Three Year Old Becomes Youngest Known Person To Complete Wainwrights
Three year old Navy Moores has become the youngest known person to complete all 214 Wainwright fells across the Lake District.
Navy, from Kendal, completed every one of the 214 Wainwrights alongside his family during a five month challenge that began earlier this year. The three year old walked every summit himself, completing the full list with his dad Daniel Moores, mum Leanne Helm, six year old brother Oliver Moores and 15 year old sister Jessica Helm. The family had been hiking together for several years before deciding to take on the challenge as a group.
The family began their Wainwright challenge on May 10 and completed the final summit on October 4. Their last mountain was Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain, which provided a fitting conclusion to the five month adventure. The family faced difficult weather conditions on the final outing, with rain and cloud affecting the planned celebrations at the summit, but they completed the climb regardless.
Navy's achievement is believed to make him the youngest known person to complete the full list of Wainwrights. The previous record was believed to have been held by a child aged four years and 10 months. The Wainwright Society maintains a register of people who have completed all 214 fells, but does not officially verify or maintain age records, meaning the youngest person claim is based on known completion information rather than an officially ratified age record.
The challenge required the family to make hiking a regular part of their lives for several months. Daniel said they were walking every other day, every three days and sometimes every day as they worked through the list. The frequency of the walks allowed Navy to become increasingly comfortable on the fells, with the family adapting their plans around what the children could manage.
Navy's parents said the three year old is aware of what he has achieved but does not necessarily understand the significance of completing all 214 summits. Hiking has become such a normal part of his routine that finishing the challenge did not feel like the end of an extraordinary undertaking to him. Daniel said Navy was already asking about going hiking again after completing the final mountain.
Scafell Pike was selected as the family's final Wainwright because of its recognisable status and importance within the Lake District. The weather on the final day was not what the family had hoped for, with rain and cloud affecting visibility around the summit. They had originally intended to celebrate at the top with drinks and a view, but instead concentrated on completing the climb and taking photographs before making their way back down.
The family's celebration after finishing the challenge was chosen by the children. They went to McDonald's after the final climb, with chicken nuggets and chips providing the requested post hike meal. The following morning, Navy enjoyed pancakes with Nutella after the family had a later start following the previous day's long outing. The occasion also coincided with Jessica's birthday, giving the family another reason to celebrate.
Across the five month challenge, Navy completed every summit on foot rather than being carried. His parents have said that allowing him to walk at his own pace was an important part of the experience. They adapted the length and difficulty of outings around the children's abilities and accepted that walks could take considerably longer when completing them with a young child.
The family had already developed a strong connection with walking before beginning the Wainwright challenge. They had been hiking together since 2020, meaning the children were accustomed to spending time outdoors and travelling into the fells. That previous experience helped inspire the family to take on the much larger challenge of completing all 214 summits.
Daniel said the family wanted to continue encouraging children and other families to explore the outdoors. He stressed the importance of allowing children to set the pace and accepting that family walks can take longer than expected. He also said families should not feel that they need to purchase expensive equipment before they can enjoy time outdoors.
The family believes that keeping children involved in the journey is more important than simply reaching a particular destination. Daniel said the most memorable moments can come from experiences such as seeing a sunset, cloud inversion or rainbow while out in the hills. He hopes the experiences shared by Navy, Oliver and Jessica will remain with them as they grow older.
The challenge also involved a considerable amount of planning and organisation. Getting three children ready for regular fell walks required the family to prepare clothing, food, drinks and transport before setting out. Once on the fells, they had to consider the children's energy levels and allow sufficient time for the routes, with the emphasis remaining on enjoying the experience rather than rushing to complete each summit.
The 214 Wainwright fells are the mountains and hills documented by Alfred Wainwright across his seven volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. The guides have inspired generations of walkers to visit the summits and complete the full list. Completing all 214 has become one of the best known challenges for fellwalkers in the Lake District.
Navy's achievement therefore comes within a long established tradition of walkers attempting to complete the Wainwrights. His age makes the family's achievement particularly unusual, although the challenge was approached as a family adventure rather than solely as an attempt to establish a record. Daniel said the family were proud of all three children for completing the challenge together.
The family has already indicated that completing the Wainwrights will not mark the end of their outdoor adventures. Daniel said they have plans to continue hiking together and maintain the momentum they have developed over the past five months. For Navy in particular, the challenge appears to have reinforced his enthusiasm for spending time outdoors and exploring the Lake District.
The family also hopes their experience can encourage other parents to take their children into the fells safely. Their advice is to let children lead where appropriate, provide plenty of food and drinks, allow extra time and focus on enjoying the journey. They believe regular outdoor activity can become easier for children when walking becomes a familiar and enjoyable part of family life.
Navy's completion of all 214 Wainwrights represents an extraordinary achievement for a three year old and a significant family accomplishment. After five months of regular walking, the family reached Scafell Pike to complete the final summit, with Navy having walked every Wainwright himself. The family now intends to build on the experience with further outdoor adventures across the Lake District and beyond.
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