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Bob Graham Round Recce 2024
Join a 3 or 5 day guided recce of the full BGR route & 42 summits
Course overview

It was back in 1932 that a Keswick Hotelier called Bob Graham first ran this route, and it's the classic circuit of 42 of the highest Lake District peaks, in a loop of 66 miles (106km), with 26,900 feet (8,200m) of ascent. To complete the circuit in one continuous push is the holy grail for fell runners. We offer either a guided three or five day circuit, where you stay the nights during the challenge in local hostels / bunkhouses on a half board basis. This page details our guided itinerary, but if you'd prefera self-guided option, click here.
The route is a serious challenge for any runner, and so we would vet applicants carefully. We recommend you should have run mountain marathons previously, and whilst the speed is not especially important, a strong and determined character is important. The days are all long, notably the first and last in terms of distance, and the middle day for the number of peaks ascended.
We aim to guide this route at a comfortable and sustainable pace, often walking the ups, jogging the flats, and running the downs. Our approach is to set a pace that is enjoyable, and allows you to take in the amazing scenery, not feel like it is a special forces selection!
Obviously the weather will play its part, but you will be led by a local leader who knows the mountains very well. In event of poor weather, it may not be safe to take in all 42 summits, but we will make every effort to help make the BGR route happen for you.
The map and route altitude profiles below show you the route, and how the days are split. We've made each of the days normally similar length in terms of hours. Some of the route is following established paths, though much of it is navigating across open fellside to take the quickest route.
Dates: these are listed in the column on the right, and they show the live availability from our secure online booking system. When you book online, you receive immediate confirmation, your Lake District Course Information Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice.
Bob Graham round route map
Bob Graham Round route profile

Brief Course Itinerary
The itinerary can be flexed on any day to take account of weather conditions, to make every effort to ensure that you complete the full Bob Graham Round. The itinerary below is to provide you with a taster of what you could achieve, and isn't fixed in stone, but is our ideal day splits for the route.
3 day itinerary

Day 1 - Keswick to Dunmail

Meet in the Icicle office at 08:00, and get a short equipment, weather and safety briefing, before setting off to drive up to Keswick. Start running from in front of Moot Hall, and take in the 3 northern fells, before the road crossing at Threlkeld, and moving south over the whole spine of the Helvellyn range, until you reach Fairfield where you veer west over Seat Sandal and down to Dunmail Raise. Here you reach the road you drove on up to Keswick earlier in the day, and stay in a local hostel on a half board basis.

Day 2 -
Dunmail to Wasdale

Set off up the seemingly vertical Steel Fell, and run your way westwards across into the Langdale Fells, then up into the Scafell group. This section of the route is peppered with high summits, and it's hard to keep the pace steady. The trickiest technical section is crossing from Scafell Pike across to Scafell, before the long steep descent to Wasdale head. Many an actual BGR 24 hour attempt ends here, due to time lost over the highest peaks, hence why this day is shorter distance. Night in local hostel half board.


Day 3 - Wasdale to Keswick
The final section of the route starts
with a loop off over the Pillar group of fells, before curving around to the Gable group, and then across the road at the Honister pass, before you enter the last group of mountains over Dale Head, before the final peak of Robinson and the long descent and run out along the Newlands valley to the shores of Derwent water and finally the finish in front of Moot Hall at Keswick. After a celebratory pint, you drive back down to Windermere to collect any luggage, and are free to depart.






Which option?
The classic BGR is split into five legs. Leg three is the longest day, as there is no option of any accommodation in this central section of the route. The three day option is very tough, covering roughly marathon distance every day on largely untracked fell terrain. Before booking, you should get in touch to discuss which option would suit your skills set best. The three day option is for experienced fell runners only.
5 day itinerary

Day 1 - Keswick to Threlkeld
Meet in the Icicle office at 08:00, and get a short equipment, weather and safety briefing, before setting off to drive up to Keswick. Start running from in front of Moot Hall, and take in the 3 northern fells, before descending Halls Fell or the Paracute route to Threlkeld, where you stay for the first night of your challenge.

Day 2 - Threlkeld to
Dunmail
Cross the road, and ascend Clough Head, before moving south over the whole spine of the Helvellyn range, until you reach Fairfield where you veer west over Seat Sandal and down to Dunmail Raise. Here you reach the road you drove on up to Keswick earlier in the day, and stay in a local hostel on a half board basis.

Day 3 -
Dunmail to Wasdale

Set off up the seemingly vertical Steel Fell, and run your way westwards across into the Langdale Fells, then up into the Scafell group. This section of the route is peppered with high summits, and it's hard to keep the pace steady. The trickiest technical section is crossing from Scafell Pike across to Scafell, before the long steep descent to Wasdale head. Many an actual BGR 24 hour attempt ends here, due to time lost over the highest peaks, hence why this day is shorter distance. Night in local hostel half board.


Day 4 - Wasdale to Honister
The final section of the route starts with a loop off over the Pillar group of fells, before curving around to the Gable group, and then descending to reach the road at the Honister pass. Stay the night nearby.

