Words and Water grew out of our shared love of books and the Lake District, but also from conversations about how we spend our time and the things we want to make more room for.
We wanted to create something that brings books, landscape and people together, without the pressure to do more or achieve something. Here, we share a little more about ourselves, the places we love and what sits behind Words and Water.
Before we talk about Words and Water, tell us a little about yourselves. What might we find you doing when you are not working on Words and Water?
Aimee: I am a Head of Faculty, so life is often busy. Outside work and Words and Water, I love getting out into the landscape with my husband Jamie and Lennon, our cocker spaniel. I have always been drawn to water, and a walk by a lake, along a river or by the sea is one of my favourite ways to spend a day. I am happiest when life has a bit of both: time outdoors and adventures to look forward to, but also evenings cooking something good, sharing food with friends or settling down with a book. I am also a self-confessed geek when it comes to all things Shakespeare. I love how his plays explore human nature and how the characters and their choices still feel so relevant hundreds of years later. When I get the chance, I love going to the theatre. I am also a keen baker and am never happier than when there is something delicious baking in the oven!
Rachel: I am an English teacher, which is how Aimee and I met. I’m really passionate about the arts and how we express ourselves, find meaning and deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves. Alongside teaching, I set up and run The Keswick Book Club, and I’m currently studying for my Master’s in English Literature and working on my dissertation, so life is pretty busy! I love being active and spending time outdoors, whether that’s mountain biking, running or simply immersing myself in the landscape. I’ve enjoyed drawing and painting for as long as I can remember and it’s a wonderful way to relax and switch off. I’m also always keen to learn new skills and give things a go, even when I’m still figuring them out. At home, I love curling up under a cosy blanket with a good book, particularly a romance or thriller, and Percy, my cat, keeping me company. And I’m never one to turn down a good latte or a slice of cake!
Is there a place in the Lake District that is particularly special to you, and what makes it so?
Aimee: It is hard to pick just one place because the Lake District as a whole means so much to me. We first came here years ago and even spent our honeymoon in Hawkshead, long before we imagined we would one day live here. We kept coming back for the landscape, the lakes and the feeling of space you get when you are out walking. Being near water has always been a big part of it for me and we love getting out hiking and seeing where a path takes us.
Now I live here, it feels like home in a way that is difficult to put into words. I feel very lucky to have this landscape on my doorstep, with its changing moods and seasons. There is always somewhere new to explore or a familiar view that looks completely different in another light or season. I think the Lakes have been part of my story for so long that it is difficult to separate them from who I am.
Rachel: Latrigg is a special place for me. It’s a great little hill to run or mountain bike up, and I love the views across Keswick and the surrounding fells. It is somewhere you can enjoy the landscape without needing to plan a whole day around it. Another favourite is Warnscale Bothy, just a short walk up from Buttermere. Tucked into the hillside between Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike, I love how it feels nestled into the landscape, with its window acting as a porthole looking out across Buttermere and Crummock Water. There is something special about seeing such an expansive landscape framed by that little window.
Having moved to the Lake District when I was young, I have grown up with these hills around me. From the age of nine, I was determined to get out and complete the Wainwrights with my family. It took me just over ten years, but it was a real achievement and something I am proud of. Whether I am running, walking, mountain biking or simply stopping to take in the view, I love being up in the fells and seeing the landscape stretch out around me. These hills have been part of my life for as long as I can remember and I never tire of exploring them.
What did you feel was missing from your own lives that you wanted to make space for through Words and Water?
Aimee: I wanted more time for the things I love, particularly reading and being outdoors, without squeezing them into the gaps between everything else. At the end of the school year, I would stay at Calm Acre Cabin, an off grid cabin in Wales, and it helped me understand how much I valued that. I would go there with Lennon, a pile of books and my walking boots. The days were unhurried and made up of walks, books, good food and the simple pleasure of being somewhere different. There were clear night skies, time to sit and read and no real plans to stick to. I did not feel I needed to fill every hour or make the most of every minute. It was enough just to be there.
That experience has stayed with me. It reminded me how good it feels to have space for the things that can so easily get pushed aside when everyday life takes over. It was not really about being in a cabin; it was about having the freedom to enjoy the day as it unfolded. I wanted to create opportunities for other people to experience a little of that, too.
Rachel: I tend to have lots of things on the go. I love being busy and having different interests, but I also know how easily the things you enjoy can become just another thing to fit into an already full life. Through The Keswick Book Club, I’ve seen how much people value having the time and space to talk about what they’ve read, hear different perspectives and discover books they might never have picked up themselves.
Words and Water felt like a way to take that a little further by bringing books and the outdoors together. We wanted to create something that gives people permission to slow down, take a breath and make time for themselves, without the pressure of prescribed reading or feeling that they need to know a certain amount about books or the outdoors. For me, it’s about sharing the things we love, creating space for curiosity and connection and giving people a reason to pause and enjoy them.
You bring different experiences and perspectives to Words and Water. What does each of you bring to the partnership, and what happens when your ideas come together?
We met through teaching and we have both always been the organisers in our work, families and friendship groups. We are often the ones making plans, bringing people together and thinking about the details. Words and Water has grown out of that, alongside our shared love of books and the Lake District.
A lot of our ideas begin in conversation. There have been many coffees for Rachel and cups of tea for Aimee and there is almost always cake involved! We talk through ideas, change our minds, get excited about possibilities and work out how to turn a passing thought into something real. We bring different interests and perspectives, which makes that process interesting and often the original plans evolve into something very different by the end!
