0:00:28 > 0:00:32- Ya!- They told me it would be fun and easy.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Hello and a very warm welcome to The Adventure Show.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37This month Loch Tay is the centrepiece
0:00:37 > 0:00:41for the Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Competitors are here for almost 60 miles of swimming, mountain running,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49kayaking and cycling through this glorious and majestic landscape.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Fresh as a daisy.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Just brilliant.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54You couldn't get better, could you?
0:00:54 > 0:00:57No-one told me I was putting my life at risk.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01It all starts with a swim across the full width of Loch Tay,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04before the racers head up into these hills,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08where they'll run 15 miles over no less than seven Munros.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10It's a massive day out by any standard.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14But this is just one element of today's race.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16This event attracts everyone
0:01:16 > 0:01:19from weekend warriors to hardened endurance athletes
0:01:19 > 0:01:23and they come from right across the UK to Highland Perthshire.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Some competitors will spend ten hours in the hills,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30before taking to the water for a seven-mile paddle up the loch.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36Then there's the final leg, a 34-mile cycle around Loch Tay.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Now, this event requires a huge range of skills -
0:01:39 > 0:01:44mountain experience, biking prowess and ability in and on the water.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46But make no mistake about it,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48this is a monster challenge for everybody.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50High five.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51The view was amazing.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54But you have to keep moving, you have to keep moving.
0:01:54 > 0:01:55- How you doing?- Tired.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01There's intense rivalry in the 2017 Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Everyone races in teams of two and last year's winners,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Drew Sharkey and Sean McFarlane,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10are back, but they're competing in different teams
0:02:10 > 0:02:12and only one of them can come first.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15I think there's been a bit of a miscommunication between
0:02:15 > 0:02:18me and Drew Sharkey. He is a good friend and hopefully still is.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19He is racing with Stuart Macleod,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21who's a very good athlete, and I'm racing with Andy,
0:02:21 > 0:02:26so it's going to be fascinating having a main competitor team
0:02:26 > 0:02:29composed of someone that I've raced with and seen him at his best
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and at his worst, so it's going to be fascinating.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33It's been a marriage break-up.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- Yeah.- I mean, it's been better, quite clearly.- Yeah.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39We're still going through the courts to see who gets the kids at the
0:02:39 > 0:02:42moment. A lot could depend on the result.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But these two teams aren't the only show in town.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48For many years, Paul Daccus and Stuart Gregory have competed
0:02:48 > 0:02:50together in the Kindrochit.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55They came second last year, just three minutes behind Sean and Drew.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57I think we are running out of time now in terms of years,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01so five years later we still haven't managed to win this.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03We've had a second and a third.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06But, look, it's the sort of race where you never really know.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10There are so many variables in terms of the weather, the route,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14you just have to get out there, try your best and see what happens.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18- Aye-aye. Hi.- So this year is all set for a classic
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Later in this month's Adventure Show,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Duncan takes to his wheels in search of an amazing challenge
0:03:25 > 0:03:28in Scotland's last great wilderness.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Seems like the perfect way to spoil a good hill walk, by carrying this
0:03:32 > 0:03:34thing up here.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37This is a pretty mad scheme.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39And film-maker Dan Bell
0:03:39 > 0:03:43shows why there's nowhere better than Scotland for adventure.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47The whole river is on this massive big rock slab, which makes the
0:03:47 > 0:03:48perfect natural flume.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It's like the best aqua park in Scotland.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57But first to the Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59It's coming up to six o'clock in the morning
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and competitors are getting ready to hit that chilly water.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05How are you feeling? Have you done lots of training?
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Done some training, wishing I'd done a little bit more at this stage,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10but I'm sure it's going to be a great day.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Yeah, pretty excited last night,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14but I'll be honest it's been replaced with nervousness now, so,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17looking forward to getting across, really, and then hitting the Munros.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Good morning, ladies, good morning. How we doing? How we feeling?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Terrified, to be honest. So Fern's done all the training
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- and I've done none. - I've trained for two.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Yeah, that's how it works!
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Because of the popularity of this event, competitors set off in
0:04:31 > 0:04:34two waves, one at six o'clock in the morning and one at seven.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Now, the fastest racers could be in either wave,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41so it makes for an intriguing tactical challenge.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- Nine, eight, seven...- And here they go.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48..six, five, four, three, two, one...
0:04:48 > 0:04:51CHEERING
0:04:51 > 0:04:57And the first wave of the Kindrochit Quadrathlon 2017 is underway.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02Ahead of them, 57 miles of swimming, hill running, kayaking,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05then cycling round Loch Tay.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The day ahead will be glorious and long,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11but it's all about keeping it calm just now
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and getting across the other side.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I can swim. I can swim.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18But I've never been really strong,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21so the last few months I have been practising
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and building up speed, so fingers crossed I make it across.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28This time last year I couldn't swim a length,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30so I'm a bit nervous about the temperature.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33I think I can do the distance but I'm nervous about the temperature.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36We swam in a quarry two weeks ago as a test and that was quite scary,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39but hopefully we've got over it a little bit.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Yeah, you're very aware that there's nothing below you, but...
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It was actually OK with the wetsuits and stuff,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48it's quite buoyant so we shouldn't sink, hopefully.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51First out of the water is Jamie McLeod.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54He's taken just 20 minutes to get across the loch.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- Ah!- Cold?- That's fresh.
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Shall I do it again?
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Yeah, yeah. Perfect. - So that's our first swimmer out.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It's a very, very good swim.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08And the mass of people have now spread out all across the loch.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13The last swimmers are at least 400 metres, if not more, from the end,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17so now the transition to the run up the hillside and to get away from
0:06:17 > 0:06:18the terrible midges.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22You must be pretty pleased. It was about 20 minutes.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Yeah, that's what I was aiming for, but minus the cold.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27It takes five or six minutes to get used to it,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and then just head down.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Hopefully the shore gets a bit closer as you go.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34It looks like you need the hot drink after this swim.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Yeah, I haven't got a lot of fat,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38so I do need something warm to warm me up.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- Hi!- So you can see that the first swimmers of the first wave coming
0:06:41 > 0:06:43out now. Look in good shape.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48But for many, they will be in the water for at least another 20 or 30
0:06:48 > 0:06:49minutes. And it's cold,
0:06:49 > 0:06:54it's really cold, so the transition from swimming to now the hill run or
0:06:54 > 0:06:57the hill walk, fast hill walk, is pretty difficult for some people
0:06:57 > 0:07:00and it's something they'll have to manage for the first four of five
0:07:00 > 0:07:03minutes when they come out of the water and change into the hill gear.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05That was nice and cold.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08It's a shock when you first get into the water.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09You can hardly speak because your...
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Everything just kind of seizes up but
0:07:11 > 0:07:14there's obviously the adrenaline and the kind of buzz of doing the event
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- as well.- So with the early starters now heading up into the hills,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22it's time for the second wave of swimmers to take to the water.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- How are you feeling?- Incredible!
0:07:24 > 0:07:25- Yeah!- Excited?
0:07:25 > 0:07:30Very excited! When am I ever going to be escorted across the loch by
0:07:30 > 0:07:33millions of kayaks and other totally ripped men?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So I'm feeling pretty excited.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39This is the second wave of the Kindrochit Quadrathlon 2017.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Interestingly, this is a bigger wave than the first wave.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47First went off at six o'clock in the morning, it's now just approaching
0:07:47 > 0:07:49seven o'clock.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray there.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52This is always the tricky bit.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Interestingly, Andy and Sean just keeping themselves away from
0:07:55 > 0:07:58everybody else, just going out to the outside,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01because as soon as the race starts,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05the water will turn into a boiling cauldron of knees, elbows,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08arms and you will not see very much at all.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10And quite interestingly,
0:08:10 > 0:08:16Drew Sharkey and Stuart Macleod are at the other side of the start line.
