Motherhood took Rebecca Terry on a contrasting career path to the one she intended.

The mother-of-three from Menston was seeking a scientific profession after completing a biological sciences degree and marine biology MSc at Plymouth University, and a PHD in parasitology at Leeds. But when she had children, she found a profession to fit with family life.

Being a farmer’s daughter, she loves the outdoors and spends much of her time walking with her three young children. When she and friend Rebecca Chippindale spotted a book about pushchair walks in the Lake District, it gave them an idea.

“We thought ‘we could do that!’,” she says.

They contacted publisher Sigma Press, which had produced two books in the Lake District and was looking to publish other pushchair walks around the country. Sigma encouraged the pair to create some new walks.

They have produced five Pushchair Walks books covering the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors and North Wales.

Rebecca says the books are devised to accommodate various levels and abilities; walks are easy, moderate or hard. There is guidance on the suitability of routes for various puschairs.

“I think people will be surprised to know where they can go with a pushchair. It is important to get people out in places they thought they couldn’t normally go,” Rebecca says.

The books are based on her knowledge of the places she and her friends visit. They are packed with all the need-to-know information for parents with pushchairs; places of interest on route, where to refresh and relax and, of course, baby changing facilities.

The books feature around 30 walks and take about a year to compile. Rebecca dedicates one day a week to walking.

She is currently looking at other places to profile for her latest Pushchair Walks. When she isn’t compiling the books, she is updating the website.

Pushchair Walks gives people of all abilities and capabilities, not just parents with pushchairs, the opportunity to access walks on the web.

“There is something for everyone, not just everybody with pushchairs,” says Rebecca, referring to the routes devised specifically for elderly walkers or those with disabilities.

She hopes the books and the website will help stem the increasing problem of childhood obesity in Britain.

“With all the worry about childhood obesity, we need to get children out and about more,” she says.

Making a difference is one satisfying aspect of her job, but the greatest is fitting work around her family.

“I was going to stay in science but it didn’t fit in with family life. It’s great that I get to be at home and to go out on walks now and again – it’s fantastic. It’s perfect for me because I can stay at home with my children.”

Rebecca’s advice to anyone considering going it alone and setting up their own business is to give it a go.

“If you’ve got an idea, don’t just sit on it – have a go. If it doesn’t work out it doesn’t matter, but if you don’t have a go you will have missed out.”

* Bradford College runs business courses for those looking at setting up on their own. For course information contact (01274) 433333. To find out more about Pushchair Walks, go to pushchairwalks.co.uk.