So far, Nigel Howell has scaled 201 of the fells made famous by Alfred Wainwright’s guidebooks. He’s doing it all in aid of Mind Over Mountains, a charity that supports people facing mental health struggles by reconnecting them with the outdoors.

What makes his mission even more gruelling is that he carries a hod loaded with bricks weighing nearly 5 stone (around 30kg). He alternates shoulders every 100 steps.

“Most climbs take about three hours, but on my best day I managed to summit seven hills,” he told the BBC. His final ascent, The Great Gable, is set for June.

Howell’s determination is matched by his modesty. “It’s not enjoyable, I wouldn’t recommend it,” he quipped in an interview with BBC Radio CWR.

His past fundraising feats include the Three Peaks Challenge, a marathon, a coast-to-coast trek along Hadrian’s Wall, and even scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, always with his signature hod in tow.

The builder credits the Lake District with helping him cope with his own mental health challenges. “I’ve struggled with my mental health, and the mountains have been a lifeline,” he said. “I fell in love with the Lakes 25 years ago and have kept coming back.”

This latest venture, the Wainwrights, has proven to be his toughest yet. But support from local businesses has helped lighten the load, each brick in his hod has been sponsored for £500.