and a safe group size for your experience.

Booking and gift vouchers

Do you sell activity gift vouchers?

Yes! We offer e-vouchers and printed vouchers for archery experiences, airgun shooting, survival bushcraft experiences, beginners’ archery courses, and our unique Triple A package (Archery, Axe throwing, and Airguns). All vouchers are valid for 365 days from purchase.

Can I use a gift voucher for just one person?

Yes, for most activities – but it’s more fun in groups, so we strongly advise either joining an existing group or bringing a paying friend..

How do I redeem my gift voucher?

Simply choose your activity on our website, book your date through our Acuity online booking system, and enter your voucher code at checkout.

What to expect on the day

What should I wear for outdoor archery, survival or axe throwing?

For our outdoor activities in Essex/Suffolk, we recommend:

  • Closed-toe, sturdy footwear

  • Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing

  • Layers if it’s cool, and sun protection in summer

  • A belt or waistband is useful for holding quivers or other equipment

Is all the equipment provided?

Yes – all bows, axes, airguns, arrows, and safety gear are provided and fitted to you. You just bring yourself, your sense of adventure, and maybe a camera for those victory shots.

Safety and accessibility

Are your target sports safe for beginners?

Absolutely – our coaches provide a full safety briefing and instruction before you shoot. All sessions are supervised by experienced, DBS-checked staff.

Is the site accessible for wheelchair users?

Yes – our indoor “castle” range is step-free and accessible, with a large disability-friendly toilet.

Woodland areas are a little wilder, particularly when the weather has been wet, so contact us to discuss individual needs if you want to do something outdoors.

We can adapt activities (seated axe throwing, visual aids, quiet sessions) to meet individual needs. Just let us know when booking.

Groups and events

Do you host group bookings?

Yes – we run stag and hen parties, birthday parties, team-building events, and school activities. These can be tailored to include multiple activities like archery, axe throwing, and bushcraft.

Do you offer mobile activities?

We can bring archery, axe throwing, bushcraft workshops, airgun shooting or Nerf target shooting to your event, school or venue if the space meets our safety requirements.

We also offer historical talks.

Get in touch to discuss your event.

Weather, cancellations and policies

What if it rains?

Rain won’t stop your quest! If the weather is poor, we carry on or (if the indoor space is available) move target sports indoors. Only bushcraft or woodland-only activities may be rescheduled.

What’s your cancellation policy?

Refunds for sessions cancelled by the customer are given on a sliding scale as below. This is because we book staff in and hold timeslots for sessions, so there is a cost to the centre when sessions are cancelled at late notice. To request a refund, contact us.

Less than 24 hours notice given: No refund
24hrs or more notice given: 25% of total cost will be refunded
3 days or more notice given: 50% of total cost will be refunded
7 days or more notice given: 100% of total cost will be refunded
No refund will be given if a participant does not take part in any activity due to non-arrival, late arrival or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. White Dragon Ltd may consider other reasons. If you think you might need to cancel or postpone your session, please contact us in advance.

Reviews and social media

Where can I see your reviews?

You can read guest reviews on TripAdvisor, Google, and Facebook. We also share guest photos on Instagram – tag us @WhiteDragonArchery.

What’s with that one review from 6 years ago?

If you’ve seen it, you’ll know! Honestly, we have no idea. This person left weird remarks on a bunch of platforms, we reached out to them and tried to find out what was wrong, and got some abuse back. They’ve never actually visited us and we don’t know who they are, but the platforms won’t delete them, so they’re there for all time!