Seven-Year-Old Claims New Wainwright Fells Record
12/04/07

Kerry Regan, on Easter Saturday, 7th April, reached the summit of Scafell Pike to complete her final fell of Wainwright's seven Pictorial Guides to the Lake District at the age of 7 years and 9 months.

Kerry on Scafell Pike

In March 2006, Ellen Regan from Caldbeck in Cumbria became the youngest person to climb all 214 fells in Wainwright’s seven Pictorial Guides to the Lake District. At the time she was 9 years 10 months old. This record was held until October 2006 when Jordan Ross from Macclesfield in Cheshire ascended Castle Crag, his final peak, at the age of 9 years and 7 months.

After Ellen had set her record last year, Kerry’s goal had been obviously to beat her sister’s performance but also to finish before her 8th birthday, which is at the end of June. The relatively mild weather this last winter meant that she was able to be out walking with her parents most weekends and holidays and her dedication and hard work has paid off. To achieve this feat has meant Kerry has had to walk at least 450 miles and ascend in excess of 135,000 feet (approximately 4.5 times the height of Everest).

Kerry’s first fell was Binsey in the Northern Fells, which she completed on the 4th September 2002 at the age of 3 years and 2 months. She went on to complete all the Northern Fells finishing on Carl Side on the 12th of April 2004 when she was 4 years and 9 months old. The Central Fells were the next book that she finished, very soon afterwards, as these had been largely walked across the same time period with her older sister, Ellen. Walla Crag was the first of the Central Fells on the 21st September 2003, and they were completed on Ullscarf on the 18th July 2004, just after her fifth birthday.

After that Kerry completed the Far Eastern Fells with Ellen starting on Hallin Fell on 25th March 2005 and finishing on Selside Pike on the 1st September 2005. During this period she climbed Shipman Knotts for the Great Lakeland Challenge, the Wainwright 50th Anniversary Celebrations. The Southern Fells were the next set to be embarked upon, again with Ellen, starting on Great Carrs on the 2nd October 2005. She continued with these fells until February 2006 when the pace of Ellen’s walking became too much! Ellen went on to finish on Scafell Pike in March 2006, but Kerry missed out the last 11 of the Southern Fells that they had left. These were to be returned to in 2007.

It was then on to the North Western Fells, starting on Lord’s Seat on 23rd April 2006 and finishing on Whiteside on 9th August 2006. Later in 2006 she embarked upon the Eastern Fells starting on Clough Head on 10th September 2006 and finishing on Middle Dodd on 30th December 2006. Over an 8 day period during late December Kerry did 19 of these fells, in glorious winter weather, including the Fairfield Horseshoe and Helvellyn and Catstycam, taking in both Striding Edge and Swirral Edge. Next it was the Western Fells, starting on Mellbreak on 5th January 2007 and completing on Pillar on the 24th March 2007. This last walk was probably one of Kerry’s longest incorporating most of the Mosedale Horseshoe. Kerry started with Yewbarrow and continued over Red Pike, Scoat Fell, Steeple, Haycock, Caw Fell and Pillar. Finally, Kerry had to re-visit the Southern Fells to pick up her last 11 summits which were done in late March and early April 2007, culminating in a finish on Scafell Pike on the afternoon of Saturday 7th April. It was a gloriously sunny day on the Bank Holiday weekend. The final walk took in Slight Side, Scafell (with a descent down Lord’s Rake), Lingmell and finally Scafell Pike. Ellen had finished just over a year earlier on Scafell Pike and Kerry wanted to finish on the same summit as her sister.

Kerry has two favourite fells. The first one is Green Crag, which she walked with her dad, David, and sister Ellen. She especially liked this fell because she found a particularly large badger hole near the summit, which Ellen dropped a chocolate down by accident! The second one is Rannerdale Knotts, which she walked with her mother, Clare. This fell appealed particularly because of all the excellent craggy hiding places for playing ‘hide n’ seek’!

So, can this record be beaten? Well possibly and maybe within the same family. Kerry has a younger brother Robin. He will be four in May and is currently walking the Northern Fells, having done 12 so far. He was 2 when he started and his first fell was Binsey, like Kerry. He is hoping to finish his first book soon! Who knows, in three years time we may be reporting that he has done all 214 at a younger age than his two sisters.

The Wainwright Society

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