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Congratulations to ......
- Created on Monday, 29 June 2015 07:31
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 July 2015 09:46
- Written by Julian Brown
(*** UPDATED *** Rob's report below... times, and maybe a few photos to follow)Â Â Â Â .... Rob Gittins who completed a Bob Graham round on Friday and Saturday, supported by various members of the club on the fells and and at the road crossings.
No doubt Rob will be on with a report of how it went from his end, but well done Rob, the first from the club for a couple of years.
Also.. congrats to Clare Holdcroft from Mow Cop, who completed the round over the same weekend, unfortunately slightly ove the 24 hours, but well done Clare !!
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Rob Gittins' Bob Graham Round 26/27.06.15
Start 1800 hrs, Clockwise, 23 Hour Schedule
Leg 1
Nav: Paul Swindles
Support: Carl Hanaghan and Neil Walker
I left Moot Hall on a beautiful warm evening accompanied by my hirsute companions (Celtic warrior, hipster and designer beards in evidence) for a brisk walk up Skiddaw arriving ten minutes up on schedule. Glad to summit the first peak and be on my way but decided not to count them down until at least half way (41 to go!).
Good lines in glorious conditions to Great Calva and Blencathra with just a hint of clag on the tops to add to the atmosphere and produce a beautiful circular rainbow. Feeling good on a fast descent via Doddick Fell to arrive at Threlkeld at 21.28, 21 minutes up on schedule (time in the bank or too much too soon?).
Leg 2
Nav : Steve Swallow
Support: Â Matt Lewis, Paul Swindles and Neil Walker
A little longer than scheduled at Threlkeld but time for tea and sandwiches and a change of shoes. Carl left at this point as planned and we were joined by Steve and Matt.
Quickly up Clough Head in perfect conditions. Clear skies and a large moon meant torches weren't required until we were well into the Dodds. Faultless navigation from Steve kept us ahead of schedule and we maintained a 20 minute cushion until Nethermost Pike. I started feeling tired on the ascent to Dollywaggon (justifiably after 6 hours) and we lost a couple of minutes.
We picked up the fence post for the descent to Grisedale Tarn where we said goodbye to Paul, who went to advise road support of our arrival. A good line up Fairfield by the boundary wall made the climb easier. We could see the torches of Clare Holdcroft's team on Dollywaggon, which had now been immersed in low cloud, and we met up with them briefly on our descent.
A tired trudge up Seat Sandal (10 mins up on schedule) but a good line for a fast descent to recover four of the precious minutes that had been lost on the last two climbs.
Leg 3
Nav: Â Digby Harris and Andy Skelhorn
A busy changeover at Dunmail Raise with half a dozen cars on the verge. Arrived with 14 minutes in hand which was useful because I needed the time to try and eat something. Craftily sick out of sight behind the car to make room for rice pudding and sweet tea.
Straight up Steel Fell with Andy setting the pace then across the bogs to Calf Crag and Sergeant Man sticking beautifully to schedule as far as Harrison. A tactical vomit on Pike of Stickle (away from the path) made running easier and an Eccles cake from Digby's pack fuelled me across and up to Rossett Pike. A long drag eased by the dawn and an inversion, trapping cloud like glaciers, in the valleys below. Four minutes down, which we somehow (''don't stop, run the flats and the downhills, eat this and drink that'' - thanks guys!) made up on the way to Bowfell to arrive three minutes in our favour after 12 hours. I'd had a few doubts about making it in the previous couple of hours, I was having difficulty swallowing anything, but getting to Bowfell on schedule and wanting that symbol on my GPS tracker to still be moving when my daughters woke up on Saturday morning gave me the confidence and determination to get it done.
Esk Pike to Scafell Pike in just over an hour and five more peaks in the bag despite the clag that was covering the tops. A twisted ankle for Andy meant he was dispatched to Wasdale to order breakfast leaving Digby and me to ascend Lord's Rake (''Stay close behind me Rob, if I dislodge anything it won't have time to gather any momentum before it hits you'') and the West Wall Traverse (''a little exposed in places'')
Summit and then an exhilarating scree descent to lift the spirits before breakfast (where I'm told they catered for 35). 10 minutes down on schedule - quite happy with that thanks Digby.
Leg 4
Nav. : Digby Harris and Mark 'Ode' Cornes
Support :Stephanie Wood and Nic Lewis.
New socks, a bowl of sausage and beans and two new beatches to cajole and carry for me and Digby still on point with additional nav support from Ode. Things were looking good, all I had to do was get up Yewbarrow. I felt I was lagging but was still maintaining the schedule splits (obviously a bit of leeway built in for tired legs). Then into the clag for Red Pike and a bearing through the mist that hit the boundary wall just in the right place to make a dash for Steeple.
I'd forgotten about Kirk Fell because I was worrying about Gable, but it was soon conquered and followed by a nice line to Windy Gap. With Steph as sweeper and the others leading and waiting but never quite letting me catch up we got to the top of Great Gable with only a five minute deficit.That was it, we'd cracked it. It was all downhill from here (well almost)and there were 5 hours remaining.
It's amazing how your perspective of time changes when you've been out there for 19 hours and what in all other circumstances would be a 'grand day out' becomes a simple run for home.
The cloud lifted and the sun was shining for a gentle jog to Brandreth and Grey Knotts followed by a grassy descent to Honister and a great reception from the support crew.
7 minutes off the pace and Digby, Ode and Nic stood down to be replaced by the BGR class of 2000 complemented by a still fresh looking Steph.
