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Day in the Lakes
In 1928 a strong walker called Bob Graham set up a record of running up and down 42 Lakes mountains in 24 hours. This record stood for nearly 30 years when a few more peaks were were added. The present record stands at 63 peaks. Whilst the record is out of reach for normal mortals it still remains worthwhile to emulate the ‘Bob Graham 42'. With this in mind I stood with one companion on a bright and clear moonlit night in Keswick centre waiting for midnight. Conditions on Skiddaw we perfect and torches were hardly needed; tough going in knee deep heather across to Gt. Calva and a brisk cool wind on Blcncathra saw us in Threlkeld in good time. A cup of cocoa and we were off up Clough Head, over the Dodds, Raise and towards Helvellyn.
By now it was light, the sun almost came up from the east but heavy cloud from the west blotted it out, It was very cold on Helvellyn, Fairfield and Seat Sandal, and we were glad to arrive on Dunmail Raise for Breakfast.
Now for Steel Fell, Calf Crag, Sergeant Man, High Raise and all the Langdales and my weak spell. We had been climbing strongly and running wherever possible, but now we had a lot of slight uphill boggy ground to cover. I was running well and I was hanging on. On to Bow Fell, Great End and the Scafells, more scrambling and jogging; feeling better now but Ian looks paler. Scafell summit at last and a long, fast, painful descent to dinner in Wasdale. Yewbarrow loomed ahead and we tried not to look at it. This seemed to be the crux. In fact it went easily in good time; a little cramp for Ian on Red Pike; a navigational error on Scoat Fell cost us time, but then on in worsening weather, heavy rain on Pillar, mist and strong winds on Kirk Fell and the Gables - in fact we nearly got blown off Green Gable, then downhill to Brandreth, Grey Knotts and Honistcr Pass for tea end soup. By now it was pouring down so we set off quickly up Dale Head. Conditions were now atrocious and we were beginning to worry about the cold. We were blown out to Hindscarth and returned bent almost double to the main ridge for the last climb up Robinson. This was number 42 and all we had to do was get back to Keswick for midnight. Down the ridge, glad to get away from the wind but still very heavy rain. On the road now, jogging on the flat, walking uphill, each step nearer the finish. At last the main street appeared and we arrived, wet, cold, tired, but delighted with fifty four minutes to spare.
Statistics: Peaks climbed 42, Miles 75, Height climbed 29,000ft.
Tom Sykes.