Not long after we moved to Cumbria back in October 1999, I drove down to Crummock Water in the old battered white Volvo that we’d bought as a cheap runaround. The weather was grey. The clouds were hanging at about 1,000ft. There was a steady drizzle.

I pulled over into a lay-by, wound down the window and just looked around. I had been visiting the Lakes all my life. I knew the Eastern Fell well but this was the first time down the Lorton Valley towards Buttermere. I couldn’t believe that this was now home.

Even though the day was a typical Cumbrian winter day, I was completely enchanted. I still am.

Now, 20 years on, I still get the same feeling whenever I’m out and about in the Lakes. Whether on top of a fell or down in the valleys, I am still in awe of the majestic countryside that sits no more than a few minutes away from my house. I feel lucky, I really do.

One of the things I do on social media is to try and promote the area and not just try and show off my own business. I have hundreds of pictures sitting on my phone and on my computer. Of course, many of them are of bread or specials in the café. I also have plenty of shots of Cockermouth, Keswick, Whitehaven, Maryport and Workington, as well as of the lakes and fells. Some of the most popular ones are early-morning shots of Market Place in Cockermouth where the bakery is located. As soon as I get a sense of a spectacular sunrise or of peculiar weather conditions, I’m out clicking away on my phone. I then use Instagram to tart them up a bit!

All businesses should do the same. We all should be promoting the area as often as we can. Trade in Cockermouth seems to be picking up after all the floods and roadworks. We need to encourage people to visit not just from outside the county but from within as well. The west coast has a lot to offer. I know Allerdale Council are trying hard to promote the area outside of Cumbria. Last year’s Manchester Days were a good start. There’s more planned for the future.

We can do our part by posting pictures and attracting people’s interest. We know that once people have been to see us, they can become enchanted with the area. And that can only be a good thing.