Bob Graham Round
The Bob Graham Round is the benchmark fell-running challenge in the UK — 42 Lakeland fells, 106 km and around 8,200 m of ascent in a continuous circuit from Keswick, completed within 24 hours.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Bob Graham Round
The Bob Graham Round traces its origin to June 1932, when a Keswick guesthouse keeper called Bob Graham walked and ran 42 Lake District fells in exactly 24 hours, setting a standard that has defined British fell running ever since.
The route links Skiddaw in the north with the Scafell massif in the south and Robinson in the west in a roughly clockwise loop, starting and finishing at Moot Hall in Keswick town centre. Getting under 24 hours is the measure. Most runners spend months or years building up to an attempt.
A small number have done it solo and unsupported; the overwhelming majority use pacers for each leg and a support crew at road crossings. The fell routes are entirely off-trail and require solid navigation, good knowledge of the ground, and the ability to move confidently in the dark — most attempts start at midnight or dawn to make the best of available daylight.
The 24-hour standard was first broken by Eric Beard in 1960. Joss Naylor set successive records through the 1970s. The current records — Kilian Jornet's 12:52 for men, Jasmin Paris's 15:24 for women — have pushed the limits of what seems physically possible on a mountain round.
Completing the Bob Graham earns membership of the Bob Graham 24 Hour Club. Around 2,500 people have done it since records began, with numbers growing every year.
The route
The circuit is split into five legs with road crossings where your support crew can reach you.
Leg 1 — Keswick to Threlkeld (22 km / 1,700 m up): Skiddaw, Great Calva and Blencathra. A strong start matters. The descent off Blencathra to Threlkeld is fast but uneven.
Leg 2 — Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise (22 km): The Dodds and the Helvellyn ridge. The most runnable leg — a long grassy spine where good movers make time. Calfhow Pike, Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, White Side, Lower Man, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywagon Pike.
Leg 3 — Dunmail to Wasdale Head (24 km / 2,400 m up): The hardest leg. Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Sergeant Man, High Raise, the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, Esk Pike, Great End, Broad Crag, Ill Crag, Scafell Pike, Scafell. The descent off Scafell in the dark is the technical crux of the round.
Leg 4 — Wasdale to Honister (22 km): Yewbarrow, Red Pike, Steeple, Pillar, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Green Gable, Brandreth, Grey Knotts. Where tired legs start to feel it.
Leg 5 — Honister to Keswick (16 km): Dale Head, Hindscarth, Robinson, then a long run back into town. A test of whatever you have left.
Getting there & logistics
Start and finish at Moot Hall on Market Square, Keswick. Most people drive in; the nearest rail stations are Penrith (18 km) and Windermere (25 km), both with bus connections.
The four road crossings — Threlkeld, Dunmail Raise, Wasdale Head and Honister Pass — give your support crew vehicle access. Most crews camp overnight at Wasdale Head campsite (basic facilities, no booking, first come first served). Book any Wasdale Head bunkhouses or the Wasdale Head Inn well in advance — the valley is remote and accommodation fills fast.
Best time: May to September for the longest days and most settled weather. June and July are most popular for maximum daylight. Winter attempts are rare and very serious.
The Bob Graham 24 Hour Club keeps the official completion list. You must submit a claim with independent witness signatures at each road crossing within 14 days of your attempt.
Safety
The Bob Graham Round crosses the highest, remotest fells in England. Navigation is entirely off-trail. In poor visibility, the ground between Great Calva and Blencathra and the Scafell massif becomes serious terrain. Carry full mountain kit regardless of the forecast — conditions can change fast at altitude.
In an emergency: call 999 or 112 and ask for Police then Mountain Rescue. No mobile signal across much of the route — pre-register SMS 999 (text 'register' to 999). Many support crews carry a PLB for serious attempts.
The Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers the northern legs; Langdale/Ambleside MRT covers legs 3 and 4; Cockermouth MRT covers the Pillar and Gable area. Know which team covers your location before you set off.
GPX files
GPX files on fell routes are a navigational aid only — not a replacement for map and compass skills.
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