0:08:17 > 0:08:24Here we go! The second wave of the Artemis Kindrochit Quadrathlon
0:08:24 > 0:08:262017... CHEERING
0:08:26 > 0:08:28..is off and running.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32One of the great things about the Kindrochit Quadrathlon is
0:08:32 > 0:08:36the piper leads you across the water, so if the wind isn't blowing,
0:08:36 > 0:08:37you can actually listen to where the
0:08:37 > 0:08:41piper is and he'll be going in the right direction.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Ahead of them,
0:08:46 > 0:08:480.8 of a mile swim,
0:08:48 > 0:08:5015 mile run over the hills,
0:08:50 > 0:08:55with seven Munros and then a long kayak up the length of Loch Tay,
0:08:55 > 0:09:01then 34 miles on the bike around Loch Tay to finish off.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04It's a huge day, it's a fantastic day.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09The fastest swimmers from wave two are just leaving the water and going
0:09:09 > 0:09:13into the transition before they head up onto the hills.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16They're cold, so they'll need a bit of time to change from cold
0:09:16 > 0:09:20swimming legs to warm running legs, but soon they'll be up on the tops.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23The toughest phase is the hills. You can actually see them all now,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25a wonderful view of the hills,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29and that seven Munros over about 16 miles and that'll take anywhere
0:09:29 > 0:09:32from two and a half for the quickest to up to about seven, eight,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34nine hours, depending on how quick they are.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38And we've got the Tayside Mountain Rescue manning all the Munros.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Each one has a dibber at the top, so with SPORTident,
0:09:41 > 0:09:42they get checked in.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Granny at home can even monitor on the internet.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49I'm at the bealach between the first two Munros,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Meall Greigh and Meall Garbh.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53The runners will be here soon,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56but it's also a bit complicated because they start in two waves
0:09:56 > 0:10:00an hour apart. So we won't actually know who's in the lead till much
0:10:00 > 0:10:02later in the day.
0:10:02 > 0:10:03How's the race going for you?
0:10:03 > 0:10:08Very well, indeed. I'm having a bit of a birthday trek for my friend
0:10:08 > 0:10:09- down here.- OK.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12So, I'm making sure we get plenty of happy snaps for him and his family.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- OK, great.- But fantastic.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Is this a big birthday, or...?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- Big birthday?- Yeah!
0:10:18 > 0:10:19- Well, not big.- Big enough.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- This is big enough.- Big minus two. - THEY LAUGH
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Why are you doing this for your birthday?
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Cos it's fun! - SHE LAUGHS
0:10:26 > 0:10:28It's good craic. See you, guys. Cheerio!
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Well done. Have a great day.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32It's not really a run, it's a mountain stage.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34You're actually up there, it's a forced march
0:10:34 > 0:10:37and so I think once you get up high,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39it's going to be a lot easier mentally, as well.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Knowing what you're doing
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and then being flexible is the way forward.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45What's the worst that can happen? It can take you a bit longer,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48you have to take a little bit of a break and figure out what you're
0:10:48 > 0:10:50going to do next. If you feel good for one minute,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53you're going to feel bad for the next. If you feel bad, you're going
0:10:53 > 0:10:55to feel good, so the key thing is get your head down, keep on going,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57one step after the other, and you'll be fine.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Hi, girls, how are you doing?
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- Hello!- Hello!- You're doing great, first female team through.
0:11:03 > 0:11:04- That's brilliant!- Yeah, it's good!
0:11:04 > 0:11:06It's such a nice day!
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- Wonderful.- Fastest swim of both of our lives, so...
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- Is it?- Yeah.- That's good. - And it was beautiful, clear water.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15So you're both smiling just now. Is this going to be like this all day
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- or is it going to...?- It could be make or break for our friendship,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I feel. But it's going well so far.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23All the women's teams started the race at six o'clock,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and Emily Lester and Fern Adams are the fastest so far.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31This race is not just about fitness and stamina.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32Teamwork is vital.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37Emily and Fern met in Cambridge and have been friends ever since.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39We've got a really good rapport, Emily and I.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41We've been friends for a long, long time.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- Yeah.- We've had some real low points together.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46We've been through horrendous exams together, so, I think, yeah,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- we've got a history of that. - We might have a small fall-out,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51but we'll get over it, we'll carry on.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52And we tend to oscillate,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55so I'll be at a high point when Emily's at a low point, usually.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- Yeah.- So we'll pull each other through. It'll be fine.- Yeah.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00But Lydia Ashby and Alice Parsons from London
0:12:00 > 0:12:01are just a couple of
0:12:01 > 0:12:05minutes behind and they say they've got a love-hate relationship to
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- teamwork.- Hello!
0:12:07 > 0:12:08Hello, how are you doing?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10- Come have a chat, then!- Oh!
0:12:10 > 0:12:14- Oh, no!- I think we will never stop if we start talking.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I think we'll definitely be friends.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- Yeah!- There might be a few moments en route where it's like, "Shut up,"
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- and then it will be fine. We'll be 100% friends.- If I don't like her,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24I'll push her back down the mountain.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Meanwhile, with that hour separating the two swimming waves,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30transition is still a hive of activity.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- How was your swim?- It was OK.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37It was a bit competitive at the start, a few elbows flying around,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40but, yeah, I just took it easy. Survived.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- That's main thing.- Are you looking forward to the hill?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Yeah, of course. Look at the scenery.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Any experience in Scottish mountains before?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49No. No Scottish one. No.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54French one, Austrian one, but I will be enjoying it.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Lovely people, lovely scenery, so just enjoy.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- How you doing?- Cold, very cold.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Thank you. Have a good one.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Running for the camera!- Yeah! - THEY LAUGH
0:13:05 > 0:13:08For both waves, the swim is now over.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10But that's just the appetiser
0:13:10 > 0:13:12in today's Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17We're taking a break from the action here at Loch Tay but we'll be back
0:13:17 > 0:13:21to see how everyone gets on with the run, the kayak and the bike shortly.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Right now, Duncan's off to the north-west for a journey through
0:13:34 > 0:13:37the wild, isolated landscape between Kinlochewe in the south,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Gairloch in the west and Dundonnell in the north.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44And he's set himself a challenge that will test him and his bike to
0:13:44 > 0:13:48- the limit.- This is the start of what's called the Great Wilderness
0:13:48 > 0:13:54and about 18km along this track is a remote Munro called Sgurr Ban.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55This one will be a bit of an adventure.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01Ahead is a two-day bikepacking journey combining mountain biking
0:14:01 > 0:14:04with camping, carrying everything he needs on the bike.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It's an adventure on two wheels.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09The mountain bike is a revelation.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13It can take you out to these incredibly wild places and you can
0:14:13 > 0:14:14go far and quite fast.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17And the reward is this.
0:14:18 > 0:14:24This is remote, beautiful and quite extraordinary.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29You never know how deep those things are.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36I first camped in these sorts of places when I would have been about
0:14:36 > 0:14:3812 or 13.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43I started climbing to escape Sundays in the house.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Started hill walking
0:14:46 > 0:14:51and the first-ever real kind of wilderness camping experience
0:14:51 > 0:14:53was behind Stac Pollaidh.
0:14:53 > 0:14:54And that was great.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00So you can see behind that I've just left the loch and now the track
0:15:00 > 0:15:02disappears into the wilderness.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05It's still quite good. It's certainly cyclable for as far as
0:15:05 > 0:15:09I can see and I can just start seeing the mountain I want to do,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Sgurr Ban, just around this corner.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14No idea what's ahead, no idea what the track's like.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15Now it gets interesting.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24What's really nice about camping wild is that with this lightweight
0:15:24 > 0:15:28gear you really can go pretty far
0:15:28 > 0:15:31without the effort that it used to be.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Gives you a lot more freedom to get out there...