Day 5 - Honister to Keswick
Ascend from the pass to enter the last group of mountains over Dale Head, before the final peak of Robinson and the long descent and run out along the Newlands valley to the shores of Derwent water and finally the finish in front of Moot Hall at Keswick. After a celebratory pint, you drive back down to Windermere to collect any luggage, and are free to depart
.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant, so occasionally we are forced to alter the plans. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of route / activity that you will attempt.
Course Prices
3 day course
3 full days running guiding, 1:6 max ratio
3 days holiday in total, e.g. Mon - Wed
£1199
5 day course
5 full days running guiding, 1:6 max ratio
5 days holiday in total, e.g. Mon - Fri

£1699
Click on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Latest Availability
Inclusions: 1) Qualified guide for the days running, 2) Lake District course hosts for logistics & briefings, 3) Pre course information booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher for our UK shop, 5) Nights half board in hostel / bunkhouse on the nights during the challenge (2 nights on the 3 day trip, or 4 nights on the 5 day trip), 6) Provision of group safety equipment by the leader, 7) Bag drop at Dunmail Raise leg.
Exclusions: 1) Travel to & from the national park for the weekend, 2) Equipment hire such as poles or waterproofs, 3) Bar / food bills & tips, laundry, telephone calls, 4) Accommodation.
Notes: The scheduled course requires a minimum number of 4 people for the advertised prices (see box at page top for a bespoke 1:1 guided Bob Graham), and there are a maximum of 6 people per guide. Do not book any travel arrangements or accommodation, until we confirm that minimum numbers have been met. If you would like a private trip on a date of your choice, please get in contact to pick a date.
Current course availability

Course Dates
Bob Graham 3 day
  • No Dates Available
Course Dates
Bob Graham 5 day
  • No Dates Available
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Prices: Book online
3 day:
£1199, 5 day: £1699


Bespoke 1:1 guiding

We also offer 1:1 private trips on any date during the season. The 1:1 price is; 3 day £1999, or 5 day £2499.

Preparatory trips
Intro Fell Run weekend

1st time Ultra weekend

Alternatives
Bob Graham self-guided
Alps summer trail week

Gran Canaria trail run

Next trips
Alps winter trail running
Alpine Skyrunning
Client feedback

What a weekend! In all the good ways of course. I really was amazed how much I learned during the weekend, and I never imagined how much fun it would be too

Oli W , BGR recce

Thanks to you all for this weekend. We had a great time, and our legs are still tired two days later, so you clearly gave us exactly what we were after

Neil J , BGR recce

This weekend was a confidence boost for me to expand my running into venturing off road and even into the hills on my own in the very near future

Robbie A , BGR recce
Testimonials
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Travel to this trip by train
Minimise the impact of cars in the Lake District National Park, and travel by train. Our office is just 300m from Windermere train station, which is on a branch line from the West Coast main line.
Location data for this trip
The meeting point for these courses is at our office in Windermere in the Lake District National Park. There is easy access by car, and the train station is just 150m from the office door. From here there are a huge variety of trails to run on and mountain terrain to opt for, so we can cater for all weather and conditions. We genuinely believe that the Lake District is second to none with the quality and quantity of amazing fell and trail running opportunities. The UK hills are famed for often providing four seasons in one day, and that is what makes the fell running such a unique and rewarding challenge. Don't forget that it helps to have a great selection of pubs in the Lake Dictrict to enjoy a beer and natter in after the run!
Free resources


FREE Podcast
Getting into trail running...

Trail running is a fastgrowing sport, and this podcast explains what it involves, how to get into it, and also goes through all of the equipment that is required
.
Download podcast (3.76 MB)
See all the Icicle podcasts


FREE Resource - Fell &
Trail running kit list...

If you are planning on attending one of our trail running courses, you can see a kit check list of the clothing and equipment that we recommend you take.
Trail running kit advice page
Download the kit list here
Suggested reading and kit
Why choose our trips?
The photo above sums it up. All of these finisher jackets of the UTMB race series belong to our head running leader. We genuinely think that there is no other operator out there who is more credible!
There are several other operators who also offer trail running trips, and we aren't afraid to advertise that fact. Please look at their itineraries to see how they differ from ours.
We don't offer talks from 'celebrity' runners, or go in for the chardonnay in a hot tub 'lifestyle', or quasi-scientific courses. Ours are run by people who do it, not talk the talk.
The effect on our prices is that we can offer you great value. We genuinely believe that you'll spend more time actually running and in the mountains on our courses, than with anyone else.
Many of our leaders are finishers of one of the world's iconic trail races, such as the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, Tor du Geants or WS100.
Essential reading and tips
This guidebook has 40 routes in the Lake District, and with free GPX (GPS) files to help navigation. Lots of top tips, and run lengths from an hour or two, right up to 30 mile race routes. Signed copies available.
This book was written by award-winning author Kingsley Jones, who is also one of our lead UIMLA running guide team.


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