A new charity event, the Loch Ness Duathlon, launches this August. Organised by Handsonevents and in aid of the British Heart Foundation, the duathlon offers a running and cycling challenge for individuals or teams.

There will be two route options:

* Running 7.5km on forest trails and then mountain biking 60km on the north side of Loch Ness (including 1700m of climbing)

* Running 7.5km on forest trails and then road cycling 56km with 1050m of climb on the south side of Loch Ness, followed by a 5km run on tarmac.

The duathlon will take place on August 25, from Inverness.

The British Heart Foundation uses the vital funds raised by events such as the Loch Ness Duathlon to fight against one of the UK’s biggest killers, heart disease.

For more information, see Loch Ness Duathlon, call 0800 169 3672 or send an e-mail to scotlandevents@bhf.org.uk

* Handsonevents is the organisation behind such classic events as the Cairngorm Sportive, the Skye Sportive and the epic Bealach Mor.