Lord of the Sands at Tain
The final round of the 2025 Scottish Hare & Hounds Championship headed to Tain for a very different kind of Enduro race.
Hosted by Highland Enduro Club at Tain Motocross Track, Lord of the Sands puts riders onto deep sand, fast open sections and a flowing moto-style course rather than the tighter woodland terrain often associated with Enduro.
This film follows the event from the morning build-up through the adult race, rider interviews and prize-giving.
What makes Tain Hare & Hounds different?
Tain is all about the sand.
There are no tight trees to break up the riding and very few places to recover. Instead, riders have to maintain momentum across open sections while constantly dealing with changing ruts and lines.
That gives Lord of the Sands a completely different character from many other Scottish Hare & Hounds events.
For anyone wanting to learn more about the sport, BRAAP Scotland has more Scottish Enduro guides, rider stories and information.
Racing in deep sand
Sand requires a different riding technique from hard ground.
The bike moves underneath the rider, the front wheel can wander and slowing down too much can make sections harder rather than easier.
Maintaining momentum becomes crucial.
As the race develops, the course also changes. Ruts deepen, braking areas become rougher and riders begin searching for new lines around the track.
A physical Hare & Hounds race
The open nature of the Tain course does not make it easy.
Sustained sand riding is physically demanding, particularly as fatigue builds later in the race.
Riders need to stay relaxed on the motorcycle while still maintaining enough speed to keep the bike moving through the softer sections.
Small mistakes can quickly cost energy and time.
Onboard at Tain
Onboard footage from Sean Miller, Oliver McIntyre and Angus Hamilton gives a closer look at what the course feels like from behind the handlebars.
The cameras show the constant movement of the motorcycle, changing lines and the speed riders carry across the sand.
It also makes the physical nature of the course much clearer than it can appear from trackside.
The final championship round
As the final Hare & Hounds round of the season, Tain carries extra importance for riders competing for championship positions.
By this stage of the year, every result can matter.
Some riders arrive focused on championship points and class positions, while others are looking to finish the season with a strong ride or simply enjoy one final race.
That gives the event a mixture of serious competition and end-of-season atmosphere.
Rider interviews from Lord of the Sands
Alongside the racing, BRAAP Scotland catches up with riders around the event to hear how they are finding the course and the conditions.
Those conversations help show the difference between watching the racing and actually dealing with the sand from the rider's point of view.
The film also features Angus Hamilton during the race and David Paton before following the event through to prize-giving.
More Scottish Enduro event coverage
BRAAP Scotland covers Enduro and wider off-road motorcycle events from across Scotland, combining race footage with rider interviews and the stories behind the sport.
You can find more films in our BRAAP Scotland event coverage.
Thanks to Highland Enduro Club
A huge thank you goes to Highland Enduro Club and everyone involved in putting on Lord of the Sands at Tain.
Events like this rely on organisers, marshals, volunteers, landowners, riders and families giving their time to keep Scottish off-road motorcycle sport running.
Filmed and produced by BRAAP Scotland.