We care about the details, from the places we choose to the books we share, but we do not want things to feel overplanned. We want people to feel that they can arrive, settle in and enjoy the experience without worrying about doing things the right way. Seeing an idea that began over coffee, tea and cake turn into something other people can enjoy is one of the things we love most about working together.
What do you hope someone feels when they come to a Words and Water Gathering or retreat?
We hope people feel welcome from the moment they arrive. They might come on their own or with a friend; they might read every day or simply be curious about the idea. We do not want anyone to feel that they need to know a particular book, be a confident walker or fit a certain mould. There is no right way to take part.
We would love people to leave having enjoyed themselves, perhaps discovered a book they would not otherwise have picked up, noticed something on a walk or had a conversation that stays with them. We know how full everyday life can become, especially when you are used to organising things for everyone else. Our hope is that a Gathering or retreat offers a chance to put that aside for a while and enjoy being there, without needing to achieve anything.
Why do you think reading and landscape belong together?
Aimee: I think both invite you to pay attention. When I am walking, I take time to notice the small things: the light changing, the sound of water or the way a familiar place looks different depending on the weather. As I said before, I have always been drawn to water, and being beside a lake, walking along a river or spending time by the sea gives me space to think. Reading asks for a similar kind of attention. You have to give a book time and allow yourself to become absorbed in another person’s world.
For me, the two complement each other. A walk gives you time to think about what you have read, while a book can change the way you see the landscape around you. A story might make you think differently about a place, or notice something you would otherwise have walked straight past. I love that neither has to be rushed. You can follow a path without needing to reach a particular destination, or read without worrying about how many pages you have finished. Both give you the chance to slow down, be curious and see things from a different perspective. That is part of what I love about bringing books and landscape together through Words and Water.
Rachel: I think reading and landscape have always gone hand in hand for me. Growing up, I loved reading The Famous Five, followed by Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Alex Rider and The Hobbit. So many of the stories I grew up with were rooted in adventure, exploration and a strong sense of place. They sparked my imagination and made the world feel full of possibilities. In many ways, adventure and landscape are woven into the stories themselves. As an adult, I’ve developed a love for Gothic literature, and Wuthering Heights is a wonderful example of how landscape can almost become a character in its own right. The wildness of the Yorkshire moors feels familiar to me, with echoes of the Lake District in their drama and atmosphere. The landscape doesn't simply provide a backdrop to the story; it shapes its mood, its characters and the way we experience it as a reader.
For me, being outdoors offers a similar opportunity to get out of my own head and see things differently. When I’m outside, I become more aware of the landscape, the weather and the little details I might otherwise miss. Reading offers a different kind of escape, taking us into other worlds and perspectives. Through The Keswick Book Club, I’ve also seen how everyone can read the same story and come away with something different. Bringing books and landscape together feels like a natural extension of all of this: an opportunity to explore, notice things more closely, share perspectives and perhaps see familiar places, or even familiar stories, in a new light.
Is there a book that has made a lasting impression on you, and why has it stayed with you?
Aimee: This is a really difficult question to answer because I genuinely believe the right book finds you at the right time. There have been so many books that have stayed with me, each for different reasons and at different points in my life.
One book that comes to mind is The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I became so invested in Cyril’s life and his search for somewhere to belong. I loved the way the story unfolded across the years. Boyne creates a character whose life is shaped by the people he meets, the circumstances he finds himself in and the choices he makes along the way.
What I found particularly moving was the way the novel balances heartbreak with humour and warmth. Life doesn’t always unfold as we expect and sometimes the people who come into our lives change its course in ways we could never have anticipated. I think that is what stayed with me most: how much it matters to find people with whom we can be ourselves and how a single connection can make a difference to the direction our lives take. It is a book I still think about and one I regularly recommend to others.
Rachel: This is a really difficult question to answer because, like Aimee, I think so many books stay with us for different reasons and at different points in our lives. I’ve always loved stories that transport you somewhere else, immerse you in another world and leave you seeing things a little differently.
One book that has stayed with me is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. What I love most about it is the vividness and richness of the landscape. Owens brings the natural world to life so beautifully that you feel completely immersed in the marsh, with its colours, textures and sounds becoming part of the story itself.
What I find particularly special is how the landscape shapes Kya’s life and becomes intertwined with her sense of identity and belonging. The natural world offers her a kind of companionship and understanding that she struggles to find in people. I love how the book captures the relationship between humans and the places we inhabit, reminding us that the landscapes around us can shape who we are. It is a book that has stayed with me because of the way it brings both its characters and the natural world to life so vividly.
Do you have a favourite season in the Lake District, and what is it about that time of year that you love?
Aimee: I am particularly drawn to the transition from winter into spring. There is still a bite in the air, and the landscape has not quite let go of winter, but the light starts to change and the days begin to feel longer. I love that in-between time, when you can sense something shifting without everything having burst into life just yet.
There is something lovely about getting out for a walk in the cold and then coming back to somewhere warm with a book and a hot chocolate. I like the contrast between being outside in the elements and having time to settle indoors. The Lake District is beautiful in every season, but I particularly enjoy those quieter months, when there is a sense of change in the air.
Rachel: Autumn is my favourite season in the Lake District. I love watching the colours change across the fells, noticing the wildlife and seeing familiar places take on a different feel. I love being out in the wind and cold, feeling the elements and experiencing the landscape in all its wildness. Whether I’m running or mountain biking, there’s something invigorating about being outdoors at this time of year and noticing the little things around me as the seasons change.
I also enjoy the change of pace as the evenings draw in. After time outside, there’s something lovely about coming home, making a coffee, having a sweet treat and settling down with a good book. I love that contrast between being out in the elements and then getting cosy at home. For me, autumn is the perfect combination of adventure and comfort.
