About Wainy Days

Wainy Days is an independent creative studio, making thoughtfully designed journals, artwork and gifts inspired by walking, the Lake District and the joy of getting out on the fells.

A hiker wearing a blue jacket and a gray backpack walks along a rocky ridge path between Whiteside and Hopegill Head with a sea of clouds below under a bright blue sky.

Beginnings

Wainy Days grew out of a lifelong love of the Lake District, a slightly obsessive challenge to climb all 214 Wainwrights, and the realisation that ticking them off on a scrappy bit of paper or an app wasn’t nearly satisfying enough.

So I got a massive set of watercolour pencils from Derwent Pencil Museum and set about drawing every fell, eventually putting them into a colourful, characterful journal that other adventurers can enjoy.

Wainwright Journal
Abstract watercolor painting of mountains with gradient colors

Keeping it simple

Only three ingredients come together in my paired-back hill illustrations: high pigment colour, interestingly textured paper, and wet water. The results can be anything from a striking silhouette to a gentle, flowing slope, depending on the character of the mountain in question, and how brave I'm feeling with colour choices.

Although my drawings were first intended for my Wainwright Journal, they're also available as layered prints and even notebook covers.

Art Prints
A scenic landscape photograph of a steep, rocky mountain slope (Rannerdale Knotts) covered in green grass and scattered boulders, with a bare tree in the foreground and a cloudy blue-gray sky above.

Looking ahead

I'm only a year into the Wainy Days adventure, and have been blown away by the response to my work. People really do love damp hills! I'm excited to find out what's next, and have so many plans for more Lake District inspired goodies. Keep checking back to see what's new, and happy adventuring!

Go on, grab a notebook...