A hiker from Cumbria has completed a record-breaking challenge in just over three weeks.
Laurie Crayston, of Frizington, walked up all 192 English mountains in 25 days, eight hours and four minutes.
In total, Laurie has walked over 820km with an elevation of around 42,000m in just over three weeks, beating the previous record of 77 days and three hours.
Finishing on Scafell Pike on Sunday evening at 5.37pm, Laurie said he was elated to have completed the challenge.
He said: “I don’t think it’s properly sunk in yet. Completing this challenge was too big to comprehend when I started and now, I’ve finished it still feels a bit too big to properly understand. I’m elated though, and very pleased to not be hiking this week.”
The 32-year-old started by climbing the three mountains in Dartmoor before driving up to the Peak District, and further up to the Yorkshire and Cumbrian Dales, the Pennines, and then Northumbria before finishing up in the Lake District towards the end of last month.
“My body held on for as long as it needed to, but it is definitely telling me to rest now,” said Laurie.
“It’s been an incredible journey, I’ve experienced so many highs and lows, so many incredible views, all four seasons – sometimes in the same day – many injuries and lots of pain, great conversations with total strangers and incredible support from family and friends, virtually – which I’m so grateful for!
“I’d like to say thank you to everyone who’s believed in me right through this. Although this challenge took 25 days or so, getting to this point in my life has been years in the making, and so many people have helped me along the way!
It’s not over for Laurie though. He added: “I’ve been adventuring since I was a child and never really stopped, so be able to accomplish something like this as an adult, I know my younger self would be proud.
“I’ve kept chasing the dream and it feels like all the years of hard work are finally paying off. I’m exhausted, and I will put my feet up for a few days, but I’m so excited to build on this and start working on whatever comes next!”
