Bobby Gee weekender

Distance: 30.14 miles
Time: 12hrs 45 mins
Ascent: +/- 11,500'
Fun: lots
Weather: great
Beer: some - Coniston Bitter, Jennings Bitter, some other bitter I can't remember the name of
Breakfast: full English complete with fried bread mmmm



The Bobby Gee (term nicked from the erstwhile Mr. Cunningham) or Bob Graham Round as it more formally called is a ~70 mile, 28,000' ascent long distance fell running challenge that is well described by Richard Askwith in his book 'Feet in the Clouds'. It is perhaps the classic long distance fell run in England and must be completed within 24 hours, at any point in the year you so desire. Attempts must be registered and completion is recorded on an honesty basis as attempts are usually solitary and not under typical race conditions. This is a challenge about yourself and the fell, not beating the man in front.

The Bobby Gee has been on my target for some time now and I have a sort of loose agreement with Jon Steele to give it a bash next year so this weekend just past was an opportunity to recce the route and to get some quality time on hills, serious ascent training for the UTMB. Unfortunatly Jon's son James was seriously injured so he couldn't make it (best wishes for a speedy recovery James) but I met up with two other dafties, Davie Bell (also doing UTMB) and John Millen (done the Fling in a cracking time, about to do the Devils and planning on WHWR next year) to do the route over 2 days.

Well having done it I can safely say I need more time to train on the rough ground of the fell and to recce the route to figure out the best lines where no path exists, or even where a path exists. Going from Steel Fell to Calf Raise then on to Sergeant Man was a prime example of rough ground that we took a while to get across in a definitely less than optimal line. I also need to make sure I fill up water bottles whenever I can. We made the school boy error of running out of water (all 3 of us simultaneously) just after Clough Head and so had to cope with beaming sun, sweating inclines and no water for miles until we reached the streams just above Dunmail Raise. If only we'd filled up at the base of Blencathra ...


At the top of Blencathra figuring out where to go next (Skiddaw and Great Calva behind)

Section 1 - Keswick to Threkeld

Anway we managed some sleep despite the snores emanating from the tent of Mr. Bell and set off at 7am on Saturday morning, planning to run to Langdale and sleep over in the Stickle Inn Bunkhouse. There were a few early morning clouds around but basically a fine fell running day. The path out of Keswick rose gradually towards the Skiddaw car park then became steeper as it headed up Skiddaw proper. This was my first long use of the poles which I'll use in the UTMB and they work a treat, really helping to ease the stress of climbing on the legs. I found them less useful going downhill at speed or over very tricky steep rocky ground when they took too much attention to place properly, but they were just as useful when going downhill at moderate to slow speed over moderate to easy ground.

We head through cloud to the top of Skiddaw (brrr chilly) then down the other side before heading off over rough and boggy ground down and back up to Great Calva. Quick stop then off down the rough heather clad slopes to the river crossing before slogging up the grassy slopes of Mungrisdale Common. Banter was good and we were beginning to generate a fair amount of wind between us, something that would continue to gather pace as we proceeded. Over the boggy top then up the ridge to Blencathra summit where we bumped into a 25 mile walking event. I said we weren't part of it before we learned they were serving beer to the competitors. Doh. We literally went straight down the steep, rocky and scrambly Halls Fell Ridge to end up in Threlkeld where we failed to find a shop that could quench our thirst for a nice cold coke. The thought of nice cold cokes stayed with us for the next 7 odd hours till we reached Langdale but aaaah how nice did one taste.

Section 2 - Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise


John and myself at the top of Clough Head with a glorious view

We definitely didn't take the best line from Threlkeld to the summit of Clough Head and ended up slogging through thigh and waist high sedge for about a mile before breaking through to shorter grass. We then all pretty much simultaneously ran out of water after Calfhow Pike nd got progessively more and more dehydrated as we jogged and power hiked our way south along the ridge across the Dodds to Helvellyn and beyond. We really started farting like troopers on this section which may have been related to the lack of water, who knows. The sounds and bracing smells that regailed our senses were quite something. Fart comfortable with each other for sure.



Davie and John heading up the slopes of Great Dodd

We took the strategic decision to miss a few tops and instead contour around the ridge in the interests of finding water more quickly which we eventually did, on the slopes between Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike. Aaah it tasted like nectar. The ground immediately afterwards proved comical with lots of potholes and Davie doing a face plant as he went down one with one leg, unable to let go of his poles on the way down.


John and myself on the steepish descent down to Dunmail Raise (glorious day)

Section 3 - Dunmail Raise to Langdale

The climb straight up Steel Fell was pretty savage with an intermittently defined path dotted with PB stud marks (someone must have been doing the Round proper) but the views at the top ample reward. This section doesn't look far on the map and we could see the Langdale Pikes tantalisingly close but the ground was rough, bumpy and boggy with little in the way of clear paths. I ended up knee deep in muck and we continued farting our way towards the end point which we reached with a steep but pleasant descent from Stickle Tarn to the bunkhouse.


Davie and John just beyond the top of Steel Fell (Skiddaw and Blencathra in far back)

The bunkhouse and day 2

We went straight to the pub for our long desired cold cokes and ordered food right away. A 1/2lb cheeseburger and chips went down a treat for me accompanied by some good lakeland bitter after a shower and freshen up.

We slept in the next day having read the forecast for persistent rain and gusts up to 65mph on the tops (a reminder of the 2008 OMM) and waking up briefly at 6am to confirm the state of play. So day 2 a write off we ate some well earned full englishes then packed up our gear, said goodbye and headed home with some unfinished business to do.

How do I feel about the UTMB after the outing? Bring it on. The poles worked a treat and I'm looking forward to the main event now. Just a few more hill reps to go ... :-)