A 5-Day Running Adventure in the Lake District

 

What is your idea of a perfect holiday?

How about running one of the most legendary routes in fell running around the glorious peaks of the Lake District?

 

The Bob Graham Round is an iconic challenge first run by Bob Graham in 1932. It covers around 64miles (106km) with 8200ms of vertical ascent (equivalent to Mount Everest) over 42 peaks in the Lake District all to be completed within 24 hours.  But its not just any old trail run. This is over some of the most rugged terrain with steep rocky climbs, treacherous descents, shoe-sucking bogs and numerous river crossings along the way.

 

So what is the “Luxury Bob”?

 

Running this famous route over five days. With the luxury element being staying in hotels, inns and guest houses at each road crossing which breaks up the routes’ five legs. Hot showers. Three course meals. Soft beds. And cooked breakfasts. With added luxury being provided by bags of clean clothes and fresh kit dropped off in advance at each overnight stop.

 

Day 1 Leg 1

Keswick to Threlkeld

13.2 miles (21kms)

Total Vertical Ascent 5413 feet (1581metres)

24 hour schedule: 4 hours

 

Setting off from Moot Hall in the centre of Keswick we were full of excitement and a large dollop of nervous anticipation. Not so much for Leg 1 itself. It’s a fair to describe leg 1 as pretty straightforward route until the final tricky descent but more on that later. The challenge on leg 1 was more about being disciplined and not get over excited (or overtired) before the more challenging days to come on legs 3 and 4.

 

We marched up Skiddaw (931m). Skipped across the bogs on the descent. Slipped and slide-d up (and down) a muddy Great Calva (690m). Including a little face plant in some heather. It seems no fell run is complete without some kind of fall! Then traipsed across an always-wet Mungrisdale Common up to Blencathra (868m).

Getting down is the hardest part

And so to that tricky final descent. Hall’s Fell ridge is not for the faint-hearted (or the inexperienced). A steep rocky narrow drop off the top of Blencathra. The first time I ran this route I peered over the edge. Couldn’t see anything. And concluded I would die if I went that way. So took the safe tourist zig zag path down instead.

 

But with four more years experience under my belt, Hall’s Fell ridge it was! It wasn’t fast and I don’t think we quite picked the best line over the top steep rocky section. But this was not the place to fall over again! I was delighted with my decision to slide down the practically vertical grassy section and bypass a lot of more technical rocky parts. Which turned out to be one of the more efficient ways to descend (for those of us who aren’t mountain goats!).

 

Finished feeling good in a very comfortable 5:50:29 albeit losing around 30 minutes on the cautious Hall’s Fell descent.

 

Day 1 accommodation:

Salisbury Guest House, Keswick.

Logistics and my booking mistake meant we were back to Keswick for the first night but its easily accessible to and from Threlkeld with a ten minute bus ride which goes every 30 minutes.

 

 

Day 2 Leg 2

Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise

14.1 miles (22kms)

Total Vertical Ascent 6227 feet (1898metres)

24 hour schedule: 5 hours  

 

Up and on the early bus back to Threlkeld ready for Day 2. Leg 2 should have been another relatively straightforward day. Nothing too technical. And a route we knew well. An easy day mentally and a relatively easy day physically. So we thought.

 

But the Lake District weather had other ideas. Barely halfway up the first climb to Clough Head (726m) the rain started to lash and the cold wind blew. We stopped to put on waterproofs that then never came off for the rest of the day.

 

The start of this leg is mostly running across wide plateaus. Apart from one narrow steep ascent to Helvellyn Lower Man (925m). And it was at that point that the already howling winds decided to up their game. Strong winds on a wide plateau are hard work. But being blown sideways is more of an inconvenience that a serious risk to your life.

 

At times all I could do was hug the rocks on all fours. Desperately cling on whilst thinking “This is the worst f***** nightmare of my life!” Whilst simultaneously randomly trying to reassure Mr W (and myself) that it was all ok by grinning insanely (or possibly grimacing) and sticking up two thumbs.

