Rachel grew up in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, where the Victoria Tower on top of Castle Hill stands sentinel over the town and surrounding countryside. Many hours were spent exploring the woods and valleys around this hill, which provided inspiration in nature – and a good place to hunt for wildflowers.
Castle Hill has a long history, with the remains of late bronze age and iron age hill forts, a 12th century motte and bailey castle, and a medieval village. These days it is topped by the Victoria Tower which was built in 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.