On my final day, I set out with a light pack and a full heart, hoping the Central Fells would finally show me some kindness. What I found was quiet magic - a startled fawn in the bracken, perfect hiking weather, and my 200th Wainwright. I wandered slowly, soaked in every view, and ended the trip exactly as I’d dreamed: with 13 peaks bagged and 13 left to go.

Day 3 brought sunshine, summits, and actual humans, a welcome shift from the previous day’s solo soggy suffering. I tackled Green Crag, Harter Fell, and Hard Knott over 26.3 km with 1,161 m of ascent and 9 hours on my feet. No rain, lots of chats, and no bog trauma. Nutrition? Laughable. Spirits? High. Feet? Tired. Turns out, all I needed was sun, strangers, and a vest to feel like myself again.

It was July 25, a peak summer and I found myself in the Lake District, stumbling through rain, wind, and total whiteout for 7 relentless hours. No views. No people. Just fog, soggy layers, and six Wainwrights I was too stubborn to skip. I ate a squashed sandwich, wrung out my gloves like tea towels, and questioned all my life choices. Navigation was brutal. Spirits were damp (literally). It didn’t break me… but the dent? Yeah, that’s permanent. And mildly traumatised.

I parked at Mungrisdale to avoid the narrow road into Mosedale, ditched my route, and hiked straight up Carrock Fell through buzzing heather and wild blueberries. After scratching my legs in shorts and spotting ravens feasting on a sheep, I reached High Pike - my final summit in the Northern Fells. A peaceful tarmac road walk back, warm sunshine, and quiet reflection marked the end of another chapter. The blog is up now - come read the full story.

Today was a lesson in preparation and pure joy on Derwent Edge. I set out to bag three Ethels and the Back Tor trig, and somehow fell in love with every rock on the ridge. The weather turned fast, but for once I was fully waterproofed and stayed dry the entire time. Twenty kilometres later, fuelled by a cheese sandwich in a rainy pine forest, I finished warm, happy, and proud. A perfect Welsh 15 training day.