 

From wind and rain to sunshine

Thankfully the winds and rain finally eased again as we dropped down to Grisdale Tarn (591m). Which made the usually hard steep gravel climb to Fairfield (873m) literally feel like a walk in the park. And by the time we reached the top of Seat Sandal (737m) we had gone from a terrifying grey abyss of nothingness to being able to see the whole glory of the Lakes from Ullswater to Windermere. Finishing at Dunmail Raise in glorious sunshine!

 

That is the Lakes for you. You can be having the most terrifying near-death experience in horrendous weather on top of the mountains whilst down below in the valley everyone else is eating ice cream and remarking on what a lovely day it has been.

 

Finished the day in 6 hours 17 minutes with another 12 peaks ticked off but feeling somewhat emotionally as well as physically battered.

 

Day 2 Accommodation

Traveller’s Rest Inn, Grasmere

The Traveller’s Rest definitely put the “luxury” into Luxury Bob. Fantastic room which felt luxurious. Exceptionally friendly and helpful staff. Really lovely dinner and a great breakfast.

 

 

 

Day 3 Leg 3

Dunmail Raise to Wasdale

16.9 miles (27kms)

Total Vertical Ascent 7185 feet (2180metres)

24 hour schedule: 6 hours 30mins

 

Leg 3 of the Bob Graham is definitely the big one. The longest leg with the most peaks (15). And finishing with the biggest peaks in England. Scafell Pike (978m) and Sca Fell (964m).

 

So it’s not a great start when you feel terrible in the first mile slogging up the steep climb from Dunmail Raise to the first peak Steel Fell (553m). Mr W had already been concerned about leg 3. Especially as his usual monthly mileage was only around 60 miles per month and his longest runs only 12 miles.

 

The key to any endurance challenge is to not fall too deep into the dark depths of a negative mindset. And if you do, then to know how to get yourself out of it. “Feed your brain” is always my first strategy. And why I always take some kind of “treat food” with me (Flumps and mars bars for this one). So I forced a reluctant and unconvinced Mr W to eat a mars bar. But even he had to concede it had some unexpected restorative powers and by the time we reached the nice runnable sections between High Raise (763m), Thunacar Knott (723m) and Harrison Stickle (735m) he was feeling revived.

 

Perhaps a little too revived. Setting off at pace straight across the notoriously boggy Martcrag Moor he chose the wrong line. Sinking up to his waist in one of its treacherous bogs. But still driven by the magic powers of the mars bar he somehow dragged himself out and set back off again in one continuous move. All whilst casually shouting back over his shoulder “It’s a bit wet there”.

Saving the best for last

Leg 3 definitely saves the best (or should that be worst) for last. The boulder strewn peaks of Great End (910m), Ill Crag (931m), Broad Crag (935m) and Scafell Pike are close together but not easy to cross at a fast pace unless you have twinkle toes and years of experience to hop across the boulders. For the rest of us its tentative step by step progress.

 

But the real challenge is how to navigate from Scafell Pike to Sca Fell. You have two choices. The very technical, tricky and treacherous Broad Stand and Lords Rake. Where its easy to slip and fall to your near-certain death! Or the less technical but longer Foxes Tarn. Albeit Foxes Tarn is a still a steep scramble up wet rocks in the gully.  We chose Foxes Tarn. The key to being safe in the mountains is always to know your limits. My ability to tackle difficult terrain has developed exponentially. But this was not the time nor the place.

 

And so the long, long, long final descent to Wasdale. Dropping almost 900ms within less than 2 miles. Desperation to get to the end did wonders for my ability to surf the gravel on the steep drop from Rakehead Crag. Which meant we finally finished the leg in 9 hours 53 minutes. Losing large amounts of time in the last 5 miles due to sheer challenging (and unrunnable) nature of the terrain.

