The History of Ramsay’s Round

Credit: David Lintern

Ramsay’s Round is built into the foundations of modern hill running. It’s a distinctly Scottish challenge, in the tradition of extending ‘the Most Munros in 24 hours’. Yet, developed in response to the Bob Graham Round in the Lakes, and as a sister to the Welsh Classical (aka the Paddy Buckley Round), it is also one of the ‘Big Three’ British 24 hour mountain challenges.

Philip Tranter on Ben Mor Assynt on completion of his second Munro round. Credit: Blyth Wright

Tranter’s Round

The mountains around Glen Nevis are ideal for those dreaming of big days in the Scottish Mountains. 

In June 1964, Philip Tranter, son of the author Nigel Tranter, was the first to cover all of these mountains in a single trip, taking on the Mamores (11 Munros), Grey Corries (4), the Aonachs (2), Carn Mor Dearg and then finishing on Ben Nevis. Blyth Wright (later renowned for his mountain training and avalanche safety work) assisted with planning and accompanied him for most of the 36 miles and 20,600 feet of ascent. At the time, this was the most Munros in 24 hours.

The round has been successfully completed many times. Unfortunately, no detailed records are retained regarding successful round completions.

Helen Bonsor of Carnethy HRC established a new women’s record of 12 hours 25 minutes in July 2017.

Finlay Wild of Lochaber AC established a new round record of 8 hours 27 minutes in June 2024.

Ramsay’s Round

Like many others, Charlie had followed in Tranter’s footsteps and successfully completed his circuit within the 24-hour time scale, several times over. After sucessfully completing the Bob Graham Round in England, he wondered if he could extend the round by including the 5 munros that surround Loch Treig: Beinn na Lap, Chino Dearg, Stob Coire Sgriodain, Stob a Choire Mheadhoin, and Stob Coire Easain, creating a journey that would cross 24 munros within 24 hours.

With the assistance of many friends from Lochaber and Edinburgh, he put together a package of training and planning in order to attempt his extended round, adopting the fell running style of the Lakeland runners. Would this be possible in the Scottish mountains?

Choosing to fundraise for Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and with his support in place, Charlie was ready to go, and at 12 noon on Friday 8th July 1978, he left Glen Nevis Youth Hostel and headed anticlockwise onto the Mamores.

He returned to the Youth Hostel, completing the circuit at 11:58am on Saturday, 9th July, with just 2 minutes to spare.

Charlie’s endeavour was a Scottish Round to match its English counterpart, and the most Munro’s in 24 hours at the time.

You can see Charlie’s splits, here.

Charlie & family at Loch Treig

Charlie & family after his Bob Graham. Credit: Stan Bradshaw

Charlie with Pete Fettes & Bobby Shields. Credit: Lochaber News

A few of Charlie’s running family!

Charlie reports to the media post run. Credit: Alex Gillespie

Evolution

The Round had a relatively low profile for the following decade, but Charlie credited the journalist Chris Brasher with spreading the word further, resulting in new attempts. Brasher was a pacer on the 1st sub 4-minute mile (Roger Bannister, 1954), an Olympic Gold Medal winner (Steeplechase, Melbourne, 1956), orienteering advocate and originator of the London Marathon (1981).

Back in 1977, Charlie had supported Chris, Paddy Buckley and George Rhodes during their Bob Graham attempt. As Charlie told it, on the evening following their run Chris asked Charlie if there was a Scottish equivalent to the Bob Graham, a question which later sowed the seed for Ramsay’s Round. Chris then visited Charlie in Edinburgh in 1986, seeking more information about his Lochaber record.

That record stood for 9 years, only surpassed in 1987 by Martin Stone, who added 2 Munros to bring the ‘most Munro’s’ tally to 26 (23h, 24m), and by Jonathan Broxap a month later, who stuck to Ramsay’s original line and reduced the time by a further two hours (21h, 24m).

As it stands currently, the fastest men’s time of 14h, 42m was recorded in August 2020 by Finlay Wild.

The fastest women’s completion time of 16h, 13m was recorded in June 2016 by Jasmin Paris.

Chris Brasher

Jasmin Paris, supported by Finlay Wild and Jon Gay on her record breaking 2016 Round. Credit: David Lintern

Charlie’s piece in the Scotsman, 1979

1989 records for Mark Rigby and first woman Helene Diamantides

Variation - Extensions, multiples… and ‘doubles with a difference’

Following Martin Stone’s extension, In 1991 Adrian Belton extended Ramsay’s Round to 28 munros. His target was 30 but snow in June denied him that goal, such is the weather in the Scottish mountains.

Graham Nash of Carnethy HRC has to date completed the Round 6 times within 24 hours since his 1st Round in 2013, more than any other person. He has completed the Round in both directions, his fastest time being 22h, 32m, travelling AC. He has run both with support, and solo, without. He has also set off as pacer and continued to the finish line. In 2019 he completed the round within the winter season in a time of 23h, 34m travelling AC.

