Although I have lived in Cumbria for over 30 years, it is only in the last 13 years that I have discovered the joy of walking in the mountains. Previous to that I was far too busy working.

In 2002 I gave up my permanent science teaching job to go on supply, so giving myself some free time. In 2004 I started walking with fellow supply teacher, Ged, and very soon I was organising the routes to take, and gained enough knowledge to go off walking alone too.

I have always taken photos, and for each walk I did I used to send an email of annotated photos to friends that also enjoyed walking, albeit some vicariously! They in turn used to email it on to their friends and so on. In 2013 I decided that it would be sensible to turn the emails into website posts. The son of a friend designed the website to my specifications. Then I turned all my old emails into web posts, and all new walks go straight on the website.

Last calendar year I have had over 60,000 visits! I get plenty of emails from all over the world. I am good at replying, and I have never refused a request for a copy of a photo. The photos on the site are low resolution, so not suitable for commercial use. I have sent high resolution copies to a gentleman of the bridge where he proposed to his wife, and to a lady of the view her mother grew up with, for her memorial card. So never be shy in asking! The ‘Contact’ form message box goes straight to my email.

I had a knee replacement last year, as I had no cartilage left in my knees, and advanced arthritis. It was just bone grinding on bone…..the legacy of a lifetime of sport and of completing all the Wainwright mountains almost three times! So this year I have concentrated on the smaller, shorter Wainwrights, and walks from the ‘Outlying Fells’ book. Only recently have I been able to increase the distance and duration of my walks and finally complete the final five walks of my 214 x 3.

For the rest of this year I plan to repeat a few favourites and venture out into pastures new. Maybe the Howgills and Pennines.

Thanks for visiting!

Jo (June 2019)