 

But our day wasn’t over yet. With a bonus one mile jog along the road from the official end of leg 3 to our accommodation at the famously remote Wasdale Head Inn. Which took the whole mammoth day to 18 miles and hours longer than any 24 hour schedule!

 

Day 3 Accommodation

Wasdale Head Inn

A fabulously remote and rustic inn (also with its own campsite) with great food and a buzzing atmosphere despite its isolated location. Really lovely warm and comfortable room and very good breakfast.

 

 

 

Day 4 Leg 4

Wasdale to Honister Pass

11.4 miles (18kms)

Total Vertical Ascent  6171 feet (1881metres)

24 hour schedule: 5 hours 30minutes

 

No leg 4 for us. After a glorious day on Leg 3, the worst of the Lakeland weather closed in again as we packed our kit for Day 4 we made the decision not to do Leg 4.

 

Gale force winds and strong gusts on the series of 800 and 900 metres peaks coupled with heavy rain and no visibility made it feel foolhardy at best. And extremely dangerous at worst. Especially as this was the leg with which we were completely unfamiliar.

 

As we set off on a revised route from Wasdale to Buttermere across Black Sail Pass the weather looked grey but relatively benign. So much so we had to remind ourselves that you cannot see wind. But you can feel it. And as we crossed into the stunningly beautiful Ennerdale valley the wind was already buffeting us hard. The heavy relentless rain from then on just confirmed it was the right decision. Nobody wants to be the person who had be rescued off the top of the mountain due to sheer stupidity.

 

And so for us it was a much more chilled 7.3 miles albeit still clocking up 2448 feet (746ms) of vertical ascent.

 

Day 4 Accommodation

Glaramara Hotel, Seatoller

More luxury on our final night in this lovely mid-sized hotel. A short bus ride down from Honister Pass although the bus only goes every two hours so careful timing is required. A delicious and filling three course meal was included in our booking. Along with a sumptuous breakfast.

 

 

Day 5 Leg 5

Honister Pass to Keswick

10.7 miles (17kms)

Total Vertical Ascent 2379 feet (725metres)

24 hour schedule: 3 hours

 

Back to the Bob for redemption on leg 5. Making sure we caught the first bus up to Honister to set off up the final three peaks to Dale Head (753m), Hindscarth (727m) and Robinson (737m).

 

Then it’s the long descent into Keswick. A day with more descent than ascent. And a day when you can finally run! And run we did. The feeling of fresh legs helped by the much more restful Day 4. Which meant we finished Leg 5 is just 3 hours 15minutes. Only 15 minutes slower than a 24 hour schedule.

The Finish

The Bob Graham traditionally finishes as the runner climbs the steps and touches the door of Moot Hall. But somehow it felt superstitiously bad luck to climb the steps without achieving the full Bob in under 24 hours. I’ll save that for next time…..

 

Even without completing leg 4. Even running the route over 5 days. It felt emotional running up Keswick High Street. To finish at the same steps of Moot Hall. Where we had set off 5 days earlier.

 

What a fantastic adventure. This route is truly challenging. It takes in everything the Lake District has to offer. And more. It tests your skills and abilities. It tests your fitness. It tests your courage and your tenacity. Even over 5 days with the luxury of overnight stops and hot meals to replenish your energy and restore your resolve.

 

 

Would I recommend the Luxury Bob?

 

Yes! With the heavily emphasised caveat that you do need some experience in the mountains. Especially on the more technical sections and especially if and when the weather closes in. This is absolutely not a route for beginners. But with a reasonable level of fitness, good understanding of fueling and how to manage your effort over extended periods and multiple days, it’s a great challenge. And an even better way to explore the Lakes (although some may quibble at the definition of “better”)

 

Will I be back to run the full Bob?

 

I am pretty sure I will. Do I think I can run it in under 24 hours? That is more open to question. Right now (albeit without reccing leg 4 as hoped) I think around 30 hours would be possible. Beyond that, let’s see…..