About Us

We’re Michael and Lyn, partners in life and adventure. We met in 1999 and tied the knot in 2004, and ever since we’ve shared a love of exploring together.

In our early years we travelled far and wide on motorbikes, but eventually realised we wanted to slow down and experience more of the countryside. So we swapped biking for walking—and never looked back. These days we head out on a local 4‑mile walk every day, and at weekends or when we’re away, we love to explore further afield, soaking up wonderful views and scenery. When our grandson Alistair is with us, he happily joins in too.

That’s how The White Shire was born. Michael is a proud Yorkshireman, born and bred, while Lyn was born in London, grew up in Norfolk, (the less said about that the better!!) and has lived in Yorkshire for most of her life. Together, we share a deep love for all things Yorkshire.

Our vision for The White Shire goes beyond walking routes—we want it to grow into a directory celebrating Yorkshire in all its richness, from landscapes and history to food, pubs, and local life.

In December 2022 we added another passion to our lives: outdoor cooking. After buying a pizza oven, Michael designed and built our outdoor kitchen, and now we cook outside every weekend, whatever the weather. It’s far more than just pizzas—the wood‑fired oven has opened up a whole world of flavours, and we enjoy creating food that’s both tasty and healthy, using local and British produce whenever possible.Michael also maps all our walks in and around Yorkshire, which sparked the idea of creating a website to share them with others.