Bob Graham Round
The Bob Graham Round is a circuit of 42 fells in the English Lake District, including the peaks of Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Scafell and Scafell Pike. The round is named after Bob Graham (1889–1966), a Keswick guest-house owner, who in 1932 set the record for the number of Lakeland fells traversed in 24 hours which he held for twenty eight years until its repeat, with Graham's encouragement, by Alan Heaton in a quicker time in 1960.
Any contender who traverses the fells of Bob Graham's round within 24 hours is eligible for membership of the Bob Graham Club. While the club keeps to a low profile policy in the spirit of Bob Graham's reputation as a quiet, modest individual, its primary role being record keeper of attempts and successful rounds, members encourage and support contenders. Despite Graham's understatement that the round is achievable by anyone of "average" fitness, it is considered by many as one of the most demanding tests of endurance for an amateur athlete or mountaineer.
Contents
History of the Round
The development of progressively lengthier and more competitive rounds of the Lakeland fells is chronicled in the Bob Graham Club's Story of the Bob Graham Round,Brian Covell, A.H. Griffin, and Roger Smith, 42 Peaks: The Story of the Bob Graham Round, Published by the Bob Graham Club, 1982/1992 and in the fell-walking section of M. J. B. Baddeley's Lakeland guidebook Baddeley, M. J. B. The Lake District, 23rd edition (edited by R. J. W. Hammond), 1968, Ward, Lock & Co.:
- 1864: the Reverend J.M. Elliott of Cambridge traversed the summits around the head of Wasdale in 8.5 hours
- 1870: Thomas Watson of Darlington covered 48 miles with over 10000 ft of ascent in 20 hours
- 1902: S.B. Johnson of Carlisle completed a 70 miles, 18000 ft round in 22.5 hours
- 1905: Dr Wakefield of Keswick completed the same round in 22h7m (recorded in The Sedberghian)
- 1920: Eustace Thomas, at age 54, covered the same round in 21h25m
On 12–13 June 1932 the Lakeland fell runner Bob Graham set the peak bagging record of 42 Lakeland peaks in just under 24 hours. Bob Graham's Round was not repeated again until 1960. Depending on the line taken, the length of the route is between 63 miles and 66 miles with approximately 8200 m of ascent and descent. Several 20th Century sources (including the 42 Peaks booklet') erroneously state the distance to be 72 miles.
The Lakeland writer Harry Griffin is credited with rekindling interest in Graham's record in the late 1950s, at a time when the veteran walker Barbara Moore (vegetarian) had gained much publicity for doing the John o'Groats to Land's End walk. Griffin went on, with Fred Rogerson, to found the Bob Graham Club, which meets bi-annually in the Lake District.
Alan Heaton became the first to repeat and better Graham's round in 1960, though the tops Heaton chose were not the same as Graham had visited. Graham included:
- High White Stones
- Hanging Knotts
- Looking Stead
- High Snab Bank
These were replaced by:
- Whiteside
- Helvellyn Lower Man
- Ill Crag
- Broad Crag
It is these along with the other 38 tops that is now called the "Bob Graham Round" and are listed below.
The Bob Graham Round is now a standard fell-runner's test-piece: having been successfully completed by 1617 people at the end of 2010. Although it is possible to complete the basic round at a fast walking pace, most contenders choose to run at least the level ground. Solo rounds have been accomplished but, again, most contenders are accompanied by at least one runner in support: a requirement for acceptance by the Bob Graham Club. The vast majority of attempts are undertaken close to mid summer to make use of maximum daylight. Nonetheless, as of March 2011, twenty three individuals have successfully completed a winter round of the standard circuit.
The Bob Graham cairn, commemorating both Graham and his feat, stands just below Ashness Bridge (grid reference NY270196), quite close to the road. Note that this memorial erroneously gives the date of Graham's round as 13–14 June.