0:15:36 > 0:15:39..and to wake up - on a good day -
0:15:39 > 0:15:42with an amazing view, in an amazing place like this.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47Duncan's heading right into the heart of the Letterewe wilderness
0:15:47 > 0:15:50to camp by Loch an Nid at the foot of Sgurr Ban.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53It's nearly ten miles from the nearest road
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and the riding is challenging.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58HE PANTS
0:15:58 > 0:15:59Definitely now time for wet feet.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Things have definitely become a little bit tougher.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09No track at all and then forcing my way through this bog.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13And it's amazing how much you use the bike to lean on and the brakes
0:16:13 > 0:16:14to stop you falling over.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Duncan was once one of Scotland's best climbers,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21so his love of the outdoors
0:16:21 > 0:16:24originated on the crags and rock faces.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28It's also what led him, inadvertently, to mountain biking.
0:16:28 > 0:16:29I had a really big injury,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33I mean, I literally landed on the floor and broke my back and broke my
0:16:33 > 0:16:36arm, and it was like hitting a wall.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Suddenly all of that stuff that was important, the training, the gym,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44chasing a grade on a route, suddenly I thought,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47"Actually, I'm just really quite glad I can get up and walk about."
0:16:48 > 0:16:51And then, "I can get out and walk about and go outside." And,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55"I can get up and walk about and actually get on a mountain bike."
0:16:55 > 0:16:59So after my climbing injury, I started mountain biking.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03So over my shoulder here on the right is Sgurr Ban
0:17:03 > 0:17:07and just peeking out over this ridgeline, the foreground ridgeline,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10is a rock slab and that's the objective for tomorrow.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14It's the biggest sweep of clean rock in the UK.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Absolutely incredible feature.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It runs from almost the loch, almost to the summit.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Completely stripped of vegetation.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25There's lots of big boulders at the top but somebody has ridden that on
0:17:25 > 0:17:29a dry day on a mountain bike and that's what I'm going in to see
0:17:29 > 0:17:33if I can do, or certainly admire the task.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Oh! On we go to a campsite.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44This looks like a great place. Nice and dry, not too rocky.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Just look at the place.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48It's amazing.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49And a huge crag behind us.
0:17:51 > 0:17:57For me, the difficult task is not the doing it, not the camping,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00not the technology, nothing like that.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04It's actually making your mind up in the first place to go out.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06You know, the couple of weeks before, the day before,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08that you decide you're going to do this.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12And when you do and you commit to it,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16it all pretty much is easy and just all falls into place.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Always have to keep reminding yourself that this is
0:18:18 > 0:18:19very, very easy to do.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Absolutely, Duncan. Really, really easy!
0:18:25 > 0:18:29As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Oh, that carbon pole's completely disintegrated.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- HE LAUGHS - Now I've got a bit of a problem.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It was all going so well.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Now I've got some work to do.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47With a bit of tape, a lot of effort and surprisingly few obscenities,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Duncan's back in business.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Phew! Good.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Now I've got somewhere to sleep.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Ta-ra!
0:18:57 > 0:19:01So it's finally time to enjoy what must be one of the best places in
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Scotland to pitch your tent.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Just in the distance you can see one of the
0:19:06 > 0:19:10rock towers on An Teallach, just coming out of the cloud.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11It's really spectacular.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16And it's amazing to think this is all a huge mix of rock and then
0:19:16 > 0:19:19suddenly, just over the other side of there, that's all sandstone.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Slainte mhath. Until tomorrow.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Sleep well, Duncan, and make the most of it
0:19:26 > 0:19:29because we'll be back later in the programme to find out if you can
0:19:29 > 0:19:32ride down that massive slab of rock.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Welcome back to the Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45An hour and a half after they started,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49the fastest competitors from the second wave of racers have powered
0:19:49 > 0:19:51over the first of the seven Munros.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Now, thanks to modern technology,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56we know which competitors currently have the best times.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- Morning, guys.- Hiya.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02And only a few seconds separates the top three teams.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Well done, guys. Three pairs from this second wave are now through,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08overtaking loads from the first wave.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Andy Gray and Sean McFarlane right out in front.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14It's early days yet but I'm going to stick my neck out and say at the
0:20:14 > 0:20:18moment I think that the winners of this race are going to come from the
0:20:18 > 0:20:20second wave and not the first.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Deziree could well be right about that because right now
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray have the fastest overall time.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- Yeah, good so far.- I think you go through highs and lows.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34So I think you might go through a dip whilst your partner's feeling
0:20:34 > 0:20:36strong and you pull each other through.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38If you're closely matched, I think that helps cos you're kind of...
0:20:38 > 0:20:41You're roughly the same pace most of the way through.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Once you're on the ridgeline, it's not too bad.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46You can kind of just get into your stride a bit more but it's probably
0:20:46 > 0:20:48over half the race up in the hills.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51But Andy and Sean are only four minutes ahead of Drew Sharkey
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- and Stuart Macleod. - He made me come here.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- He didn't tell me about this. - Now, don't be deceived.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Stuart may joke about it but he knows full well
0:21:01 > 0:21:03what this race involves.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05The running part is the largest component, I think.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07But I actually don't know how long the run is,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10so that just shows you how much I know. I don't actually know a great
0:21:10 > 0:21:12deal. I've not actually looked at the details.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16But Drew assures me I will be able to finish it, I hope, so we'll see.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I think Stuart's telling one or two big porkies.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20As they race over the hills,
0:21:20 > 0:21:25he and Drew are having a fantastic run and they're closing the gap on
0:21:25 > 0:21:29- Andy and Sean.- Nice steady pace.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Nothing's gone wrong yet.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33And the lads are just in front of us.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Despite their team name, Getting Too Old For This,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Paul Daccus and Stuart Gregory are currently in third place.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45And as they head up An Stuc, they're just ten minutes behind the leaders.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50They've competed here five times before and Stuart knows that this
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Munro is the most technical of the hills.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Up An Stuc is clambering on all fours,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59it's not the sort of thing I'd like to take my kids up.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04It's quite steep. I wouldn't say it's necessarily dangerous but you
0:22:04 > 0:22:06do have to be careful for falling rocks, too.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Many of this year's competitors have raced here before,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13so know what to expect on this part of the run.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I've done it once before and I don't remember it being
0:22:16 > 0:22:18- quite this steep. - THEY LAUGH
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Others decided to check it out beforehand.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23We had quite an adventure getting up there cos we had no idea how
0:22:23 > 0:22:26rocky it was going to be. That really tested us.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30We hadn't prepared enough, which was silly, for that.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31But it was fine in the end.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33So I'm quite looking forward to doing that one again.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36We look better on radio at this time of the race!
0:22:36 > 0:22:39It was a really good climb but we got sort of halfway and we didn't
0:22:39 > 0:22:42want to go further up because it was too rocky but I didn't want to go
0:22:42 > 0:22:44down, so we were just sort of sitting.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46We had nowhere to go. But once we got to the top it was
0:22:46 > 0:22:48absolutely fine.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I don't know what you expect when you sign up for something like this,
0:22:51 > 0:22:52so it's...
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Certainly this one's proving tough.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00The weather's amazing, the view's fantastic.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01Yeah.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04We've done the swim. That's the main thing.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- Great. Lovely.- Watch out.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- Heads!- Heads!
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Heads!
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Still in the lead for the women are Fern Adams and Emily Lester,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15who now live in London.
0:23:15 > 0:23:16They're having a fantastic race
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and really enjoying this unfamiliar terrain.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22There were no photos of this bit in the brochure.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- SHE LAUGHS - Are you enjoying it, though?
