Quad Biking Stag Do

A quad biking stag do is about as reliable a crowd-pleaser as you’ll find. Everyone gets their own machine, everyone gets muddy, and the lad who claims he’s done a bit of off-road will be the first one stuck in a ditch. Four wheels means you can open it up a bit without the wobble of a motorbike, and you don’t need any experience to have a go.

Sessions usually start with a safety briefing and some practice on a training loop, then the instructors take you out on the trails. Expect hills, puddles, ruts and a lot of mud. Some venues finish with timed laps or a race, which is where the real rivalries come out.

Almost everyone. It’s a ride rather than a sport, so fitness doesn’t matter, and the nervous ones can take it steady while the speed merchants go for it. It’s also brilliant for photos. Nothing says stag do like a row of grown men caked in mud and grinning like idiots.

For the stag’s special treatment, put him at the back of the convoy. Every bike in front of him kicks up a fresh coat of mud, and by the end he’ll be wearing more of the field than the field is. If the venue runs a race, it’s only fair he starts last too.

Quad sites are usually out of town, so it’s a good daytime activity for getting everyone out of the hotel, blowing off some steam and building up a thirst before the evening.

• Clothes you can bin. You will get filthy. Most venues provide overalls and a helmet, and some have boots or wellies, but wear old clothes underneath and check what’s included.
• A change of clothes. If you’re going for a pint after, bring a full change and a towel. The pub won’t thank you otherwise.
• The booze rule. Strictly after, not before. Venues won’t let anyone ride who’s been drinking.
• Licence and age. Most sessions don’t need a driving licence, but there can be age or size limits, so check if anyone’s borderline.
• Track or trail. Ask whether it’s guided trail riding, laps on a track, or both. Trails feel more like an adventure. Tracks are better for racing.

Quads sit well with other outdoor stuff on the same day. Try paintball in the morning and quads after lunch, or step up to 4×4 off-road driving or rage buggies for more horsepower. If someone in the group would rather stay on tarmac, go karting gives you the racing without the mud.

There’s usually a quad site within driving distance of most stag cities, so browse our stag do destinations and pick one with a decent night out. The packages below show what’s available where.