ABOUT THE QUADRATHLON

The Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon (The Quad) is an exhilarating test of stamina, strength and fitness through some of the most spectacular and historic areas of the Scottish Highlands. It will be a weekend you will never forget! It is an event for Teams of Two, who complete all disciplines (of whichever route they opt for) together.

There will be three different route options to choose from: Gold, Silver and Bronze. So there this something for everyone!

The Gold Route will be the same as the previous years’ route. Start at Ardtalnaig shore on the south side of Loch Tay and swim 0.8 mile, then walk/run 15 miles over seven Munros in the Ben Lawers range (Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh, An Stuc, Ben Lawers, Beinn Ghlas, Meall Corranaich and Meall Nan Tarmachan), then kayak 7 miles from Loch Tay Highland Lodges back to Ardtalnaig, before jumping on your bike and cycling 34 miles round Loch Tay. The start time will be 6:00am or 7:00am. We will allocate your team a start time.

The Silver Route will be the same as the Gold route, except that you will come off the hill section after Munro 6 and will not have to ascend back up to Meall nan Tarmachan. That killer re-ascent is what most previous Quadrathletes found ultra hard. By choosing the Silver Route, you will come down off the hill and won’t have to go back up; saving yourself about 7km (4 miles) of distance and 600m (2000ft) of ascent. The start time for participants doing the Silver Route is 7:00am.

The Bronze Route is a triathlon – there will be no swim section and the hill section will cover just 5 Munros – no Meall Corranaich or Meall nan Tarmachan to ascend. Just come off the hill after Beinn Ghlas and descend to the loch for the kayak section. That will save you about 8km (5 miles) and 730m (2400ft) of ascent! This route will start on the North side of Loch Tay, rather than at Kindrochit (Ardtalnaig). The start time is 8:00am from the South side shore at Kindrochit. We will take you to the North side by boat.

Who can take part?
The Quad is an event for those who relish the challenge of a one-day endurance test. The event is designed to be accessible to people of all abilities, from more experienced athletes who want to push themselves to the limit to those who wish to set themselves a new challenge and improve their fitness. But make no mistake this will be a serious challenge and will test your fitness, robustness and resilience to the limit. It is an event for Teams of Two, who complete all disciplines (of whichever route they opt for) together.

• Navigational skills are key. The weather conditions in the Highlands can be variable, even in the middle of July. Your ability to navigate in poor visibility will ensure your safety during the Event. We provide grid references for Munro summits. It is then up to you to find the best route – navigation is part of the challenge!
• Participants must comply with the compulsory kit list. Details will be provided when you register. There are spot checks throughout the course.

• A good, progressive training programme is crucial and will enable you to actually enjoy the challenge! It should include walking/running, swimming, cycling and some sort of upper body workout for paddling; kayaking would be the best thing but training on the rowing machine in the gym would be a good substitute. Don’t forget that you have 2,500m of ascent and mountainous terrain so make sure you get out in as many hills as you can.