The paddy buckley round, also known as welsh classical round, is a long distance fell. It was only the fifth winter completion dated between december 1st and february 1st of the round, devised by paddy buckley and first run in 1982. The last four days of paddy buckley by jeremy massey. This is an epic longdistance fellrunning route taking in 47 summits in northern snowdonia. The big rounds running and walking the bob graham, the paddy buckley. Damian hall winter paddy buckley round record inov8. The paddy buckley round is a longdistance fell running challenge in snowdonia, wales. A guide for walkers and hill runners describes a version of the route which avoids the. As with the bob graham and paddy buckley, the ramsay round can be run at any time the challenger wishes, but must be completed within 24 hours. The paddy buckley running over 47 summits in just 24 hours with its 30% drop out rate, the paddy buckley is arguably the toughest of all of britains running rounds, requiring not only fitness but a masochism that only a few hardy individuals possess. The paddy buckley round dave swift the paddy buckley round is a long distance fell running challenge in snowdonia, wales. Its something ive always wanted to do, but i for one am not anywhere near fit enough to do it in such a time limit.
It is of similar distance to the bob graham but has slightly greater ascent and descent. The route totals 24 summits over 58 miles with a total. The bob graham round, the paddy buckley round and the charlie ramsay round are known to mountain runners as three of the most difficult 24hour challenges in the world. A 62 mile circuit of 47 snowdonian summits, with 8700m ascent, the round was devised by paddy buckley but first completed by wendy dodds in 1982, and first run in under 24 hours by martin stone in 1985. Snowdonia long distance challenges by harvey maps published by harvey maps 2011 on. It has interviews with icons of the rounds, including paddy buckley and charlie ramsay themselves, plus jim mann, nicky spinks and helene whitaker. Although no time limit is set, an arbitrary 24 hours is applied, similar to the bob. Damian halls report from setting the paddy buckley round record in. The classic north wales challenge completes her unique trio of double rounds on the uks big three. My interest in fell running and particularly the harder stuff grows strong and.
Includes practical information and advice, notes on access and environmental impact, plus insights and strategies from the likes of jasmin. Although everyone will aim to complete the circuit in sub24 hours no time limit is stipulated. These routes are grand, circular tours of the lake district, snowdonia and lochaber, and the book includes a full guide to each round for both walkers and runners, the history of each round, and advice from running and backpacking experts, including jasmin paris, nicky spinks, charlie ramsay, jim mann and paddy buckley. This verification was completed and his place in the books, as the holder of both the overall and winter paddy buckley rounds, confirmed. Nicky holds the womens record for all the toughest fell running challenges in the uk, the bob graham, paddy buckley, ramsey round and the lake. The first sub24 hour round was on 30 july 1985 by martin stone in 2326. On top of his personal grief, paddy works as an undertaker. Since then over 1100 men and women have successfully taken up this challenge. Patrick buckley solicitors have built our reputation by exceeding our clients expectations, investing in our people and achieving the highest standards. The big rounds running and walking the bob graham, the paddy buckley and the charlie ramsay rounds is a guide to britains three most challenging longdistance mountain rounds, and the people who love them. The paddy buckley round, also known as welsh classical round, is a long distance fell running challenge in snowdonia, wales.
To put that into context, the overall record for the. The round has the reputation of being somewhat tougher to complete than its english lake district equivalent, the bob graham round. The paddy buckley round is hard enough as it is, add ferocious winds and a downpour and it is just so much harder so these thoughts made me fly up snowdon and get to the top in good time. The bob graham round was the first of the british trilogy to be established, in 1932. As well as the obvious investment of time spent training to get fit for the challenge it also requires a large amount of planning in terms of route choice, it can be started anywhere unlike the. This route was devised by paddy buckley and first completed in 1982. The book, the welsh three thousand foot challenges. It is around 62 miles 100km in length and is normally attempted as a 24hour challenge. His mother passed when he was four, his father while in his thirties and his wife and unborn child at forty. A guidebook to walking or running britains three most challenging longdistance mountain rounds. Its a book about people and place and the magic that happens when they. The charlie ramsay and paddy buckley rounds followed in 1978 and 1982 respectively. Paddy buckley round 102km running route near capel curig. The big rounds the bob graham round, the paddy buckley.