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Yeah, it's beautiful.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27It's stunning.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I've never done a triathlon or anything like that before but this
0:23:30 > 0:23:33had a huge draw just cos of where it's set and the setting
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and how beautiful it is and being out in the wilderness.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37That's what it's all about.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40We're really lucky with the weather because when you get to the top of a
0:23:40 > 0:23:42peak, you know, of a big mountain or whatever,
0:23:42 > 0:23:47it's a real boost to have a great view, so I think...
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Yeah, the weather and the location are really important for an event,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52something like this.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54We kind of thought that we'd be making the Ben Lawers checkpoint
0:23:54 > 0:23:57at sort of one minute to two, so...
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- Oh, you're...- We're doing all right.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- ..miles ahead of schedule, then. - Massively.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- Ahead of schedule. I like to be early.- Most unusual for me!
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Just 15 minutes behind,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11the second women up An Stuc are Alice Parsons and Lydia Ashby.
0:24:11 > 0:24:17Also, you can just kind of like hold on, pretend you're not here.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19They also live and work south of the border,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23so preparing for a steep climb like this hasn't been easy.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26- Are you having a good day? - Yeah, surprisingly.- Not really!
0:24:26 > 0:24:27- Oh. - THEY LAUGH
0:24:27 > 0:24:30But nothing's going to stop them today.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32I manage to forget pain quickly, sort of.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- We run quite a lot between us. - Mm-hm.- Flat mainly.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- Yeah.- We've done, yeah, a few marathons, but no hills.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41If the worst comes to the worst,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- we will be able to roughly work out what we're doing.- Yeah.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I have a vague idea how to use a map and compass but I just can't really
0:24:47 > 0:24:48remember, but I'm sure...
0:24:48 > 0:24:51When push comes to shove and we're freezing at the top...
0:24:51 > 0:24:52Yeah, it'll come back.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54I really don't know what they're worrying about.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Currently, Alice and Lydia are 20 minutes ahead of
0:24:57 > 0:24:59the third women's team.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Karin Brogtrop and Chantal Klijnhout are from the Netherlands,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06somewhere that's not noted for its hills.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09I did a marathon in Tehran, actually, two months ago,
0:25:09 > 0:25:10which is... Tehran is super hilly,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13so I had a little bit of practice there.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15In France, we're doing with the line.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17And a guide!
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I've climbed once in Edinburgh.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24There's also a hill near the city.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26And I climbed that one, so I know how steep they are.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31The racers are now spread out across the length of this mountain range.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32This is the longest and
0:25:32 > 0:25:36arguably most endurance-sapping part of the race and it's where many of
0:25:36 > 0:25:40the competitors will find out if they're up to the challenge.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43A lot of them are looking pretty tired already.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- SHE LAUGHS - This is so funny! So difficult.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Well, I live on Primrose Hill, so this is about 3,000 times bigger.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Today will be a challenge but...
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I'm a runner, so hopefully my legs are in good stead to get
0:25:57 > 0:25:58up the hills.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Just going to take quite a while, so we've got plenty of hydration,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04plenty of energy bars, snacks, stuff to keep us going.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08For me, at this point it's not about coming first.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Because it's not going to happen.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12But it's just kind of seeing how well we get through it
0:26:12 > 0:26:14and how quick we can do it.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Probably haven't trained enough.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Slightly too fat. I should leave London for ever.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22It's an amazing place. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26If you see the feeling here on this event, the spirit, the people,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I think that also is an important factor to keep us going.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33The people are so cool and so excited, so that will help us also.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- They never told me rock climbing was involved.- No!
0:26:36 > 0:26:38I thought it was a runner. A casual run.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Are you by yourself?
0:26:40 > 0:26:43No, it's just I'm hoping I'm going to spur him along
0:26:43 > 0:26:44and he'll do the same to me a bit later on.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I think it's part of a fermenting midlife crisis
0:26:49 > 0:26:51that we're both undergoing,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55so we're trying to justify, validate our masculinity,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57would be the number one reason.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59But it's an amazing challenge, you know,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01we did it together four years ago
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and I think we feel like we left a bit on the mountain
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and we've come back and try and beat our from last time.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Yeah, a couple of years ago, it was tough.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12A part of John's still living up in those mountains.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13I think I left something up there!
0:27:13 > 0:27:15We had some tears, so we're going to...
0:27:15 > 0:27:18We're going to come back and try and get that bit of Crompton back.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20Yeah, that's the main reason, to be honest.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I'm not sure I'm enjoying this as much as I thought I would actually,
0:27:23 > 0:27:24surprise surprise.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27BAGPIPES PLAY
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It's 10:05am and we've just seen the first racers
0:27:30 > 0:27:32breaking the ridgeline behind us.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35They're going to run down to the checkpoint at Lochan-na-Lairige.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Now, this is where they drop lots of height.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41They'll have done six Munros by this point, they have another one to do,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44so quite soul-destroying, cos they'll see the drop and then they'll see
0:27:44 > 0:27:48the big climb on the other side, but these guys are going at a fair old pace.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52This is truly incredible stuff.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56This is Andy Gray here and he's Sean McFarlane's partner.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Andy, well done. You're looking really good.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01That's three hours and 12 minutes to this point, as I understand it.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- That's about right, yeah. - You're absolutely flying.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06All right, so, here we go. We've got neck and neck.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08This is amazing.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11So, here's our first competitor. This is very good.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Interesting stuff.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17There's Stuart and Drew, Andy and Sean, neck and neck.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21There's Sean McFarlane coming in.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Andy Gray's partner.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Well done, boys.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Now, we wondered how tight this race was going to be and there's the
0:28:28 > 0:28:30answer right there. It's going to be incredibly tight.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34Sean and Drew, who were first last year as a pair,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37they split up and they now have separate partners.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42They are racing neck and neck, head-to-head, toe-to-toe, the full thing.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Four runners together.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46They got to this point in three hours and 12 minutes.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48That is incredibly fast.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53Now, they will be pushing each other on and they now know that
0:28:53 > 0:28:56if they all keep it together, this could be a sprint finish.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Unbelievable stuff.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Six Munros done, one to go.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05And my goodness me, four guys that know each other very, very well indeed.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Sean's looking a wee bit tired at the back there.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Drew and Stuart at the front are just getting it done.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13And Andy Gray is leading Sean on, Sean in the blue.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18My goodness me. The race is on.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23I've made my way down Loch Tay to the transition point
0:29:23 > 0:29:25between the hill run and the kayak.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28And for a lot of people, they'll think this is going to be a bit of a rest
0:29:28 > 0:29:31after the 2,000 metres of ascent and decent.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33However, when you sit in the boats,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36you suddenly start getting cramp, then you have a seven-mile kayak down the
0:29:36 > 0:29:38loch and that is going to be tough.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41As they pound down the final Munro,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray couldn't match the pace of the leading team
0:29:45 > 0:29:47and the gap has widened.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51So, Stuart MacLeod and Drew Sharkey have done an incredible run,
0:29:51 > 0:29:53overtaking Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57and they've absolutely blasted them on the descent from the mountain.
0:29:57 > 0:29:58Stuart, good. Well done.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Aye. Yeah. Good, thanks.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05So, at 11:31 they have made really fine progress.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09That must have been a very, very fast descent, with hill runs.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13The boldness of your running downhill is as important,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15if not more than important, getting your speed up,
0:30:15 > 0:30:20so Stuart and Drew are heading off down the loch and look at that,
0:30:20 > 0:30:21straight into a nice rhythm.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25And they already have three minutes
0:30:25 > 0:30:28ahead of Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30who we think are coming in just behind them.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Me and Sean are good mates and we get on well,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38so it should be a good bit of banter and Sean's really good
0:30:38 > 0:30:39at this stuff.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Sean's forte is going all day and not slowing down.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46And so it should make for a pretty interesting race, I think.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51So, coming in now, Andy Gray and Sean McFarlane.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54A good 13 minutes behind the leaders.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56- Sean, how was that?- It was tough.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58It was tough. We kind of died on the second half of the run.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00How far ahead are they? 13 minutes.
