This year the KE office are setting the bar high with our charity challenge. We are taking on one of the UK's Big Three Hill rounds; the 'Bob Graham Round'.

In June 2025, as a relay split over five legs, a team of staff from the KE office in Keswick will be taking on a run of 42 fells and over 66 miles, ascending over 8,229 metres. This is to raise funds for one of our valued charities, Mind Over Mountains, as part of their Project 500.

The Bob Graham Round is a legendary endurance challenge in the English Lake District. Named after Bob Graham, a Keswick hotelier who first completed it in 1932 at the age of 42, the challenge involves running a circuit of 42 Lakeland fells (hills) within 24 hours. Covering approximately 66 miles with around 8,200 meters of ascent it's a truly formidable route over some of England's highest mountains.

As a team we'll be splitting the route into five legs. We will start at Moot Hall in Keswick around 7pm on the 6th June (feel free to come and wave us off if local!), and have a target of finishing before 7pm on the 7th June. Below is an indicator of the timings of each leg:

Friday 6th June

LEG 1 – 19:00 (3hr 47) Keswick to Threlkeld

LEG 2 – 23:02 (5hr 19) Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise

Saturday 7th June

LEG 3 – 03:40 (6hrs) Dunmail to Wasdale

LEG 4 – 09:55 (5hrs) Wasdale to Honister

LEG 5 – 15:10 (2hrs 54) Honister to Keswick

Keswick – 19:00

Even when splitting the challenge into a relay this is a daunting challenge and not for the faint hearted. 10 of our intrepid staff members from across the business will be running one of the five legs. We have Tom, Jamie, Alasdair, Kerrie, Mark, David, Tim, Aaron, Sam, Steve and Zoe taking part. Other staff will be supporting with logistics, snacks and moral support cheers!

Good luck all!

If you would like to follow the challenge as it happens, then you can do so on our social media channels. If you would like to make a donation to this incredible charity (we'd be so grateful if you could spare anything) the button below will take you to our Just Giving fundraising page for Mind over Mountains. Thank you very much.