🏞 Day 4: Fawns, Feels & the Perfect Finale

Day 4 of 4 – Lake District Trip #6 of 2025

Date: July 27, 2025

📍Route: Rosthwaite → Grange Fell → Great Crag

📏Distance: 8.7 km

⬆️Ascent: 563 m

⛰️Wainwrights: 2

Birketts: 2

Weather: Cloudy skies, no wind — the perfect hiking weather. No blazing sun, no rain, no drama. Just soft light and stunning views.

Mood: Reflective, joyful, peaceful. Emotional at times (unexpectedly so), but in the best way. A bounce in my step, a smile on my face, and full heart energy by the lake. 💚

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After the Mordor cosplay that was Day 2, I wasn’t exactly holding my breath for the Central Fells to redeem themselves. I’ve tried them twice before, and both times the weather was like: “Welcome to hell. Enjoy the view (there isn't one).”

But… third time lucky?

Spoiler alert: YES. YES IT WAS.

🎒 Pack Light, Feel Lighter

I started the day with a tiny backpack — snacks, a Belvita, one Boost, and 500 ml of water. No sandwich crimes today. Just pure, unburdened Mira energy. I knew it’d be a short one — 3 hours max. And after three long days on my feet, my soul said "yes" to a gentler pace.

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🦌 Fawn of the Dead (but make it cute)

Half an hour in, alone on a ferny hillside, I heard a rustle — and suddenly a young fawn burst out in front of me like some magical Lakeland jump scare.

No one else was around.

Just me, the bracken, and Bambi’s mini-me bolting downhill.

Honestly, highlight of my morning.

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🏔 Grange Fell: Wainwright #200

My first summit of the day — and my 200th Wainwright.

Touching that cairn, I actually felt it. Joy.

Gratitude.

Pride.

Maybe even a little disbelief. I’ve walked every one of those peaks into my memory — I remember each one: what happened, how I felt, what chaos unfolded.

This one? Pure happiness.

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🌤 Great Crag: #201, Views for Days

Onward to Great Crag, in what I can only describe as perfect hiking weather: no sunburn, no wind, no drizzle.

Just moody clouds, soft light, and me bouncing along the ridgeline like a woman who’d finally forgiven the Central Fells for their crimes.

I took my time descending.

I stood often.

I stared even more.

I could name every peak around me — Glaramara, Bowfell, Dale Head, Great Gable (obviously). I joke I’m going to name my shed “Great Gable” because I talk about it so much. But honestly? It’s not really a joke.

📸 "Excuse me, would you like a photo?"

On the way down, I offered to take a group’s picture.

That turned into a chat, which turned into me saying I’ve done 201 Wainwrights, which turned into some very amazed faces.

It’s always surreal when I say it out loud — 201.

Two hundred and one. 🙃

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🥟 Keswick Traditions & Emotional Exits

No Lake District trip is complete without my sacred Keswick ritual. I wandered into town and gave myself the full works:

• A pint 🍺

• A very nice vegetarian pasty 🥟

• Ice cream (because of course) 🍦

• A long, slow walk around Derwentwater 🚶‍♀️

• And then I sat at the lake’s edge, soaking in the views, not wanting to leave.

I never want to leave.

I say that every time.

And every time, I mean it.

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🧭 Trip Totals:

• Wainwrights this trip: 13

• Wainwrights total: 201

• Wainwrights left: 13

I wanted to finish this trip with exactly 13 left — and somehow, I did.

Planned chaos or divine mountain maths? Who knows. But it feels right.

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🔜 Next Stop: The Pre-Final Push

Mid-August, I’m heading back for what will be my second-to-last Lake District trip.

The plan?

Tackle 7 Patterdale peaks, including the legendary Striding Edge — which, surprisingly, I’m actually looking forward to.

If all goes to plan, I’ll be left with just 2 Wainwrights — the final duo — waiting for me at the end of August in Wasdale.

The grand finale.

The emotional crescendo.  A quiet moment at the cairn, where every step, storm, and summit will come together — and I’ll finally let it all sink in.

Stay tuned. The end is in sight — and it’s going to be glorious. 🏔️💚

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Peaks bagged:

⛰️ Grange Fell (417 m)

⛰️ Great Crag (Stonethwaite) (449 m)