0:31:00 > 0:31:0213. Right. Unlucky for some.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05They said they died a little bit on the second-half of the hill run,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07just lost the legs,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10so hopefully they can just push a little bit on the kayak and they are
0:31:10 > 0:31:13very, very strong cyclists.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15So, Andy, how was that descent?
0:31:15 > 0:31:18It was tough. It was thrashy. Tough on the legs, actually. Yeah.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21You're used to going up and then all of a sudden you are going
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- on the legs on the way back down. - Right, good luck on this.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28So, as we see Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray head off,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32they are probably 14 minutes now behind the race leaders
0:31:32 > 0:31:34of Stuart MacLeod and Drew Sharkey.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36They've got a bit to catch up.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38It'll be a pretty tough ask now.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43And the lead team are very strong on the bike.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46So they will have to make up a lot of speed here.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50A bit like the swim, the kayaking leg is not really where
0:31:50 > 0:31:52you're going to win or lose the race,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55but this is an energy-sapping slow boat
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and they're all exactly the same.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00They're really hard to paddle, they're very flat bottomed,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03they will not glide in this water and, with the tailwind,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05they're going to push you all over the place,
0:32:05 > 0:32:07so you need really good technique in these things
0:32:07 > 0:32:10to actually survive it with any sort of energy for the cycle.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13So, paddle well and keep in a straight line.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16Can be demoralising.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Last year we had a team that we started kayak with and they had a good kayaker
0:32:19 > 0:32:22with them in their team and they paddled away from us
0:32:22 > 0:32:24and actually Drew Sharkey was equating their time ahead of us
0:32:24 > 0:32:26to how long that would be
0:32:26 > 0:32:28on the road on the bike, so it's easy to get caught up
0:32:28 > 0:32:30in what's going on around you,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32but the kayak is just, get it done,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35keep taking on board nutrition at that point, which is vital,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38because a lot of folk forget that, and then prepare for the bike.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39Well done.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Third into this transition are Paul Daccus and Stuart Gregory.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46They've had a great run, but the first two teams are flying over this
0:32:46 > 0:32:51course, which means Paul and Stuart are now 38 minutes behind.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53So, Paul and Stuart are out there into the loch.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The wind has picked up again, so they'll have that behind them.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58So they'll get a nice flying kayak down there.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03There's a huge gap between them and the first two teams, though.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07So now what they're going to try and do is protect their third-place
0:33:07 > 0:33:09position. They just need to get their...
0:33:10 > 0:33:13..strokes in order, so they're paddling at the same time.
0:33:13 > 0:33:14There we go.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Obviously getting instruction from behind.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21So, Paul and Stuart heading off down the loch with a strong tailwind.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25I think with the kayak being the third leg,
0:33:25 > 0:33:27that actually makes it quite tough,
0:33:27 > 0:33:29because your legs are exhausted after the run
0:33:29 > 0:33:32and then they sit still for over an hour
0:33:32 > 0:33:35and then you have to get them moving again on the bike.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38The weather makes a very big difference.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Last year our kayak time was about 12 minutes slower
0:33:42 > 0:33:47than three years prior, and yet we've done more kayak training.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50So that just doesn't make any sense and it's all about the wind, really.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So, many of the racers here are quite experienced triathletes,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57so they bike, they swim and they run,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00but kayaking is going to be their least familiar discipline.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03For those who can kayak, all they have to do is cope with
0:34:03 > 0:34:05a little bit of fatigue as they head down the loch.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09For many, though, this will be the first time in choppy water
0:34:09 > 0:34:11and it's really difficult to
0:34:11 > 0:34:15cross our ferry glide across the loch to the cycling transition.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17That will be a tough ask.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20We'll be back to see how they get on shortly.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Now, let's join a young photographer who is inspired by those elusive
0:34:35 > 0:34:37moments and jaw-dropping scenes
0:34:37 > 0:34:41that make this landscape of ours so special.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44You might think Dan Bell has always had a passion for the outdoors.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47But that's not the case.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51We did actually go on quite a few family walks, and at the time...
0:34:53 > 0:34:56..I remember not enjoying them at all.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00It was kind of just a big long walk
0:35:00 > 0:35:04with no computer games or video games.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07It wasn't the most exciting thing to do.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11I don't think there was, like, a clean-cut moment of just like,
0:35:11 > 0:35:12"Oh, I love nature now."
0:35:12 > 0:35:15But during uni I hadn't really found something
0:35:15 > 0:35:16that I could get really into.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19I think when I started taking pictures
0:35:19 > 0:35:21I could, like, really get into it,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24so I found it was something that I could really spend a lot of time on.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Today Dan combines his photography with video blogging and,
0:35:28 > 0:35:33in a complete about-face, he is now passionate about our wild places.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Indeed, the wilder the better.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39Oh! Oh!
0:35:39 > 0:35:41It's so cold! It's so cold!
0:35:41 > 0:35:42Bit of a drop.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48And Dan wants to share his enjoyment with everyone.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51For him, this is as good as any computer game.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56So, I was on Google Maps looking at this area a few months ago and had
0:35:56 > 0:35:59found a place that we wanted to camp
0:35:59 > 0:36:03and it had a lochan and running down from the lochan there was a river,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05so I thought it might be funny
0:36:05 > 0:36:07just to kind of have a wee bit of a paddle in the river,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10but I didn't expect there to be, like, a proper flume.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14The whole river is on this massive big rock slab,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17which makes the perfect natural flume.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19This thing is so fun and it's free!
0:36:19 > 0:36:22It's like the best aqua park in Scotland.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26Woo-hoo!
0:36:26 > 0:36:29And I think the video worked out just cos I was genuinely so excited
0:36:29 > 0:36:31to be on a water slide.
0:36:31 > 0:36:32Woo-hoo!
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Dan takes a DIY approach to his travels.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Walking, biking or catching ferries
0:36:37 > 0:36:41in order to explore the most exciting parts of Scotland.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44I've just had this crazy realisation.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48I'm starting up the road and I'm heading down to a loch,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51which would probably mean this is going to be downhill.
0:36:53 > 0:36:54HE LAUGHS
0:36:54 > 0:36:56And he's learnt as he's gone along.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Some of the first times I went camping,
0:36:58 > 0:36:59I really didn't know what I was doing
0:36:59 > 0:37:02and one of the main things that I didn't bring was a roll mat.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05And what I didn't realise was that if you're camping in the cold,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07those things are absolutely essential
0:37:07 > 0:37:09because it means that your body heat's not going
0:37:09 > 0:37:11straight back into the ground.
0:37:13 > 0:37:14So, I was camping near Loch Lomond...
0:37:16 > 0:37:19..probably about November time and I didn't have one of these roll mats
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and it got colder and colder and colder,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24and I genuinely started to get worried
0:37:24 > 0:37:26that I wasn't actually going to sleep at all,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29just cos it was absolutely freezing.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34But I had one of those, like, foil survival blankets,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36so I used one of those over my sleeping bag
0:37:36 > 0:37:38instead and that kind of works.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40But ever since that trip, I was like,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43"A roll mat should probably be one of those things I should bring."
0:37:45 > 0:37:47But when everything goes right,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Dan has found himself in some fantastic locations...
