After adventure? On yer (quad) bike!

Quad biking is one of THE ultimate adrenaline rushes. Gayle’s still buzzing after a session in the Perthshire wilderness

Hurtling up and over the brow of a heathery hill, the ground disappears beneath me – heck, I’m flying! I’m on a quad bike, I’ve just caught air, and my adrenaline levels are skyrocketing. As I hit the ground, I come face-toface with a sheep, rudely awakened from her afternoon snooze.

She stumbles out in front of me, bleary-eyed, and I slam on the brakes, my heart racing wildly. Luckily, I manage to avoid her and pause to watch as she trots off, seemingly unperturbed, towards her woolly pals.

I’m on a quad biking session with Perthshire Off Road Driving Centre, a company with its headquarters high in the Ochil Hills above Glenfarg. Angus MacLean set up the business in 1992 near Braco, but moved operations to the Glenfarg site in 2004.

“It’s so magical here,” muses the 73-year-old, as we stop for a breather at the top of a hill overlooking Glenfarg Reservoir. “The highest point is 1,000ft above sea level, and the views are absolutely wonderful.”

He’s right about that.

Up here, you’re treated to stunning, panoramic vistas in every direction – across to Fife, the Lomond Hills, to Schiehallion, and even as far as the Cairngorms on a clear day.

Before I’d signed up, Angus checked whether I’d been on a quad before. My answer was yes, a couple of times, but to be honest, it was very tame compared with what he was about to show me.

Kitted out in helmet, safety glasses and unflattering high-vis overalls, I’m ready for action.

We start with the basics in an area with small rolling hills, which Angus describes as the “nursery slopes”.

Riding the quad in a straight line is fairly easy. Once you’ve switched on the ignition, you simply go for it, increasing or decreasing speed with the thumb throttle, or braking when appropriate.

I’m a bit tense and initially struggle to follow Angus’s advice when tackling corners and inclines – especially on

thecouriermagazine a camber or at an angle. The main issue is getting the balance and coordination right.

“It’s all about distribution of weight,” explains Angus. “Lean into the hill and shuffle your backside in that direction.”

One I’ve got the hang of things, we tackle steeper, more challenging terrain. We splash through muddy puddles, birl up and down undulating, grassy slopes and negotiate rocky, angled summits – eek!

As my confidence builds, I gather speed, although I struggle to keep up with Angus.

There’s a particularly challenging angled incline, requiring a degree of bravery to mount it and sail down the other side without toppling off. Take it too slowly and you won’t make it; take it too fast and you risk overturning.

Obstacles to be aware of include trees, rocks, the aforementioned sheep, and the reservoir, which we approach on a tight bend.

“A guy very nearly landed up in the water when he came round here and lost control,” says Angus. “That’s why we go round here at a snail’s pace!”

It’s well worth stopping to drink in the scenery. Wildlife abounds here, and you might well spot buzzards, kestrels, ospreys, red squirrels and deer.

Back at base, I get the seal of approval from Angus and mechanic Adrian Mailer, who’s been watching my progress.

“You can tell you ride horses!” beams Adrian. “You’ve got a great sense of balance. Well done.”

Angus is equally flattering. “You picked up the skills very quickly and you’ll now be able to use a quad anywhere with confidence,” he tells me, bringing on a blush.

My pride is crushed when I realise I’ve got a rather smelly substance in my hair and on the hood of my top – sheep poo.

“Ah, that’ll be the green mud!” laughs Angus. “I hope you’re not going back to your office?”

Thankfully, I’m not, and instead,

I head home with a huge grin on my face dreaming of when I can return.

As sessions run through winter, with Angus teaching riders how to drive in snow and mud, I may be back very soon.