42-606: The Bob Graham Round is a fell running (hill running) challenge in the English Lake District . It is named after Bob Graham (1889–1966), a Keswick guest-house owner, who in June 1932 broke the Lakeland Fell record by traversing 42 fells within a 24-hour period. Traversing the 42 fells, starting and finishing at Keswick Moot Hall , involves 66 miles (106 km) with 26,900 feet (8,200 m) of ascent. The Round
84-721: A community of shepherds and agricultural labourers comparisons of speed and strength were interesting to spectators as a source of professional pride for competitors. The most famous of these events in England, the Grasmere Sports meeting in the Lake District , with its Guide's Race , still takes place every year in August. The Fell Runners Association started in April 1970 to organise the duplication of event calendars for
126-632: A few minutes to, generally, a few hours. The longest common fell running challenges tend to be rounds to be completed within 24 hours, such as the Bob Graham Round . Some of the mountain marathons do call for pairs of runners to carry equipment and food for camping overnight. Longer possible routes do exist, such as an attempt at a continuous round of Munros . Mountaineers who traverse light and fast over high Alpine, Himalayan or through other such continental, high altitudes are considered alpine-style mountaineers by fell runners. Races run under
168-539: A lease on the building from Lady Catherine Radclyffe of Derwentwater, the wife of Sir George Radclyffe of Derwentwater (1517-1579), in 1570. Dudley converted it into a storehouse for "weighing and keeping copper ". He wrote to the Secretary of State , Sir William Cecil , in October 1570 to report that the works were ongoing and it appears that those works, which involved "pulling down of the old house", were completed
210-486: A requirement for acceptance of membership of the Bob Graham Club. The vast majority of attempts are undertaken close to mid summer to make use of maximum daylight. Nonetheless, as of the end of December 2023, fifty three individuals have successfully completed a winter round of the standard circuit four of whom have done two winter rounds. The round may be attempted either clockwise or anti-clockwise, provided that
252-588: Is a prominent historic building situated at the southern end of Main Street in Keswick, Cumbria , England. It is Grade II* listed . The hall has its origins in a medieval courthouse, used by the manor of Castlerigg and Derwentwater, which was in the ownership of the Radclyffe family by the 16th century. Richard Dudley , of Yanwath , acting as the local overseer on behalf of the "Company of Mines Royal", took
294-410: Is also distinct from those disciplines. Fell races are organised on the premise that contenders possess mountain navigation skills and carry adequate survival equipment as prescribed by the organiser. Fell running has common characteristics with cross-country running , but is distinguished by steeper gradients and upland country. It is sometimes considered a form of mountain running , but without
336-619: Is often known as hill running, particularly in Scotland. It is sometimes called mountain running, as in the name of the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association although the term mountain running often has connotations of WMRA races which tend to be on smoother, drier trails and lack the route choice which may be available in fell races. Fell race courses are often longer than cross-country running courses, steeper and unmarked when out on
378-808: Is published beforehand and runners may reconnoitre the course to reduce the risk of losing time working out where to run during the race. Category O events and Mountain Marathons ( see also below ), test navigational ability, attracting both orienteers and fell runners. Other multi-terrain events, such as the Cotswold Way Relay and the Long Mynd Hike , also qualify as fell races under Fell Runners Association rules. Some fell running could also be classed as trail running . Trail running normally takes place on good paths or tracks which are relatively easy to follow and does not necessarily involve
420-440: Is two rounds (132 miles and 54,000 feet of climbing) on consecutive days. This has been achieved eight times, three times within 48 hours, with the record held by Dougie Zinis. Baumeister and Spinks both started at Keswick, ran clockwise to Yewbarrow (peak 31 on a clockwise Round), reversed and ran back to Keswick, then continued anticlockwise to Yewbarrow (now peak 12 on an anticlockwise Round), before reversing again and completing
462-951: The World Mountain Running Championships . There are also continental championships, such as the African Mountain Running Championships , the European Mountain Running Championships , the South American Mountain Running Championships and the North American Central American and Caribbean Mountain Running Championships . The first British Fell Running Championships , then known as Fell Runner of
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#1732780788929504-580: The 19th century. From the 19th century records survive of fell races taking place as a part of community fairs and games. The sport was a simple affair and was based upon each community's values for physical ability. Fell races took place alongside other sports such as wrestling, sprint races and (especially in Scotland) heavy events such as throwing the hammer . These fairs or games events were often commercial as well as cultural, with livestock shows and sales taking place alongside music, dancing and sports. In
546-585: The FRA Rules For Competition of the Fell Runners Association are categorised by the amount of ascent and distance. Modern fell-running trainers use light, non-waterproof material to eject water and dislodge peat after traversing boggy ground. While the trainer needs to be supple, to grip an uneven, slippery surface, a degree of side protection against rock and scree (loose stones) may be provided. Rubber studs have been
588-716: The Keswick Urban District Council after it was formed in 1894: the local council acquired the building from the Marshall family in 1896, and the museum moved out to purpose-built facilities in Station Road in 1897. However, it ceased to be the local seat of government when the Allerdale Borough Council was formed in 1974. In the late-1970s a Tourist Information Centre was established on the ground floor, while an art gallery
