BG Route to be flagged?

[empty miles]

a young man with big opinions - that's a good trait in a teenager. I'm sure we'd get on well. Get in touch when you want to give the BG a go - i've got a plan.
1. luminous cairns from Skiddaw to Hare Crag - done that one.
2. flymo the heather down the other side of Great Calva.
3. makeshift footbridge over the Caldew.
4. temporary zip wire down Blencathra - much quicker than that old dude's gully descent
5. miss out Fairfield - do leg 2 solo if you're not bothered about a certificate from one of those blokes in a building somewhere - no one would know
6. ladder up Broad Stand
7. Yewbarrow - generally regarded as the toughest climb on the round. Helmet up - we'll fire you from a cannon by the gate marked PRIVATE, straight to the summit cairn. Depending on amount of gunpowder we can get our hands on and strength of wind, should be able to make the top in approx. 10 secs.
8. roller skate from Newlands Chapel to roundabout in Keswick.
9. remove skates outside Up and Running. You will be greeted by a gang of folks who all did the BG 'the old-fashioned way'. They will hoist you onto their shoulders and carry you triumphantly - a true pioneer who has brought the BG round into the 21st century.
pm me if you're interested. I'd really like to be a part of this.

[emmilou]

4. temporary zip wire down Blencathra - much quicker than that old dude's gully descent
.

Old dude??? One who is pacing next weekend the equivalent of the whole round...be it in stages.....old skool stylee of course

[Dead Edge]

My personal view, for what it's worth (which isn't a great deal - having only a passing interest (and a nagging recurring thought about doing the BGR)) is that this comes down to honesty - to yourself and to the BG club.

If I ever do the BGR it will be on my terms and these won't include markings, reflective posts, route modifications etc, but also might not include support on each leg. I'd not be able to join the club but I'd know in my heart that I'm there in spirit, whereas I wouldn't feel that I'd like to lay any claim to success with artificial route markings laid specifically for the purpose of making life easy.

As long as you don't damage the fells you can do what you like - it's only a run - but the club is a club and has to have rules. Do it as you see fit and be honest in how you did it. "Yeah, I've done the Bob Graham but had to place a load of markers on some of the route to help me, so I'm not in the club", "Yeah, I've done the Bob Graham but I didn't have enough friends to be accompanied all the way round, so I'm not in the club"

Anyway ...

[dominion]

Not flagged, but how about nicking all the cats eyes off the M6 when I'm next driving up to the lakes and fitting them into the route? Be fantastic at night, head down, head torch on full beam....

[Woo hoo]

The view, unsurprisingly, was that marking the BG route is not within the traditions, spirit or ethos of the BG Club pioneers.

But having one of your support team running ahead and pointing a finger towards the correct route is OK?

As time passes it seems to me that the only BGR that matter are fully unsupported. Everything else is a shade of corruption from the quoted "traditions, spirit and ethos". And when clubs use the BGR as a club outing-come off it!

[empty miles]

just trying to get into the mindset of our 'young'un' here. I've nothing but respect for the gentleman in question - hope to meet him during the course of Dave S's BG in a couple of weeks!

[Derby Tup]

Not flagged, but how about nicking all the cats eyes off the M6 when I'm next driving up to the lakes and fitting them into the route? Be fantastic at night, head down, head torch on full beam....

It's only 145 shopping days until Christmas. Not long to go. You should be out doing hill reps or similar dom

[dominion]

It's only 145 shopping days until Christmas. Not long to go. You should be out doing hill reps or similar dom

....But full moon is best in 2012?? What better way to celebrate the end of an Olympic year?

[DaveSwift]

Whan i fianlly decided to have a go at doing the BG i thought it didn't matter if i new the route but one of my club mates suggested otherwise. I took on board what he said and have put the time in - its been some of the most enjoyable running i've done. He was right IMO (Cheers Colin)

Supporting other peoples rounds may not be ideal for all but it certainly helped me, i,ve met some great people and consider myself a lucky man because of it.

SM - you have some strong opinions and no doubt believe them, so we can agree to disagree on this one. Best of luck if you decide to have a go in the future.

EM - Lmao.

[SpeedMaestro]

Bob

When you have nothing left to say to argue your point play the "age card". Funny that the junior member here can show more maturity than you. I have answered every point from all posters. I haven't resorted to making blind presumptions like I can't temper my arguments because I'm young, based on no evidence from this conversation. I realise my views might be in the minority but I don't really see what I have done for you to try and drag the argument down into a mudslinging battle.


Empty Miles

Same goes for you. A forum is meant to encourage debate, if we all had the same views what good would that be? I come on with a different (not wrong) viewpoint and you don't even have the decency to respond sensibly, instead you just take the piss!

Dead Edge

Good point and I think we've found some middle ground there. If it is against the rules of the BG club I wouldn't be applying for the BG membership, I'd be happy in the knowledge that I'd done the route, I'd certainly cherish the memory more than the certificate. That's all it would be to me, a run. I'd not cause damage to anything, I'd remove anything that was placed on the course and I wouldn't then try to claim BG membership.

Dave Swift

That's what it's all about at the end of the day, coming home and thinking I enjoyed that. It is just a run, an obsession for some, but when they look back upon their life they can no they completed the BG round, a feat which most britians will never do.

Aye, we'll have to agree to disagree, but what are forums for, we've offered our view points and perhaps enlightened each other along the way. Maybe now some will see (not agree with but understand) why some choose to leave markers, others choose to use arrows and others just want to do the round completly solo. Plus we give those that don't comment something interesting to read.

Anyways sorry for taking a while to reply to everyone, not been at the computer.