0:37:53 > 0:37:56..including this amazing sunrise on Suilven.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06This is what he loves,
0:38:06 > 0:38:10being out on his own in Scotland's most dramatic landscapes.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Trips with friends, it's fun,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15but I think it's just different to be out by yourself as well.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19To find out more about Dan's work
0:38:19 > 0:38:21follow The Adventure Show on Facebook.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25And, as we always say, have a great time but travel safely.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27We can't afford to lose you.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40Now let's follow our own and substantially older adventurer
0:38:40 > 0:38:42on his two-day trip through the Letterewe wilderness.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44Time to wake up Duncan.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47The weather's great today and there's a big challenge ahead.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Amazing. Not a cloud in the sky.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53Get some tea on.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Fantastic.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Duncan's plan today is to try and ride down the huge slab of
0:39:00 > 0:39:04rock that leads from the summit of Sgurr Bann.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07The conditions are dry but there's been weeks of rain,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09so it's touch and go.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Only a few people have done this before.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15There's some black streaks on it which might not be rideable,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17but I'm definitely going to check it out.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22It looks really complicated.
0:39:22 > 0:39:23The top part's fine.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29The lower part of the slab looks really steep,
0:39:29 > 0:39:33so I imagine there's a huge set of zigzags to be done.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37HE PUFFS
0:39:37 > 0:39:42Definitely too steep to push the bike.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44Too many tussocks.
0:39:46 > 0:39:47We are really far out here.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53Definitely have to ride within my capabilities.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55But, yeah, that looks like quite a challenge.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59It's challenges like these that Duncan has pursued
0:39:59 > 0:40:02since he turned from rock climbing to mountain biking
0:40:02 > 0:40:04over 20 years ago.
0:40:04 > 0:40:05And since he was a teenager,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08it's being at the leading edge that motivates him.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12That looks OK, just there maybe.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14If I don't drop the bike into the abyss.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22This is where I really want walking poles rather than a machine.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Ooh! Does look like the only access.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Let's see.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Don't want to drop this, cos it might go the whole way down.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Seems like the perfect way to spoil a good hill walk,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45by carrying this thing up here.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51The further I get up, the more I think this is
0:40:51 > 0:40:52a pretty mad scheme.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Might be better higher up, but for me this is unrideable.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Hopefully some of these wet patches will disappear,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03because they're totally slippery.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07But the idea is to look at it a bit like a ski journey.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09You don't want to go straight down the hill,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13you want to try and go to little points of safety all the way along
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and then re-reference yourself and then try again.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20But at the moment it's looking like a really crazy challenge.
0:41:22 > 0:41:23After a big effort,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Duncan's nearly made it to the top of the rideable slope.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Pretty much I've decided to go from here.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36There's about 400, maybe 450 metres of vertical between me and the loch.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39And it feels really out here.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43There's 1,500 feet of descent roughly,
0:41:43 > 0:41:47the summit's pretty close and the rest of the slabs above me are definitely
0:41:47 > 0:41:51something I don't want to be riding on my own, so I'm going to go from that little rock there,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53and see how far I can get.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58So this is it. A quick change of jacket and Duncan's ready to go.
0:41:58 > 0:41:59Right, tally-ho.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Slightly nervous about this.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Keep brakes on on the dry and just let them off slightly
0:42:07 > 0:42:10on the black bits and the wet bits so it runs over.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Much, much less friction than you'd think.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16This is nice, though.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21We are so far from anywhere and every so often you come up with these little overlaps
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and there's little tyre stoppers,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26so I'm going to go pretty gentle to start with.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29In fact, I'll go gentle all the way down.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31It's just the scale of it, it's just huge.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34But it's so hard to spot the line.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38I've kind of lost it now. It's much, much more complicated here
0:42:38 > 0:42:41on the bike than it was walking up just looking at it.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Just need to be careful where there's a bit of moss
0:42:45 > 0:42:47because that is very, very slippery indeed.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Good fun, though, so far.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Oh, dear. You spoke a moment too soon there, Duncan.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56That was pretty interesting!
0:42:56 > 0:43:00I just was crossing between a little rivulet of water
0:43:00 > 0:43:01and the front wheel hit it
0:43:01 > 0:43:06and it skidded around and then it got jammed.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09When it gets wet, it goes really fast.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12But it's quite an experience. It's exciting.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Now it drops off into the area that I had to carry the bike up.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18And you really, really don't want to fall off there.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Well, it didn't quite go as I planned.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23It's much, much more difficult than I thought it was going to be.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25But as an adventure it's incredible.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29So, time to go home.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31Well, it's not quite time for us to go home yet,
0:43:31 > 0:43:34because now we're heading back to the Kindrochit Quadrathlon.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44Woohoo!
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Welcome back to the action here at Loch Tay.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50There's now a steady stream of people coming off the hill and into
0:43:50 > 0:43:52transition to the kayak.
0:43:52 > 0:43:57But for some who are still up there there's many, many hours to go.
0:43:57 > 0:44:01Well, I don't know whether we've gone a bit too hard too early,
0:44:01 > 0:44:03but this is hard.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06It's one of those things you look back on the day after you've done it
0:44:06 > 0:44:08and you say, "That was amazing."
0:44:08 > 0:44:11And then even during the day, if the weather is fine, then, you know,
0:44:11 > 0:44:13it's amazing up the Munros.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16And the will to conquer things after that.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20- Feels good. - SHE LAUGHS
0:44:20 > 0:44:25Today you can certainly see why Scotland's been voted the most beautiful country in the world.
0:44:25 > 0:44:29At the moment, there are nearly 300 people out on the course
0:44:29 > 0:44:31and all of them have their own personal reasons
0:44:31 > 0:44:33for taking on this challenge.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37We are doing this to raise funds for the Mercy Corps, for the refugees.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40So, I think that was a good cause to embrace
0:44:40 > 0:44:44and a nice challenge from a sport perspective as well.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48The reason we are both doing this is because of Mary's Meals,
0:44:48 > 0:44:50because we are supporters of Mary's Meals,
0:44:50 > 0:44:52so hopefully that will keep us going
0:44:52 > 0:44:54no matter what happens, and in the whole day
0:44:54 > 0:44:56we'll keep going because of that.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58I think we will have raised enough money
0:44:58 > 0:45:01to feed 16 children for an entire year with Mary's Meals
0:45:01 > 0:45:04when we finish it. That is the aim of the whole thing.
0:45:04 > 0:45:05We hear lots of stories
0:45:05 > 0:45:08of people that have to carry 60kg of stuff up hills,
0:45:08 > 0:45:10just so their children can eat food.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14So if they can do it, climbing seven Munros is nothing.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19So, back here in the water, the kayak, like the swim,
0:45:19 > 0:45:21is somewhere you might not win the race,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25but if you're struggling with the water and struggling with the wind
0:45:25 > 0:45:26it really will sap a lot of energy.
0:45:27 > 0:45:32In the women's category it's neck and neck between the two fastest teams.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Now, Lydia Ashby and Alice Parsons have taken the lead.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39But they are only two minutes ahead of Emily Lester and Fern Adams,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42so the race is still wide open.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45I've done a fair bit of kayaking and we've been on canoeing expeditions
0:45:45 > 0:45:46and stuff together, so...
0:45:46 > 0:45:48I think the kayak is probably the bit where we
0:45:48 > 0:45:50are most comfortable.
0:45:50 > 0:45:51Yeah. That'll be fun.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54That'll be to sit down after being on our feet...
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Relax, sing a few sea shanties.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58Paddling, paddling.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01I have never kayaked before, ever.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02- Ever?- No.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05We thought about it. In London, it was impossible to find somewhere we
0:46:05 > 0:46:09could kayak without doing loads of training in a pool and stuff,
0:46:09 > 0:46:10so we figured we'd just...
