“I had burned out from working long, thankless hours in the corporate world and yearned to live near the lakes and mountains where I loved to spend my weekends and holidays,” says Riding. “I had no experience of working in the hospitality industry so it was baptism by fire, but I love providing the perfect place for people to create happy holiday memories.”

Hospitality businesses were some of the first forced to suspend activity in early 2020 in line with coronavirus lockdown restrictions – and Riding says putting pause on the business was “heartbreaking”.

“It was as if the country stood still. And yet, being in the countryside, the seasons and cycles carried on; the daffodils came out, the lambs were born and filled the fields, the heather turned bright purple on the fells; and it felt so sad that we didn’t have our guests to share the beauty of our surroundings with.”

The team immediately offered up the lodges to provide accommodation for key workers with family members who were vulnerable at home, and worked with their local pub to put together food hampers to distribute to locals in the village. “Our community is an integral part of what makes our area so special,” says Riding, “so it was important to me that we played our part in supporting the village and the wider area during such difficult and unprecedented times.”

For Riding, a standout moment for the business came in 2017, when she had the opportunity to build three new cabins to her own bespoke architectural and interior design plans. “It was an ambitious project,” she says, “but I was so proud with the end result and the response from guests has been phenomenal.”

To other women looking to launch their own business, Riding says: “Gather your tribe. I would never have been able to get so far without a fabulous business mentor, the faith and encouragement of my family and friends, mixing with inspiring business networks and a very supportive bank manager. It might be your business that you are building, but it will be your tribe that will help you to get there.”

Riding says that she is passionate about championing and encouraging female entrepreneurship – so she feels it is an “honour” to be participating in the bank and Getty Images’ Female Focus #BeTheRoleModel initiative.

“Launching my business coincided with me starting a family, and both have grown considerably over the last eight years. I hope that the pictures of me balancing work and family life will inspire my three girls in the future, as well as encouraging other women to take the leap.”

Jennie Riding of The Lodges at Artlegarth had to press pause on her business in 2020 during periods of lockdown. She offered her lodges to help provide accommodation for key workers, and partnered with the local pub to distribute food hampers in the village.