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Boy, 11, 'world's youngest person' to scale Lake District hills 1000 times

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An 11-year-old boy has become the 'world's youngest person' to scale the Lake District's fells 1000 times.

Leo Mason, completed the incredible achievement after almost three years of hiking Cumbrian Wainwrights - known as true Lake District fells - which includes England's tallest, Scarfell Pike.

He climbed up his first aged nine-years-old in September 2023, when reaching the summit of Rannerdale Knott (355 m) as part of his '10-round challenge'.

The young mountaineer's goal is to complete 10 rounds of the Wainwrights - a whopping 2,140 climbs in the Lake District.

He has currently trekked up each of the 214 fells in the stunning region four times over - and is 145 into his fifth round - to reach the magic number.

Leo said: "I felt very proud to reach my 1000th Wainwright on the summit of Yewbarrow with my dad."

"It has been a real challenge because we have been getting up early and doing big hikes and lots of climbing, but I have really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the next 1000."

A hill is classified as a Wainwright if it is one of the 214 Lake District fells described in Alfred Wainwright's seven volume A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells.

The achievement is also significant as Leo was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, ADHD, and hyperactivity at age seven and turned to hill climbing in the Lake District as a way of managing this conditions.

He completed the achievement on Wednesday, January 14.

According to dad Michael, 38, Leo is the youngest ever person to have walked all the Wainwrights three and four times over and reach the 1000 climbs milestone.

Michael, who has trekked every hill alongside Leo, said: "We are so proud and it is amazing to see how his skills have come on in the mountains."

"I've not heard or read of anyone younger than Leo completing such numbers."

"He thrives out there, he doesn't moan or anything, he just gets on with it, and loves being out there and exploring."

"Doing the Wainwrights, it has been fantastic for him to be able to explore so many different parts of the Lake District."

"Unofficially, he has walked up different fells around 1,500 times."

"Leo does have Tourette's, and we wanted to see if being in outdoors, exercising and hiking would help, and it really does."

"To see how much he thrives out there is fantastic."

Leo, who is supported also feverishly by his mum Toni, 36, documents his hill climbing adventures on his 'Tickinemoff' Facebook page.

According to Toni thanks to his social media presence Leo has inspired others to start climbing and has become an unofficial guide to the Lake District.

She said: "We get hundreds of messages from people who are dealing with Tourette's, ADHD, or other mental health issues."

"If they are not fit and able to get out they love seeing Leo's posts and then it also inspires people to put some boots on and go out."

"We have had quite a few people get in touch who had started their own Wainwrights journey after seeing Leo's page and that is lovely to hear."

After Leo hurtles towards his fifth completion of the 214 Wainwrights, he is also aiming to tackle Scotland's Munros.

There are 282 Munros, named after Sir Hugh Munro, which include Britain's tallest mountain, Ben Nevis standing at 1,345 meters tall - Leo has already completed six.

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Leo's journey:

Leo is 1001 Wainwrights into his 10 round challenge, which will see him do a total of 2140 Wainwrights.

So far, he has completed

214-Wainwrights Round 1 completed
Started 4th September 2023 on the summit of Rannerdale Knott, and I completed my first round on the 2nd June 2024 on the summit of Silver How, taking 9 months (272 days)

214-Wainwrights Round 2 completed
Started 3rd June 2024 on the summit of High Rigg, and I completed my second round on the 1st September 2024 on the summit of Lingmoor Fell, taking 3 months (90 days) completing this round ment I had set a record for the fastest time for a primary school age child to complete a full round of 214 Wainwrights

214-Wainwrights Round 3 completed
Started 5th September 2024 on the summit of Walla Crag, and I completed my third round on the 4th May 2025 on the summit of Scafell Pike, taking 8 months (242 days) completing this round ment that I was the youngest person to ever complete 3 rounds of the 214 Wainwrights

214-Wainwrights Round 4 completed
Started 6th May 2025 on the summit of Low Fell, and I completed my fourth round on the 23rd October 2025 on the summit of Blencathra, taking 5 1/2 months (171 days) completing this round ment that I was the youngest person to ever complete 4 rounds of the 214 Wainwrights.

Total time taken for 4 rounds is 2 years and 7 weeks (779 days)

214-Wainwrights Round 5



145/214
Started on the 25th October 2025 on the summit of Grike

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