Gemma grew up in the North East and widely explored Durham's coast, city and countryside while researching Bradt's first guide to the region over a decade ago. She has written extensively on the North East for national publications, and is the author of the Bradt travel guide, Slow Northumberland. She enjoys backpacking, wild camping, Britain's railway heritage, vintage shops and salvage yards, North East folk music, bird-watching, long-distance hiking and cycle rides, churches, and photography.

She has hiked the Durham Coast Path, the Pennine Way in Northern England and cycled many of Durham's railway trails and off-road routes. Her interest in wildlife has taken her to many remote corners of Teesdale and the Allen Valleys in search of upland flowering plants and wading birds. Gemma is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.