The route is a circuit of just more than 100km over 47 summits. This challenging and stunning mountain trip, along with the bob graham round and ramsey round forms the big three challenges for ultra mountain marathon runners who endeavour to complete each circuit in less than 24 hours. Nicola nicky spinks born 22 april 1967 is a british longdistance runner, specialising in fell running, who set womens records for the major fellrunning challenges the ramsay round, the paddy buckley round and the bob graham round. The three classic british hill running challenges the bob graham round in the lake district, the paddy buckley in snowdonia and the charlie ramsay in lochaber arose quite independently of each other. The very fittest have sought to extend the round beyond 42 tops, and the fell record now stands at 77 peaks. My paddy buckley round 2015 was i really going to do the paddy buckley, when i first heard about the bob graham i never in my mind thought that i would attempt it and get a sub 24h. Alpkit book books burbage valley carl wark clif shot bloks dig deep ellas kitchen fell running fell running shoes gels head. The big rounds book by david lintern fionaoutdoors. As a consequence many fewer people have succeeded on it or even attempted it. The route includes the carneddau, the glyderau, the snowdon range, the moelwynion and the moel hebog range. Guidebook to walking or running britains three most challenging longdistance mountain rounds. David linterns innovative book about running and walking the big rounds the bob graham, paddy buckley and charlie ramsay will appeal to many hill goers. When events go awry, paddy is plunged into an unexpected eddy of intrigue, deceit, and treachery. For many strong mountain, fell and ultra runners, to get under 24 hours is tough enough.
Paddy buckley, the titular main narrator, is a man who has lived a life full of grief. Running and walking the bob graham, paddy buckley and charlie ramsay rounds inspiration by david lintern isbn. The aim is to complete the route on foot in less than 24 hours. By now it had turned into a chilly night and we had hats and gloves and an extra layer but it was downhill from here. Running walking bob graham, paddy buckley, charlie cicerone. Paddy buckley devised the round with helpful comments from chris brasher, but wendy dodds was the first to complete it in 1982 in a time of 25 hours 38 minutes. It is generally regarded to be tougher than the bg, but by how much is up for debate. Knowing he was close to the record time, damian sped down the final descent from moel eilio and into the dark, deserted streets of llanberis at 12. The paddy buckley round covers 61 miles and ascends around 28,000ft as it crosses 47 peaks of north wales.
For those that arent familiar with the fell running, the paddy buckley is one of the big 3 rounds. Running and walking the bob graham, paddy buckley and charlie ramsay rounds david lintern on. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Harvey map of the paddy buckley round challenge in snowdonia.
Indeed, wendy dodds, the first person to complete the paddy buckley round and one of the runners profiled in the book, describes herself more than a mountaineer than a runner. A week out, i was still planning on carrying all my own stuff. In things ive pursued in the past, selfsufficiency was a point of pride. As with the bob graham and paddy buckley, the ramsay round can be run at any time the challenger wishes, but must be completed within. Just shy of 100km, over 8000m of ascent, marking off 47 summits along the way. As well as the obvious investment of time spent training to get fit for the challenge it also requires a large amount of planning in terms of route choice, it. The benchmark was set in 1932 when bob graham completed a round of 42 peaks within 24 hours. It nominally starts in llanberis, but you can choose any starting point you wish and complete it either clockwise or anticlockwise meaning you can make your completion your own in many respects. I have just modified one external link on paddy buckley round. The paddy buckley round covers 61 miles, ascends around 28,000ft and crosses 47 peaks of snowdonia.
The paddy buckley round takes in most of the significant peaks surrounding snowdon, with crib goch and y lliwedd being the most notable omissions. She held the womens records for all three rounds simultaneously until 2016, and is the holder of the overall record for the double bob graham round and the. Damian hall recently completed a record breaking winter paddy buckley round, finishing in a time of 21. Snowdonia mountain challenges snowdonia guided walks. It was only the fifth winter completion dated between december 1st and february 1st. The current record is 17hours and 42 minutes, set by tim higginbottom in 2009. But whether you run or walk, each round is a longdistance classic. Nicky spinks runs double paddy buckley round to complete. The summit list for the paddy buckley round is starting from. The aim is for participants to complete the route, on foot. Our supported bob graham, charlie ramsay and paddy buckley rounds are 100% made to measure for every client, and are therefore not available to book online. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. Originally, i was reluctant on the grand round to even ask for support on the running other than navigational help. Even during paddy buckley i insisted on carrying a water bottle and the majority of the food.
The paddy buckley round is much newer than its better known lakeland counterpart, the bgr. Life is just a dream from which we all awaken, claims the eponymous narrator in the prologue to the last four days of paddy buckley, and. Jasmin paris rewrites the mountain running record books inov8. Running walking bob graham, paddy buckley, charlie.
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