Hull Collegiate School pupil, aged 5, is the youngest person to complete all 214 Wainwright walks
17 October 2009
He started with a love of the outdoors and keeping fit, but a weekend hobby has turned into a world record for Sail, who has just become the youngest person to have completed all 214 walks in Alfred Wainwright's Lake District guide books at the age of 5 years, 3 weeks and 1 day.
Sail finished his final Wainwright, appropriately named Sail, on Saturday 17 October. The Lake District mountains include Helvellyn (950 metres high), Scafell Pike (978 metres) and Great Gable (899 metres). In contrast, combating Sail (at only 773 metres) was simple for Sail himself, who is only 117 cm tall.
Sail, who celebrated his fifth birthday on 25 September, is in the Reception class at Hull Collegiate School, which is a member of the United Church Schools Trust (UCST). He is the third of five children of two GPs who live in Beverley, East Yorkshire, and the children have been walking the Fells of the Lake District from the age of 2 years.
“We have five children who are being brought up to appreciate the beauty of the British countryside, especially the Lake District, says Dr Clare Lavery, Sail’s mother. “Walking has always been something we’ve enjoyed,” she continues. “Each of the older boys’ enthusiasm has rubbed off on Sail and he loves to keep up with his big brothers.”
“Our older two boys, Eire and Evan, could have gained the record themselves, but they have climbed many of the Fells over and over again with Sail and their younger sister,” says Dr David Chapman, Sail’s father. The parents are keen to emphasise that the family walk in the Lake District most weekends for pleasure.
Sail’s older brothers, Eire and Evan, aged 8 and 6, completed their Wainwrights a fortnight ago, so today’s walk was familiar ground to them. “It was quite an easy walk today and the boys had a good time,” says Dr Chapman.
So what are Sail’s plans now that he has completed his Wainwrights?
“We have a younger daughter who has already started to walk the Fells and has completed over 70 of them,” says David. “Our youngest son, Coel, has just turned two so we will take him up Sale Fell tomorrow. It’s time to start all over again!”
See further coverage in the Daily Telegraph.
