BY ALLISON LEE
Hannah Russell is an author and countryside enthusiast who lives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Born and bred in this incredible part of the country, she is surrounded by rolling hills and wildlife and now resides on the Swinton Estate with more than twenty of her own animals, including ponies, sheep, donkeys, dogs, alpacas, and even tortoises.
As a child, Hannah spent countless hours outdoors, helping on local farms and dreaming of one day owning land and keeping her own animals. She confides that, despite the hard work, she finds it incredibly rewarding, with every day being different. As the owner of my own smallholding in North Yorkshire, I can certainly resonate with her sentiment.
Although Hannah is now a bestselling author, English wasn’t always her forte, and she struggled with the subject at school. However, she began writing a journal about her first pony, Badger, when she was just six years old. It was perhaps this early venture into storytelling that set her on the path to becoming an author.
Her writing career began with her book, Little Alf, which is based on a cheeky miniature Shetland pony who, by her own admission, completely changed her life. Hannah began writing about their adventures, and the stories soon became a best-selling series, leading to more books about countryside life and animal adventures. Whether written for children or about her lifestyle, all of Hannah’s books are inspired by her love of animals, nature, and the countryside.
Hannah enjoys the balance between writing and caring for her animals. She says the animals keep her grounded and remind her of what is important, while her writing allows her to share those experiences with others. Her inspiration comes from seeing children connect with her books and from being out on the land every day, observing the changes in nature.
Of course, there is a difficult side to owning animals, a sentiment any animal lover will share: having to say goodbye. Hannah is realistic in her view, acknowledging that animals don’t live forever and that it can be heartbreaking. Nor is everything about smallholding glamorous, but Hannah happily takes the rough with the smooth. The wet days spent mucking out, muddy boots, and winter checks are all part of the challenging yet rewarding life she has chosen.
From our conversation, it is clear that Hannah thoroughly enjoys what she does. She is conscious that animals can be chaotic and disruptive, but she takes it all in her stride. She has had her fair share of mishaps—from ponies refusing to be loaded into a trailer minutes before an event, to goats escaping and eating the garden. Yet, as she says, it’s often the mishaps that make the best stories.
Hannah is a very busy woman. In addition to running her smallholding and writing, she also runs a creative agency called Business Bloom Media, where she works with rural businesses to grow their social media and online presence. She also undertakes public speaking, school visits, and workshops to encourage others to connect with nature and creativity. Passionate about animal welfare, she works with several charities and organisations—including Yorkshire Cancer Research, The Brooke Charity, and the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust—to raise funds and awareness. For the latter, she is donating 100% of the profits from her latest book.
Hannah has ambitious plans for the future. She would one day like to own a farm shop and garden centre and has plans to expand her smallholding by adding more wildlife-friendly areas to encourage biodiversity, alongside caring for her menagerie.
She is currently working on new children’s stories and lifestyle projects, aiming to inspire more people, particularly the young, to connect with nature. “If I can inspire even one person to pick up a book, step outside and connect with the outdoors, then I feel like I’ve achieved something worthwhile,” Hannah told me.
I think Hannah Russell is a remarkable young lady and an inspiration to many. I wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.