Geared advice - compact to standard

I reckon that I'll get stronger in the long run (I already have from when I got the bike first) and it was fine for everything of what I've encountered on the Shaftesbury Audax last weekend, where I didn't really have to use the 28t cog but always had one or two in reserve.

Sounds like you're set-ups spot-on then. I would'nt consider bigger gears for mountains, so much as bigger gears for bigger loads.