0:46:10 > 0:46:12- Just going to risk it for a biscuit. - Yeah.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Our biggest bag of food is at the kayak,
0:46:14 > 0:46:17- so we will sit... - And eat our way through it.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21Currently in third place for the women are Karin Brogtrop
0:46:21 > 0:46:25and Chantal Klijnhout and for them this is also a new experience.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27- We have to figure it out here. - No clue!
0:46:27 > 0:46:32And there was some training you could do at home with the rowing machine
0:46:32 > 0:46:34but, really, it was so warm,
0:46:34 > 0:46:36in the Netherlands it was tropical weather,
0:46:36 > 0:46:38so it was on top of the house
0:46:38 > 0:46:41and it was too warm to practise, so we thought, OK...
0:46:41 > 0:46:45We focused on the running, on the swimming, and on the bike.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Back here is the transition between kayak and bike
0:46:50 > 0:46:53and the first kayakers are approaching the beach.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56It is Stuart MacLeod, and Drew Sharkey,
0:46:56 > 0:46:58and there's been a tailwind up Loch Tay
0:46:58 > 0:47:02and they're putting in a big, big performance.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05Faster than anyone expected. Drew, how you feeling?
0:47:05 > 0:47:07- Yeah, good.- You're looking great. - I feel great.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09Miles ahead from last year.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13Yeah, we paced the mountain really well.
0:47:13 > 0:47:14Nice and easy on the first hill.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16We'll stop and get the fish supper at Killin.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19Is that allowed? Drew is the team captain, though, so he decides.
0:47:19 > 0:47:20I just do what I'm told.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22- We can go after! - I just do what I'm told.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25- There's no stopping. - Well done, boys.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29Bit of a slow start to the cycle, which involves running uphill,
0:47:29 > 0:47:32and I have to say that Drew Sharkey and Stuart MacLeod
0:47:32 > 0:47:35are looking in great shape.
0:47:35 > 0:47:39I wonder just what Sean and Andy will look like
0:47:39 > 0:47:41when they come into transition
0:47:41 > 0:47:44because they'll know there's a huge amount of work to do.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48Five hours 45, and they're heading out on the bike.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53So, here is Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray, our second-place racers.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56Sean won, of course, last year with Drew Sharkey.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59This is a huge performance from Sean McFarlane and his team-mate
0:47:59 > 0:48:04considering, last year, they got to this point at quarter to two.
0:48:04 > 0:48:05It's now one o'clock,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08so they are 45 minutes ahead, but bad news for them
0:48:08 > 0:48:12is Drew Sharkey and his partner are a further 20 minutes ahead of that.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14How are you feeling, all right?
0:48:14 > 0:48:16Yeah. A bit stiff, actually.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19You come off the hill and then you're lodged in a canoe,
0:48:19 > 0:48:24so your knees and hips and thighs can get a bit tight
0:48:24 > 0:48:25and it all stiffens up a bit.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29There's no easy parts of the course, so you have to, kind of,
0:48:29 > 0:48:31keep pushing forward the whole way, really.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34Test yourself, put yourself out of your comfort zone
0:48:34 > 0:48:37and really get to see quite how much
0:48:37 > 0:48:40you can endure through the course of the day, so it is a good challenge.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44So this is Stuart Gregory and Paul Daccus
0:48:44 > 0:48:47getting a nice little rhythm going there.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50Just as I say it, they break the rhythm.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52Paul at the back, Stuart at the front.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56And they are 15 minutes behind Sean McFarlane.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59- Third, boys, well done.- Thanks.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01- Paul, are you feeling OK?- Yeah.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03- Yeah, feel very good, yeah. - Looking comfortable.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06- We will see how I feel after the bike.- Only 34 miles, boys, nothing.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08A little Sunday afternoon stroll.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12- Have a lovely time, boys.- Thank you. - Excellent effort, well done.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14We will see you in a couple of hours, eh?
0:49:14 > 0:49:16- Yeah, hopefully!- Cheers.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19So Stuart MacLeod and Drew Sharkey speeding their way
0:49:19 > 0:49:21over the beautiful bridge at the Falls of Dochart, here,
0:49:21 > 0:49:23making their way into Killin.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25Looks as though they've opened up a big lead.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27It is a wee sprint for Stuart.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30It is a marathon for me but it's a wee sprint for Stuart.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33That is the interesting thing about the two of us,
0:49:33 > 0:49:37is that Stuart can go all day, in fact, he can go for multiple days,
0:49:37 > 0:49:41and I am the slight risk in the whole thing
0:49:41 > 0:49:43that I could crack towards the end
0:49:43 > 0:49:46but we will just have to manage that carefully.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48You're always a team, so you're only as quick
0:49:48 > 0:49:50as the slowest man in that discipline.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52So I think you just need to discuss it, manage it,
0:49:52 > 0:49:55you're not racing each other. You're a team.
0:49:55 > 0:49:57So, I think that's it and you have to talk about that,
0:49:57 > 0:49:59or else it is not going to work out well.
0:50:00 > 0:50:04So this is Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray,
0:50:04 > 0:50:06making their way across the bridge now.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09It looks to be about a 20-minute gap at the moment
0:50:09 > 0:50:12between the frontrunners and these guys.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16Can they make up that time with the distance they have left?
0:50:16 > 0:50:18I would say it is unlikely.
0:50:18 > 0:50:19People think racing in pairs is easier
0:50:19 > 0:50:22but it is actually, in many ways, more difficult
0:50:22 > 0:50:25because any difference is really accentuated.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27And it can become a big problem,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30so you need to be almost perfectly matched.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32That's the key. And no-one is.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34No pair is perfectly matched and any discrepancy is really amplified
0:50:34 > 0:50:37in a race of this nature, so it is quite difficult.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43Paul Daccus and Stuart Gregory in third place.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46They were 15 minutes behind the second pair at transition
0:50:46 > 0:50:48and that gap has now widened.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52On the bike we're pretty evenly matched,
0:50:52 > 0:50:56so we take our turns and we make good progress.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59If somebody starts dropping back the best thing to do is to
0:50:59 > 0:51:01leave them and then they have to catch up even faster.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04It is about encouraging the other person
0:51:04 > 0:51:06because, over eight hours of exercise,
0:51:06 > 0:51:09there are times when you feel good and times when you don't.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13So a little, sort of, happy word from your colleague
0:51:13 > 0:51:14makes a bit of difference.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16Sometimes a bit of stick, sometimes a bit of carrot.
0:51:17 > 0:51:22Racers are now piling into the transition from kayak to bike.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24And everyone has a story to tell.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27The wind is amazing out there. It takes you all over the place.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29Yeah, the waves, you occasionally catch one
0:51:29 > 0:51:32and it feels like you go about ten metres, it's great.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34We couldn't stay straight.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36I think the legs need to wake up a little bit.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38Yeah, it is pretty tough.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40Do you get cold in the boat, or were you OK?
0:51:40 > 0:51:45Not too bad, actually, the weather is perfect today so it is great.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47At one stage my partner and I nearly fell in
0:51:47 > 0:51:48so thankfully we made it safely back.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50It has taken me a good ten minutes to warm up.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52I'm not going to lie.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54It is still a close-run race for the women.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57Alice Parsons and Lydia Ashby in the lead,
0:51:57 > 0:51:59but only by three minutes.
0:51:59 > 0:52:00How are we doing?
0:52:00 > 0:52:03Good. We were taking this quite uncompetitively
0:52:03 > 0:52:06but we have suddenly become competitive.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08We didn't capsize. It was all right!
0:52:08 > 0:52:10Thank you, goodbye!
