The Cumbria Way

I’m Nicola, mum of 3, owner of a crazy dog, and creator of tiny Cumbrian Cottages, that are lovingly handmade THE CUMBRIA WAY, in the beautiful Eden Valley. 

Originally from Washington, North East England, I went to university in South Wales, gaining a BA (Hons) in Animation in 1999. After that I lived in Bristol for 19 years before relocating to Penrith, Cumbria in 2021. We’ve holidayed in the Lake District for years and I was always fascinated by the unique and beautiful building style. This was my inspiration for creating ‘The Cumbria Way’ and my little collection of handmade miniature Cumbrian cottages. My background in animation helps with the attention to detail and unique features of my cottages, and creating them gives me so much joy, often reminding me of my childhood favourites; Trumpton, Portland Bill, (original) Postman Pat and Cockleshell Bay. 

I love reading (murder mysteries are my favourite!), writing and illustrating picture books, and generally being creative, and I’m absolutely blown away by the beauty of Cumbria, it’s such an incredibly inspirational place to live.