Nicky Spinks set a new bar with a double with a difference of Ramsay’s Round in 2018, when she ran a variation on the circuit in 56h, 45m, an extraordinary accomplishment. Nicky is currently the only person to have run all Big Three as doubles.

Charlie defined a full double Round as fully twice around, in either direction, within 48 hours, all the summits visited in correct order and with the start and finish from Glen Nevis Youth Hostel. This has yet to be achieved.

Martin Stone

Adrian Belton

Nicky Spinks

Graham Nash

Winter

In February 2013, Jon Gay from Lochaber AC was the first to complete the Round in winter within 24 hours, returning in a time of 23h, 18m, travelling clockwise.

Prior to Jon’s achievement, recorded winter attempts were as follows:

  1. 2002 Glyn Jones: Anti clockwise 53h, 34m

  2. 2003 Garry Tompsett: Anti clockwise 33h, 48m

  3. 2006 John Fleetwood: Anti clockwise 47h, 55m

  4. 2008 Shane Ohly: Clockwise 29h, 59m

  5. 2012 Tom Phillips: Clockwise 26h, 56m

Charlie recognised a successful winter attempt as meeting full Challenge requirements (see The Round or Home pages) between 1st December and 28th/29th February (meteorological winter), while acknowledging that in Scotland, there might be little snow or ice within that period. Conversely, winter conditions can extend well outside this timeframe. It should be noted that during meteorological winter it will still be dark for up to 16 hours!

The Most Munro’s

Jasmin Paris, timecheck! Credit: David Lintern

Over time, the ‘most Munro’s’ challenge has moved east to the plateaux of the greater Cairngorms. Note that the summits of Sgorr an lubhair (Lochaber) and Sgurr Na Carnach (Glen Sheil) have been reclassified, affecting the tables (though not the achievements) below.

Year Contender Area Summits 81-97 Summits 97 on Time Distance

1964 Philip Tranter Lochaber 19 18h 23m 40m/64.374k

1978 Charlie Ramsay Lochaber 24 23 23h 58m 56m/90.123k

1987 Martin Stone Lochaber 26 25 23h 24m 70m/112.654k

1988 Jon Broxap Glen Affric 28 29 23h 20m 78m/125.129k

1991 Adrian Belton Lochaber 28 27 23h 57m 75m/120.721k

2017 Jim Mann Cairngorms Nil 30 22h 05m 88m/141.622k

2020 Alex(Sasha) Crepelin Cairngorms Nil 32 23h 13m 78m/152.8k

2021 Jasmin Paris (F) Cairngorms Nil 29 23h 48m 89m/142k

2021 Kim Collison Cairngorms Nil 33 23h 49m 100m/160.9k

The Big Three

Ramsay’s Round is recognised by Ultra-Distance Challenges as one of Britain’s big 3 mountain challenges, which include The Bob Graham Round in England, The Paddy Buckley Round in Wales and Charlie’s own Round in Lochaber, Scotland.

Round Detail Bob Graham Charlie Ramsay Paddy Buckley

Distance 60 miles / 96.561km 56 miles / 90.123km 60 miles / 98.17km

Summits 42 24 47

Ascent 27,000 ft / 8.229.6m 28,000 ft / 8,534m 28,000 ft / 8,534.4m

First Completed 1932 1978 1982

Completions 2,926 within 24h 273 within 24h 293

Fastest Man Jack Kuenzie (12h 23m: 2022) Finlay Wild (14h 42m: 2020) Finlay Wild (15h 14m: 2022)

Fastest Woman Beth Pascall (14h 34m: 2020) Jasmin Paris (16h 13m: 2016) Liz Richardson (17h 23m: 2023)

Big Three, big digits 

The first to do all three Rounds, each within 24 hours was Martin Stone, in 1987. Martin was also the first repeat on the Ramsay (in that same year) and the first within 24 hours on the Buckley (1985). He may still be the only person ever to have completed the three Rounds solo and unsupported.

The first to do all three in one season is jointly held by Adrian Belton and Helene Diamantides (1989).

Helene was also the first woman to do all three Rounds, in that same year.

The first to do all three consecutively (driving between the three) was Mike Hartley, in 1990. His times were: Charlie Ramsay – 21hr 14min; Bob Graham – 23hr 48min; Paddy Buckley – 33hr 30min.

The first Big Three Duathlon was completed by foot and bike in a total time of 130 hours 43 mins during August 2020, by John Kelly.

Total completions - an estimated 79 people have completed the Big Three to date.

To find out more, visit www.gofar.org.uk or see The Big Rounds

Dancing with the Devil, on the Devil’s Ridge. Credit: David Lintern