WhatsApp 07774 636254The Gauntlet: our 14-obstacle assault course
Mud, grit and glory - and it comes with every booking rather than as an upsell.
The Gauntlet is Escarmouche's 14-obstacle assault course at Shane's Castle, Randalstown, about twenty minutes from Belfast. It is included with every booking alongside your main activity rather than charged separately, and it rewards persistence rather than pace, so mixed-ability groups all get through it.
It is not a race, and that is the point
Most obstacle courses sort a group into fast and slow within the first ninety seconds, and then everyone knows where they stand for the rest of it. The Gauntlet does not work like that, because the obstacles reward getting through rather than getting through quickly.
The person who refuses to stop beats the person who sprints the first four and then gets frustrated at the fifth. We watch it happen every week, and it is consistently the group member nobody expected.
Where it fits in a day
The Gauntlet is not a standalone booking. It runs alongside whatever main activity you choose, which is deliberate - it gives people who have taken a few paintball hits something else to throw themselves at, and it keeps a mixed-ability group together instead of splitting into the keen and the knackered.
- Included with paintball, airsoft, laser tag and team days
- Woven through the day rather than bolted on at the end
- Marshal-supervised throughout
- Taken at whatever pace suits each person
The other five games it comes with
The Gauntlet is one of six challenges included with any booking. Together they are what stops a single person winning the whole day.
| Game | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| The Gauntlet | Persistence across 14 obstacles |
| Gladiator Combat | Ninety seconds of nerve on the podium |
| Tug of War | Timing and coordination, not weight |
| Tyre Flipping | Raw strength against the clock |
| Human Foosball | Coordination, and being funny |
| Code Breaker | Noticing things - brains over brawn |
It is genuinely better in the wet
Dry ground makes the Gauntlet hard work. Wet ground makes it funny, which is a considerably better outcome for a group day. Mud is part of the design rather than an unfortunate side effect of Northern Irish weather.
Dress for being wet rather than for staying dry: layers under the supplied overalls, boots with grip, and a complete change of clothes with a bag to put the old ones in.
Who it suits
- Stag and hen groups who want something beyond the main activity
- Corporate teams, where it reliably humbles whoever talked the most beforehand
- Schools and youth groups - it tires a year group out productively
- Sports clubs in pre-season
- Families, taken at a sensible pace
Gauntlet questions
Can I book just the assault course?
The Gauntlet runs alongside a main activity rather than on its own, and it is included with every booking. Tell us what you want the day to look like and we will build it around your group.
Do I need to be fit?
No. It rewards persistence rather than pace, and you take it at whatever speed suits you. The person who refuses to stop usually beats the person who sprints the first few obstacles.
How many obstacles are there?
Fourteen, across mud, climbs, crawls and carries. Marshals supervise throughout.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, taken at a sensible pace and with supervision. Tell us the ages in your group when you book and we will set expectations accordingly.
Will I get muddy?
Comprehensively, and that is the intention. Bring a full change of clothes, a towel and a bag for the wet pile.
Is it extra?
No. The Gauntlet and the other five team games come as standard with any booking rather than being charged separately.
Does it run in winter?
Yes, seven days a week all year - and it is more entertaining in the wet than in the dry.
Ready when you are
All sessions are booked in advance. Tell us who is coming and what you fancy, and we will come straight back to lock in your date.