The Bob Graham Route
The round may be attempted either clockwise or anti-clockwise, provided that the start and finish is at the Moot Hall, Keswick. Predicted times for each stage of the round can be determined using an adaptation of Naismith's Rule.
| Summit Sequence |
Location |
|---|---|
| Start and Finish Line | Moot Hall, Keswick |
| 1 | Skiddaw |
| 2 | Great Calva |
| 3 | Blencathra |
| Road Crossing | Threlkeld |
| 4 | Clough Head |
| 5 | Great Dodd |
| 6 | Watson's Dodd |
| 7 | Stybarrow Dodd |
| 8 | Raise |
| 9 | White Side |
| 10 | Lowerman |
| 11 | Helvellyn |
| 12 | Nethermost Pike |
| 13 | Dollywagon Pike |
| 14 | Fairfield |
| 15 | Seat Sandal |
| Road Crossing | Dunmail Raise |
| 16 | Steel Fell |
| 17 | Calf Crag |
| 18 | High Raise |
| 19 | Sergeant Man |
| 20 | Thunacar Knott |
| 21 | Harrison Stickle |
| 22 | Pike O' Stickle |
| 23 | Rossett Pike |
| 24 | Bowfell |
| 25 | Esk Pike |
| 26 | Great End |
| 27 | Ill Crag |
| 28 | Broad Crag |
| 29 | Scafell Pike |
| 30 | Scafell |
| Road Crossing | Wasdale Campsite |
| 31 | Yewbarrow |
| 32 | Red Pike |
| 33 | Steeple |
| 34 | Pillar |
| 35 | Kirk Fell |
| 36 | Great Gable |
| 37 | Green Gable |
| 38 | Brandreth |
| 39 | Grey Knotts |
| Road Crossing | Honister Pass |
| 40 | Dale Head |
| 41 | Hindscarth |
| 42 | Robinson |
| Start and Finish Line | Moot Hall, Keswick |
Record Circuits
The record for the fastest round of the standard 42 tops was reduced progressively:
- 1960: Alan Heaton - 22h18
- 1971: Peter Walkington - 20h43m
- 1973: Bill Smith & Boyd Millen - 20h38
- 1976: John North - 19h48
- 1976: Billy Bland - 18h50
- 1977: Mike Nicholson - 17h45m
- 1982: Billy Bland (runner) - 13h53m
The fastest ladies round is:
- 1991: Ann Stentiford - 18hr49m
Building on the basic Bob Graham Round, later runners raised the number of peaks traversed within 24 hours still further:
- 1962: Alan Heaton - 54 peaks in 23h48m
- 1963: Eric Beard - 56 peaks, involving 88 mies with 34000 ft of ascent in 23h35m
- 1964: Alan Heaton - 60 peaks in 23h34m
- 1971: Joss Naylor - 61 peaks in 23h37m
- 1972: Joss Naylor - 63 peaks in 23h35m
- 1975: Joss Naylor - 72 peaks involving over 100 miles and 37000 ft of ascent in 23h20m
- 1988: Mark McDermott - 76 peaks in 23h26m
- 1997: Mark Hartell - 77 peaks in 23h47m
The ladies record is:
- 2011: Nicky Spinks - 64 peaks in 23h15m RaceKit news; Dark Peak Fell Runners news
Graham is believed to have chosen 42 peaks as his age at that time - he had attempted a round of 41 peaks the previous year and narrowly failed to complete it in 24 hours. Several later runners have successfully attempted 50 peaks at 50, and 55 peaks at 55. Notable achievements are:
- 1997: Joss Naylor attempted 60 peaks at age 60 over 36 hours (first to last peak) to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research
- 2005: Yiannis Tridimas completed 60 peaks at age 60, in 23h52m
- 2006: Joss Naylor completed 70 peaks at age 70, covering more than 50 miles and ascending more than 25,000 feet, in under 21 hours
See also
- South Wales Traverse sometimes considered the South Wales equivalent of the Bob Graham Round.
- Paddy Buckley Round A similar round in the mountains of Snowdonia.
- The Ramsay Round The Scottish equivalent of the Bob Graham taking in 24 Munros on the ridges of The Grey Corries and the Mamores.
External links
- Bob Graham 24 Hour Club Official site of the Bob Graham Round club
- Bob Graham Round Bob Wightman's Bob Graham Round webpages
- The Bob Graham Round Another site for enthusiasts including further statistics (now part of the Bob Graham 24 Hour Club's website)
- Fell & Rock Climbing Club of the English Lake District FRCC site, giving long walks and runs in the English Lakes
- The Fell Runners Association organizers in the UK with links to regions, events and clubs
