Hobbies and Interests

Drawing and painting

One of my main interests outside of coding is art. I attend a local still-life drawing class once a month and regularly paint and sketch landscapes which I post on my Instagram account.

I paint landscapes in oils and also keep a sketchbook of watercolour sketches as a kind of travel journal to make a note of places I've been.

Oil painting of a snowy Derbyshire landscape with evergreen trees to the left and Bowden Hall to the right.
  • Oil painting of a snowy Derbyshire landscape with evergreen trees to the left and Bowden Hall to the right.
  • Watercolour sketch of The Paper Mill Inn pub in Chinley, Derbyshire with a large overhanging tree casting a shadow on the road.
  • Oil painting of a large house on Kinder Road in Hayfield, Derbyshire.
  • Watercolour sketch of a countryside landscape in Anglesea with a white building on the horizon.
  • Oil painting of an evening landscape with a train crossing a viaduct in Chapel Milton, Derbyshire.

Music

I enjoy listening to an eclectic range of music, but also play the guitar and piano (although I'd say it's "playing" the piano in the loosest sense of the word!).

I occassionally play in bands and recently started up a project with a couple of friends themed around the films of David Lynch, incorporating film quotes into instrumental compositions.

Hiking and wild camping

I live on the edge of the Peak District and love hiking! I never get bored of the views, and often take a sketchbook out to scribble down a particularly good view or interesting elements of the landscape.

In the past few years I've also got into wild camping and made trips to Snowdonia and the Lake District with friends; tents on our backs, heading up mountains to set up camp on the summit and catch the sunset.

A man standing on the edge of some rocks looking out to a view of Snowdon in Wales.
A tent pitched on the edge of Glyder Fawr in Snowdonia, Wales.
A tent pitched on the summit of Moel Hebog in Snowdonia, Wales.

Wish List

There's still so many great hiking spots I'd love to explore around Britain including...

Locations

    Running

    When I started a remote job role I realised I had to take a more proactive approach to exercising and so the most straightforward option was running!

    I sometimes tie running in with sketching to give myself a destination; run up the hill, add a picture to the sketchbook, run back. I feel like this gives the journey a bit more purpose and initially motivated me to get out there and do it.

    However the passion for running in itself has well and truly set in now so I try to get out on a trail most days throughout the week.