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Well done, guys. Keep it going.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16And it's neck and neck now between the top two women's teams,
0:52:16 > 0:52:19Fern Adams and Emily Lester are now in transition.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23Fern is raring to go, but Emily is suffering.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26Oh, she's struggling. Look at that. She can barely walk!
0:52:26 > 0:52:29What's happened to you? Have you got blisters?
0:52:29 > 0:52:30Oh, yeah. Oooh!
0:52:30 > 0:52:34That just gives you a sense of the effort these girls have put in.
0:52:34 > 0:52:35A horrible case of blisters.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38Every step is miserable.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41And when you get on the bike, who says that will be much better?
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Hello! A bit hard.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47It's going to be a fun one.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49That is going to be the longest cycle I have ever done.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52I have done about 30 miles but the extra four, I think,
0:52:52 > 0:52:53on the stretch home.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56At least, if you start pedalling, you keep rolling on the bike.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58So that's a good thing.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01With swimming, or walking, if you stop, you stop.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03Hey!
0:53:03 > 0:53:07The road stretches ever onwards for Fern and Emily,
0:53:07 > 0:53:11but the fastest men have only a few turns of the wheel to go.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15Well, this is incredible stuff from the top two performers here
0:53:15 > 0:53:20at the Kindrochit 2017, Stuart MacLeod and Drew Sharkey.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Drew Sharkey won this last year with Sean McFarlane,
0:53:23 > 0:53:26and this year he has won it with Stuart MacLeod
0:53:26 > 0:53:29and he's won it by a country mile.
0:53:29 > 0:53:31The course record in the Kindrochit Quadrathlon
0:53:31 > 0:53:33is eight hours and three minutes.
0:53:33 > 0:53:39With a time of seven hours 37 minutes,
0:53:39 > 0:53:44last year's champion Drew Sharkey, alongside Stuart MacLeod
0:53:44 > 0:53:46become champions 2017.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48A new course record.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50Absolutely smashed it.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Great effort. Great effort, boys, amazing.
0:53:55 > 0:53:56Look at the pair of you.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59You look like you have been out for a wee stroll in the afternoon.
0:53:59 > 0:54:00My main concern was us.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02You have just got to manage the effort
0:54:02 > 0:54:04and everyone else is obviously doing their thing.
0:54:04 > 0:54:06And I knew at the end, I knew when we are cycling at the end,
0:54:06 > 0:54:08me and Drew have ridden bikes before,
0:54:08 > 0:54:11so I knew if we just jumped on our bikes we would be quite happy.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14I think we conserved our energy on the first hill, which was key.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16- Right.- We just took the first climb really easy
0:54:16 > 0:54:18and then just warmed up into it.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20So that is all the sweeter this year, is it?
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Yeah, quite nice.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Well, the course record at the Kindrochit Quadrathlon
0:54:28 > 0:54:32is...eight hours and three minutes
0:54:32 > 0:54:34and here comes Andy Gray,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37leading Sean McFarlane down into the finish.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40They are seven hours 54 minutes into this race,
0:54:40 > 0:54:42so if they get a bend on
0:54:42 > 0:54:44they will break the record.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48However, they are 20 minutes behind this year's champions.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51Look at that, the leg coming off the bike nice and slowly.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54Here we go, this is an amazing performance.
0:54:54 > 0:54:59And they get to the finish line in a time of seven hours 56 minutes,
0:54:59 > 0:55:02which would have broken the record
0:55:02 > 0:55:06but, of course, Drew Sharkey and Stuart MacLeod
0:55:06 > 0:55:09came in in seven hours 37,
0:55:09 > 0:55:11but second place for the pair of them.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15We are friends again! Kiss and make up.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Hats off to these guys, these guys were...
0:55:17 > 0:55:19We're happy, we are very happy for these guys.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21They are untouchable, just incredible.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23If you said at the start of the day,
0:55:23 > 0:55:25"Here is the time, do you want to take that?"
0:55:25 > 0:55:27- I would have said yes.- Absolutely.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29And then if you have said, "And you'll come second."
0:55:29 > 0:55:31Fair enough.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34So here's our third-place racers,
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Stuart Gregory and Paul Daccus.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39That is a monstrous bike leg they put in there.
0:55:39 > 0:55:40Incredible performance.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43Absolutely flying in. Looking quite comfortable.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Third-place, fantastic.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50- 8.13.- We finished 8.13. - Which is amazing.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52If you had said 8.13 at the start of today,
0:55:52 > 0:55:54- we definitely would have taken it. - Yeah.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57I can't believe the other guys' times.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00You don't mind not winning to guys like that.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05So, confirmation of those final results for the men.
0:56:05 > 0:56:06Paul Daccus and Stuart Gregory
0:56:06 > 0:56:08came in third in a time of eight hours 13 minutes.
0:56:09 > 0:56:15Second place were Sean McFarlane and Andy Gray in 7.56,
0:56:15 > 0:56:17but nearly 20 minutes faster,
0:56:17 > 0:56:19Drew Sharkey and Stuart MacLeod
0:56:19 > 0:56:22outstripped everyone else to come in first
0:56:22 > 0:56:24in seven hours and 37 minutes.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26And they set that new course record.
0:56:28 > 0:56:32Now it is nearly all over for the women and this is amazing!
0:56:32 > 0:56:3512 and three-quarter hours after setting off this morning
0:56:35 > 0:56:37there's only a minute between the top two teams.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40We finished! Wahoo!
0:56:40 > 0:56:43Alice Parsons and Lydia Ashby are, much to their surprise,
0:56:43 > 0:56:44the first to complete the bike.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46Yay!
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Let's not believe it until we're actually through.
0:56:49 > 0:56:50After swimming across Loch Tay,
0:56:50 > 0:56:5515 miles of running, a seven-mile kayak, and 34 miles on the bike,
0:56:55 > 0:57:00Alice and Lydia come across the finish line in 12 hours 46 minutes.
0:57:01 > 0:57:02OK. Again!
0:57:02 > 0:57:04It could hardly be any closer.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06Fern Adams and Emily Lester power over the line
0:57:06 > 0:57:08in 12 hours 47 minutes.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11What a fantastic result for both teams.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15I honestly thought we'd be rolling in at about 10:30pm, so...
0:57:15 > 0:57:16We've got loads of time!
0:57:16 > 0:57:18Big high one!
0:57:19 > 0:57:21So after a long, long day of racing,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23the women's results look like this.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27In third place, Chantelle Klijnhout and Karin Brogtrop
0:57:27 > 0:57:32from the Netherlands completed the race in 15 hours and two minutes.
0:57:32 > 0:57:36Emily Lester and Fern Adams were second in 12.47,
0:57:36 > 0:57:38but, just one minute faster,
0:57:38 > 0:57:43Lydia Ashby and Alice Parsons came in first in 12 hours 46 minutes.
0:57:45 > 0:57:49The action and this year's Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon
0:57:49 > 0:57:50has been truly epic.
0:57:50 > 0:57:54Our congratulations to every single person who's competed here today.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58We'll be taking a short break over Christmas but, worry not,
0:57:58 > 0:58:00Cameron McNeish will be back once again
0:58:00 > 0:58:03exploring this great country of ours.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06I am going to be visiting some fascinating places
0:58:06 > 0:58:10that are rich in legend, folklore, and culture.
0:58:10 > 0:58:13And I hope you will join me during the festive season,
0:58:13 > 0:58:16as I take another journey on Scotland's roads less travelled.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20This time around the very heart of Scotland.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22So, lots to look forward to
0:58:22 > 0:58:24and in the New Year we will be back
0:58:24 > 0:58:27for the one and only Strathpuffer 24.
0:58:27 > 0:58:29Let's hope there's plenty of snow.
0:58:29 > 0:58:31In the meantime, bye for now.