Hilary is a retired nurse and the wife of a hill farmer. Her family, have kept, suckler cattle and the local breed of Rough Fell sheep, in the Lune gorge, South of Tebay, in a traditional extensive system, for over fifty years.

They therefore maintain one of the best known views from the M6 motorway. They are commoners on Tebay and Roundthwaite fells and also provide approximately 400 acres of access land, designated under the CROW act on the west side of the valley and in Borrowdale. The farms have nearly 50 acres of woodland and a recent count of bird species came to 50. 

Hilary enjoyed a village childhood in Yorkshire, which has given her a deep appreciation for rural life and the natural world, and believes it is an essential part of understanding our history and culture. She is interested in conservation especially of domestic cultivars and breeds. Apart from the Rough Fell sheep the family keeps the extremely rare Teeswater sheep and breed the old fashioned Masham cross lamb. Hilary keeps Welsummer hens but is chiefly known for her orchard conservation work and is currently the chairman of the South Lakeland Orchard Group.

Other interests range from domestic cookery to agricultural history and include concerns for third world poverty and food security.