With great reluctance, I have to announce that the 2012 Bob Graham attempt has been cancelled due to bad weather.
After consultation with several of the club elders the decision has been made not to start. There is a general weather warning for heavy rain and within the local mountain weather forecasts warnings of extremely high winds, persistent hill fog and a significant risk of a severe chill effect.
Due to this it is felt that chances of a successful 24-hour round are very low – too low to justify the potential risk of something going wrong.
I apologise to the contenders and supporters for any inconvenience and hope that people will understand why we have taken this difficult decision.
We did consider delaying the start to later in the weekend, but felt it would be too difficult to make contact with everybody and to get the support and logistics in place.
Further note as 12.30 Saturday
Reading the reports of flooding across northern England this morning it would seem that the correct decision was made. The rain fall in the lakes seems to have been quite excessive and I have lifted this report Matt Dobson, senior forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said Borrowdale in Cumbria bore the brunt of the bad weather, with an estimated 100mm of rain. “It has been exceptionally wet overnight across Cumbria,” he said. “By the end of the night, it is fair to say that probably 70mm-100mm fell over 24 hours which is a month’s worth of rain. It looks like the worst is probably now over for Cumbria.
The wind is harder to quantify but it is fair to say they would have hindered progress. I have found stories of people stranded on the Pennine Way as unable to cross the streams. We would not have succeeded last night.
It is looking like a smaller attempt is to take place tonight, details as yet sketchy, they will still have wet weather and will still have swollen streams to cross but the wind and rain are moderating. I wish them well.
It is looking probable that there may be further attempts this summer, it is always gets harder to find supporters as the summer progresses but I will give my assistance as and when I can and would like to think we all will likewise.
Thanks
Richard