Leg 5
Nav. : Barry Blyth
Support :Trevor Longman, Mandy Calvert and Steph Woods
Up Dale Head in the sunshine, (40), a ridge run and forgiving climb to Hindscath (41) and the final climb to Robinson, steep on tired legs but now pain was irrelevant. Number 42 done and dusted only 10 minutes behind schedule. No pressure now. I briefly contemplated the prospect of getting in under 23 hours (7 minute miles) but settled for a girly chat with Steph as Barry and Trevor led the way down some newly recceed trods to miss the ridge off Robinson.
Through the final field and on to the road, and after a change of shoes I was gently shepherded into Keswick by Mandy et al. Barry stopped the traffic and we upped the pace for the final 100 metres to Moot Hall.
Happy Days! 23 hours and 14 minutes of fun.
Thanks to everyone who helped and supported both on and off the fells. Thanks to Barry for suggesting I had a crack at it and to those who weren't there on the day for their encouragement. Proud to have completed it and proud to have been part of such a great team.
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| 26.06.15 | Rob Gittins 23 hr. | Leg Time | Estimated Time | Time | plus / min |
| LEG 1 | Moot Hall Start | Â | 18:00 | 18:00 | 0 |
| Â | Skiddaw | 84 | 19:24 | 19:14 | -10 |
| Â | Great Calva | 45 | 20:09 | 19:51 | -18 |
| Â | Blencathra | 69 | 21:18 | 20:58 | -20 |
| Â | Threlkeld Arrival | 31 | 21:49 | 21:28 | -23 |
| LEG 2 | Threlkeld Depart | 5 | 21:54 | 21:38 | -18 |
| Â | Clough Head | 58 | 22:52 | 22:29 | -23 |
| Â | Great Dodd | 30 | 23:22 | 23:00 | -22 |
| Â | Watson's Dodd | 9 | 23:31 | 23:11 | -20 |
| Â | Stybarrow Dodd | 9 | 23:40 | 23:22 | -18 |
|  | Raise | 18 | 23:56 | 23:39 | -17 |
| Â | Whiteside | 8 | 00:06 | 23:48 | -18 |
| Â | Lower Man | 18 | 00:24 | 00:03 | -21 |
| Â | Helvellyn | 6 | 00:30 | 00:10 | -20 |
| Â | Nethermost Pike | 10 | 00:40 | 00:20 | -20 |
| Â | Dollywaggon | 12 | 00:52 | 00:34 | -18 |
| Â | Fairfield | 42 | 01:34 | 01:20 | -14 |
| Â | Seat Sandal | 25 | 01:59 | 01:49 | -10 |
| Â | Dunmail Raise Arrival | 25 | 02:24 | 02:10 | -14 |
| LEG 3 | Dunmail Raise Depart | 10 | 02:34 | 02:28 | -6 |
| Â | Steel Fell | 25 | 02:59 | 02:53 | -6 |
| Â | Calf Crag | 20 | 03:19 | 03:13 | -6 |
| Â | Segeant Man | 35 | 03:54 | 03:49 | -6 |
| Â | High Raise | 9 | 04:03 | 03:58 | -5 |
| Â | Thunacar Knott | 15 | 04:18 | 04:13 | -5 |
| Â | Harrison Sickle | 10 | 04:28 | 04:23 | -5 |
| Â | Pike of Sickle | 12 | 04:40 | 04:39 | -1 |
| Â | Rossett Pike | 45 | 05:25 | 05:29 | 4 |
| Â | Bowfell | 35 | 06:00 | 05:57 | -3 |
| Â | Esk Pike | 25 | 06:25 | 06:20 | -5 |
| Â | Great End | 25 | 06:50 | 06:46 | -4 |
| Â | Ill Crag | 15 | 07:05 | 07:03 | -2 |
| Â | Broad Crag | 10 | 07:15 | 07:17 | 2 |
| Â | Scafell Pike | 12 | 07:27 | 07:32 | 5 |
|  | Scafell  | 32 | 07:59 | 8.11 | 12 |
| Â | Wasdale Arrival | 35 | 08:34 | 08:44 | 10 |
| LEG 4 | Wasdale Depart | 15 | 08:49 | 08:58 | 9 |
| Â | Yewbarrow | 49 | 09:38 | 09:45 | 7 |
| Â | Red Pike | 49 | 10:27 | 10:37 | 10 |
| Â | Steeple | 24 | 10:51 | 10:58 | 9 |
| Â | Pillar | 34 | 11:25 | 11:31 | 6 |
| Â | Kirk Fell | 49 | 12:14 | 12:20 | 6 |
| Â | Great Gable | 43 | 12:57 | 13.02 | 5 |
| Â | Green Gable | 15 | 13:12 | 13:19 | 7 |
| Â | Brandreth | 18 | 13:30 | 13:34 | 4 |
| Â | Grey Knotts | 8 | 13:38 | 13:43 | 5 |
| Â | Honister Pass Arrival | 13 | 13:51 | 13:58 | 7 |
| LEG 5 | Honister Pass Depart | 5 | 13:56 | 14:03 | 6 |
| Â | Dale Head | 33 | 14:29 | 14:42 | 13 |
| Â | Hindscath | 21 | 14:50 | 15:00 | 10 |
| Â | Robinson | 26 | 15:16 | 15:26 | 10 |
| Â | Moot Hall Finish | 99 | 16:55 | 17:14 | 19 |
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