Hilary is a retired nurse and farmer's wife.  Her family currently farm a hill farm in the Lune Gorge near Tebay and an arable farm in the Eden valley.

They are commoners on Roundthwaite fell and provide 400 acres of Access land, designated under the CROW Act on the west side of the valley and in Borrowdale.

Hilary enjoyed a village childhood in Yorkshire, which has given her a deep appreciation for rural life and the natural world, which she believes 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.