630-461: The Round, this is left to each individual. The rules for gaining club membership are simple: The second requirement effectively prevents solo rounds counting for club membership though several runners, both club members and non-members, have made solo rounds. The club decided that from 1 January 2020, they will no longer accept rounds that use paid-for or commercial guiding services, in keeping with
672-755: The UK is probably the traverse of the Cuillin Main Ridge on Skye , the Greater Traverse, including Blaven and the Lakes Classic Rock Round . The Fell Runners Association (FRA) publishes a calendar of 400 to 500 races per year. Additional races, less publicised, are organised in UK regions. The British Open Fell Runners Association (BOFRA) publishes a smaller calendar of races (usually 15 championship races, and other smaller events, such as galas or shows)>– mostly derived from
714-458: The Year, were held in 1972 and the scoring was based on results in all fell races. In 1976 this was changed to the runner's best ten category A races and further changes took place to the format in later years. Starting with the 1986 season, an English Fell Running Championships series has also taken place, based on results in various races of different lengths over the year. Race records vary from
756-718: The allotted time. Along with the Paddy Buckley Round and the Ramsay Round , the Bob Graham Round is one of the classic big three mountain challenges in the United Kingdom. Some fifty-six individuals have completed all three. Before the Bob Graham Round, many shorter rounds of the Lakeland fells were developed. These are chronicled in the Bob Graham Club's Story of the Bob Graham Round , in
798-610: The amateur sport. As of 2013 it administers amateur fell running in England, in affiliation with British athletics. Separate governing bodies exist for each country of the United Kingdom and each country has its own tradition of fell running, though the sport is largely the same. The most important races of the year include the Ben Nevis Race in Scotland, run regularly since 1937, and the Snowdon Race in Wales. Fell running
840-595: The basic 'Round' later runners such as Eric Beard (56 tops in 1963) and Joss Naylor (72 tops in 1975) have raised the 24-hour Lakeland record considerably. The present record is 78 peaks, set by Kim Collison, on 11–12 July 2020; the previous record of 77 peaks, set by Mark Hartell, had stood since 1997. The women's record of 68 peaks was set in 2022 by Fiona Pascall. Most fell-running regions have their own challenges or "rounds": [REDACTED] Media related to Fell running at Wikimedia Commons Welsh Fell Runners Association Moot Hall, Keswick The Moot Hall
882-604: The building from the trustees of Greenwich Hospital in 1832. It became home to the Keswick Museum of Local and Natural History, a creation of the Keswick Literary and Scientific Society, in 1873. The museum collection included a three-dimensional model of the Lake District, measuring 12 feet by 9 feet, made by Joseph and James Flintoft in 1837. The building was used for civic assemblies and meetings of
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#1732780788929924-539: The building passed to the James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater on the death of his father in 1705; however after James Radclyffe was executed for his involvement in the Jacobite rising of 1715 , his property was seized and passed to the trustees of Greenwich Hospital . The current structure, built of lime-washed stone and slate walling, was commissioned by the trustees of Greenwich Hospital in 1813. It
966-467: The challenge. The Lakeland 24 hour record on the other hand. " As a result, Maurice Collett and Paul Stewart made an attempt starting from Langdale but, experiencing rough weather, completed the round in 27 hours 20 minutes. Also interested were the Heaton brothers from Lancashire who systematically set about attempting the record. After several attempts Alan Heaton finally broke the record in 1960, completing
1008-409: The circuit in 22 hours 18 minutes. Bob Graham's original round included four tops that are not in what is now called the Bob Graham Round. These were: Alan Heaton replaced these with: It is these along with the other 38 tops that are now called the "Bob Graham Round" and are listed below. Heaton's new record inspired the addition of extra tops with the intent of extending the 24-hour record. As it
1050-445: The double traverse of all 42 peaks, once clockwise and once anticlockwise, at Keswick. The Bob Graham Club was proposed in 1971 by Fred Rogerson. It exists to record attempts at long distance challenges over the Lakeland fells. The majority of the club's activity is related to the Bob Graham Round itself. While there is no requirement for those attempting the round to apply for membership most do so. The Club does not organise attempts on
1092-536: The ethos of the club of voluntary and mutual support. Fell running Fell running , also sometimes known as hill running , is the sport of running and racing, off-road, over upland country where the gradient climbed is a significant component of the difficulty. The name arises from the origins of the English sport on the fells of northern Britain, especially those in the Lake District . It has elements of trail running, cross country and mountain running, but
1134-454: The fell-walking section of M. J. B. Baddeley 's Lakeland guidebook, and most recently in Chapter 15 of Steve Chilton's It's a Hill, Get Over It: Fell Running's History and Characters . Some of the more notable rounds: Dr Wakefield codified the essentials of the challenge: " To traverse on foot as many tops over 2000ft and return to the starting point within 24 hours ". Wakefield specified
1176-429: The following year. The upper floor continued to be used as the manorial courtroom while the ground floor was used to store the copper from the mines; once demand for copper reduced, the ground floor was used as a market hall. After the building fell into a dilapidated condition, it was thought to have been rebuilt with stones from the remains of the Radclyffe mansion on Lord's Island in 1695. The freehold ownership of
