Although I have lived in Cumbria for over 40 years, it is only in the last 22 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.

Most years 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 eight years ago, 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 three times! I was soon back to walking, after 12 weeks I was up Hallin Fell on crutches! These days I’m a fair weather walker, Ged, now 86 has retired from fell walking and I now walk by myself or with Sue, a friend I met bellringing, or with my other friends from bellringing. I have had a few breaks, one due to prolonged plantar fasciiatis. The most recent break being a totally full computer hard drive memory, so I’m now having to write blogs back-dated to September 2025…..not sure my own memory is up to it! I’m now 64! We shall see!

The photos from the last five years are taken with an iphone 11 Pro. These days I like to travel light, and I have found the quality fine for my purposes. Long gone are the days of using an SLR and carrying multiple lenses! My son has an iphone 17, and it takes marvellous photos, but I’m a miser and will change only when I have to. Happy walking!

Thanks for visiting!

Jo (March 2026)