First Bob Graham Recce of the year

A Bob Graham Round is, in the cold light of day, a ridiculous thing to want to do - visit 42 peaks in the Lakes, as laid down by Bob Graham (a random lakelander) on his 42nd birthday in 1932, within a 24 hour deadline. The total distance was for a long time randomly thought to be 72 miles, a myth that a lot of Bob Grahamers don't do much to dispel it has to be said, but in fact (so long as you take the most efficient line) its more likely to be somewhere between 62 and 66 miles. I always say 66!

Its not really the distance thats the problem though and all sorts of other issues raise there heads during an attempt:

Firstly the total climb, something like 26,000 feet! Thats almost 5 miles of total upwardsing and 5 miles of downwardsing to add to the 66 miles of alongwardsing

Secondly the ground you're going over is just about the most perfect collection of the worst that the Lake District can throw at you - mud, rocks, river crossings, more rocks, boulders, swamps, bogs, more mud and even more rocks. Not forgetting stupidly steep climbs and bonkersly steep descents!

Then there's the weather! I have nothing more to say on the subject having had my fill of bad weather last year. Needless to say during a Bob Graham Round attempt you spend a great deal of time up high..... where the weather can be dreadful - a gentle breeze in Grasmere = hurricane force winds on the summits; a fine summer pitter patter of rain in Wasdale = a monsoon like deluge on Scafell Pike.

Then there's being able to eat and drink properly to maintain your energy, the navigation (hah!), the logistics, your support team, your clothing, the weather and... well the list goes on. Oh and being able to run helps too.

Anyway.... the full round is split into 5 manageable 'legs' and visits the valley bottoms at the intervals between them for refreshment/replenishment stops (the 24 hour clock doesn't stop ticking though) and today me a couple of like minded potential Bob Grahamees, Kev and Roy, went round leg 1 from Keswick to Threlkeld via the peaks of Skiddaw, Great Calva and Blencathra. (I say leg 1 but this is only the case if the round is done clockwise - on an anticlockwise round it would be done in reverse as leg 5 surprisingly enough!)

Skiddaw, Great Calva and Blencathra nestling nicely above Keswick

And the weather was.......... snow! In fact it was pretty much a white out when we finally got to the top of Blencathra leading to some not fantastic navigation in finding the summit. 15 miles and just over a mile of climbing/descending later we managed to survive our way round and a merry time was had by all. Chuffing brilliant!!

Skiddaw summit just about in view

My excellent new fell shoes

Kev and Roy almost at the top of Blencathra

Harry the snow dog