Thirteen-year-old Finn and his mum Kerry-Anne have just completed the adventure of a lifetime, walking almost 1,200 miles around the perimeter of Wales. The pair spent 84 days carrying everything they needed to camp on their backs, sometimes in driving rain, before sleeping in a tent together each night - conditions that could test any relationship. "It was intense - in a good way," laughed Kerry-Anne.
"It's a different level of connection, Finn couldn't go off and slam a door and go to his room, I couldn't walk away." Finn's "emotionally passionate" nature could at times be challenging, she said. "If you don't mind me saying," Kerry-Anne checked in with Finn.
"Not at all," he replied. "We have arguments but you have to work hard to get over it," Kerry-Anne added. The pair are now back home in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, where they share a home with Finn's dad and Kerry-Anne's husband John.
Kerry-Anne grew up in Llanmaes, Vale of Glamorgan, so the trip was an opportunity for her to revisit places from her childhood. The mother and son are used to spending lots of time together, as Finn is home-schooled, with exploring nature a big part of his education. "When he was young he was very unsettled," said Kerry-Anne, 45.
"We've not had any diagnosis, but we think probably neurodivergent - you identify with that?" she asked Finn. He nodded in agreement. She continued: "I noticed that getting outside was beneficial for him as much as it was for me.
.. so I just wanted to make sure h.