Bob Graham Round - History of The Round

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, and in the fell-walking section of M. J. B. Baddeley's Lakeland guidebook:

• 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 (77 km) with over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) of ascent in 20 hours
• 1902: S.B. Johnson of Carlisle completed a 70-mile (110 km), 18,000-foot (5,500 m) 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 (101 km) and 66 miles (106 km) with approximately 8,200-metre (26,900 ft) of ascent and descent. Several 20th Century sources (including the 42 Peaks booklet) erroneously state the distance to be 72 miles (116 km).

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 Dr Barbara Moore 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 1710 people at the end of 2011. 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.