More from Colin Hindle

I was born in Blackburn, Lancs in 1966.

After a ‘C’ in ‘O’ level art I went on to do a degree in Business Studies at North Staffordshire Polytechnic. I followed a career in Sales and Marketing, including 7 years in Hong Kong.  I bought Granny Dowbekins  tea rooms in Pooley Bridge in 2000 with my parents who ran it until they retired in 2010.

I have always drawn and painted, and in 2015 inspired by Wainwright, decided to document the best views in the Lake District in four hand written and illustrated books.  The first one, ‘The Best Lakeland Views: Ullswater-Haweswater-Brotherswater’ was self published in 2021, and is now in its second print run.  Book Two covering Grasmere, The Langdales, Windermere and Conistion will be published in the next 18 months. 

My greatest accolade has come from Hunter Davies the author, journalist and Biographer of Wainwright who described my book as “the best illustrated and most artistic guide to Lakeland since the blessed Wainwright hung up his pen”.

I hope to dedicate all of my time in the next few years to completing the series of books. 

I live in Penrith with my fiancé Karen Donnelly and have two children, Harry 25, and Hannah 23.  My parents both live in Pooley Bridge, and my sister Anne and brother-in-law Mark are owners of 1863 Restaurant and Rooms in Pooley Bridge.

The balloon ride that inspired my chosen painting was on a beautiful late August evening. What I didn’t know is that the only thing the pilot can control is the height, he has no influence over where the balloon goes, so I was very lucky that it flew serenely south-east across the Eamont providing magnificent views that couldn’t be had otherwise…. We landed with a thump an hour later at the foot of Haweswater.

I was inspired to use watercolours by Turner, Constable and Hockney, and love it’s immediacy and its sternness as a master….less is more…. the more paint you use the more likely the painting will fail, losing its transparency and freshness.