When we arrive at Game of Throwings in Stirling we have to sign a waiver which warns this activity ‘could result in injury’.
We’re about to throw axes. Real, heavy and very sharp axes. And I feel slightly nervous!
The premise of the activity is simple. Throw axes at a target and the closer you get to the bull’s eye the more points you score.
Think darts on steroids.
Inside Stirling Arcade, we – I’m with my husband Keith and children, Alex, 13, and Edie, 11 – climb some stairs to find Game of Throwings.
A group of teenage boys have just finished their game and are chattering excitedly as they leave.
We make ourselves comfortable as we wait for our time slot to begin.
As we do I check out some axes hanging on the wall.
Even though I know what we’re signed up to, I’m still surprised we’ll actually be chucking these real, heavy and clearly very sharp weapons.
We’re welcomed by our axe-master Graeme Riddell. With his beard and mohawk he looks the part and clearly knows a thing or two about axes.
Weilding an axe in Stirling town centre
He shows us a huge and fearsome axe he bought at a comic con, mistakenly expecting it to be made of fibreglass or suchlike.
It’s so heavy I struggle to lift it.
Dressed in a kilt, Graeme carried this giant axe through central Stirling to publicise the opening of the attraction in 2022.
Luckily his stunt caused no alarm as he says his courtesy call to warn police there’d be an axe-wielding man about town went unanswered.
The axe is now a photo prop for Game of Throwings, as featured in this article’s main picture.
Before we begin, Graeme talks us through the safety procedures. There are quite a few and he stresses the importance of adhering to them.
He delivers his sermon with a sprinkling of comedy and theatre so we’re entertained while being left in no doubt of the rigidity of the rules.
Game of Throwings has an accident book and in its three years its pages have remained blank. Graeme is eager to keep it that way. So am I.
Avoid dropping an axe on your toes
Don’t pass the axes to the next player, he tells us. If one of you drops one you could leave with fewer toes than you arrived! Axes must be returned to their resting place for the next player to retrieve.
It seems there’s a lot to remember, but there are only four lanes at Game of Throwings Stirling so Graeme and co-owner John Murphy can keep a close eye on novice axe throwers.
They are there with a gentle reminder if we forget any safety precautions. Which is comforting.
They’re also quick to celebrate a well-thrown axe or to give advice on throwing posture.
There’s a technique to throwing axes. And it’s more difficult to embed the axe in the wooden target than you’d imagine.
Before we start our game, we have some practice shots and Graeme talks us through how to throw. We’re shown the two-handed method first before graduating to single-handed.
Give it some more ‘grrr’
My first few axes clatter noisily against the board and drop to the floor.
You need to give it some more ‘grrr’, Graeme tells me. I try to invoke some Viking spirit.
Then I hit the bull’s eye with two consecutive axes and whoop with joy.
Sadly, we hadn’t started scoring and I don’t repeat that feat during the game.
But John takes a photo to make sure I have evidence of my double.
With our technique as honed as it can be, it’s time for play to commence.
Edie isn’t feeling her inner Viking today so decides to keep scores instead.
Alex, however, clearly is and is eager to go first.
He has mixed success until he finds his axe-throwing mojo.
Satisfying ‘thwomp’ of blade on wood
Thrown too gingerly, the axes clunk against the wood and drop.
With the right amount of welly they make a satisfying ‘thwomp’ as the blade embeds in the target.
After a few shots with the larger axes, we try some slightly lighter tomahawks and find them much easier.
The competition is on.
Throwing axes is cathartic. I’m enjoying it even more than I thought I would.
Alex has a talent for axe-throwing
Seeing your axe hit the centre of the board is deeply gratifying.
But knocking it out of the bull’s eye with the next axe – and thus negating your points – is incredibly frustrating!
Somewhat worryingly, Alex shows a talent for axe-throwing and beats me and Keith.
Our hour of axe-throwing has flown by.
Before our time is up, there’s a few minutes for Graeme to show us some trick shots.
We try throwing two axes at once, and ‘flicking’ them underarm.
The former I fail miserably at, the latter I have more of a knack for.
Game of Throwings Stirling is a franchise, and one of only three in Scotland. The others are in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It operates alongside Escape Stirling. There are six different escape rooms in two locations in Stirling Arcade and in Murray Place.
Among the themes are Witchcraft and Wizardry and The Bank Heist.
Who goes axe-throwing?
While you might expect stag parties to be axe-throwing’s core market, John tells us it draws a real mixture of customers.
They’ve had Rotarians, teachers, throwers in their 80s. It’s popular for school trips, corporate teambuilding, couples on date nights.
They also get lots of families like us, looking for a day out with a difference.
And many come back time and time again, John says. As we may well do!
As soon as we’re out the door and descending the stairs, Alex pleads, can we do that again?
About Game of Throwings Stirling
Game of Throwings Stirling is in Stirling Arcade, in King Street.
A 75-minute session includes 15 minutes of training and 60 minutes of throw time.
For adults a session costs £25 and for children aged 10 to 16 it’s £20.
Up to six players are permitted per lane and children must be accompanied by adult.
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