1218-419: The hills (with a few exceptions). Fell running also overlaps with orienteering . Courses are again typically longer but with less emphasis on navigation. Fell running does sometimes require navigational skills in a mountainous environment, particularly in determining and choosing between routes, and poor weather may increase the need for navigation. However, in most fell races, the route or sequence of checkpoints
1260-469: The mode for two decades, preceded by ripple soles, spikes and the flat-soled "pumps" of the fifties. Fell runners have set many of the peak bagging records in the UK. In 1932 the Lakeland runner Bob Graham set a record of 42 Lakeland peaks in 24 hours. His feat, now known as the Bob Graham Round , was not repeated for many years (in 1960); by 2011, however, it had become a fell runner's test-piece, and had been repeated by more than 1,610 people. Building on
1302-416: The number of peaks traversed within 24 hours still further: The sequence of ladies 24-hour records (for the number of peaks traversed within 24 hours or for the same number of peaks in a faster time) is: The progression of the record for the number of peaks is shown in the graph. Several later runners have successfully attempted 50 peaks at 50, and 55 peaks at 55. Notable achievements are: A double round
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1344-693: The premise that a contender possesses mountain navigational skills and carries adequate survival equipment. In Ireland, events are organised by the Irish Mountain Running Association. The World Mountain Running Association is the governing body for mountain running and as such is sanctioned by and affiliated with the IAAF, the International Association of Athletics Federations . It organises
1386-492: The professional guide races – in England and Scotland and organises a championship series. In Scotland, all known hill races (both professional and amateur) are listed in the annual calendar of Scottish Hill Runners . In Wales, the Welsh Fell Runners Association provides a similar service. Northern Ireland events are organised by Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association . Again, races are run on
1428-429: The significant amounts of ascent that are required in fell running. Fell running does not involve rock climbing and routes are subject to change if ground nearby becomes unstable. A small number of fell runners who are also rock climbers, nevertheless do attempt records traversing ridges that allow running and involve scrambling and rock climbing – particularly where the record is 24 hours or less. Foremost of these in
1470-535: The smoother trails and predetermined routes often associated with mountain running. The first recorded hill race took place in Scotland. King Malcolm Canmore organised a race in Braemar in 1040 or perhaps as late as 1064, reputedly to find a swift messenger. This event appears to have been a precursor to the Braemar Gathering . There is no documented connection between this event and the fell races of
1512-457: 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 . The succession of fastest rounds by men for the standard 42 tops is: The progression of fastest ladies' rounds is: The progression of these record times is shown in the graph. Building on the basic Bob Graham Round, later runners raised
1554-461: The start/finish point as Keswick's Moot Hall. On 12–13 June 1932 Bob Graham extended the 24-hour Lakeland peak bagging record to a total of 42 peaks in a time of 23 hours 39 minutes. This was recognised as the new record, despite several tops claimed not reaching 2,000-foot (610 m) in altitude. The approximate distance of the new record (determined using current technology) was 66 miles (106 km) with 26,900 feet (8,200 m) of ascent. At
1596-413: The time the distance was claimed (not by Graham) to be in excess of 130 miles (210 km) though the given amount of ascent was close to the currently accepted figure. Several 20th Century sources (including the 42 Peaks booklet) erroneously state the distance to be 72 miles (116 km). The first attempt at beating the record came from Freddie Spencer Chapman who managed the round in 25 hours. This
1638-538: Was believed to be the only attempt until after the Second World War. The next attempts were not until the 1950s, with some coming close to success. In the early 1960s, at a time when the veteran walker Dr Barbara Moore was gaining publicity for doing the John o'Groats to Land's End walk, the Lakeland writer Harry Griffin noted that " You didn't need fitness for such walks, you could get fit whilst undertaking
1680-550: Was designed with a square tower on the north end with a round-arched doorway and a double flight of steps inside and with what the Keswick Tourist Information Board describes as an "unusual one-handed clock" at the top. The clock, attributed to Richard Young of Newcastle, is dated 1814; it strikes the hours on a bell which (along with the weather vane on the roof) is said to have come from Lord's Island on Derwentwater. The Marshall family acquired
1722-429: Was first repeated, in a better time, in 1960 by Alan Heaton. Since then over 2800 individuals have completed the Round with the fastest time being 12hr 23m set by Jack Kuenzle in 2022, surpassing Kílian Jornet 's record by almost 30 minutes. The women's record is 14hr 34m set by Beth Pascall in 2020. The Lakeland 24 Hour record has also been improved with the current holder, Andy Berry, successfully reaching 78 summits in
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1764-492: Was soon discovered that the route of Bob Graham's round was not optimal for attempts on the absolute fell record, the two are regarded as separate challenges and have slightly different rules. The 24-hour record has now been extended to 78 tops. The Bob Graham Round is now a standard fell-runner's test-piece having been successfully completed by 2,818 people as of the end of 2023. Solo rounds have been accomplished but most contenders are accompanied by at least one runner in support,
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