Raised in the North West of England, and returning to a historical home each June, Traveller and retired farrier Joe Cannon Snr joins thousands on the annual pilgrimage to the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria – a ritual tradition that retraces the path of past generations.

Living along the route that connects Yorkshire to Cumbria, and documenting families en-route to Appleby since 2019, photographer and director Juliet Klottrup met Joe in 2022, living with his horses and bow top wagon on the Yorkshire Moors. Growing from conversations about his heritage and personal history, shared family photographs and updates on his foal Comet, Klottrup began shooting portraits and 8mm vignettes of Joe’s daily life, which evolved into the short film Travelling Home.

Living to preserve his rich ancestral heritage, Joe communicates his passion for his culture and deep connection to the wider Travelling and Gypsy community on film. Reflecting on its marginalization, and the misconceptions that have strained relationships outside the tradition, Klottrup observes the Traveller community through the lens of family, ceremony, gentleness and tradition, following Joe’s life as one of many personal stories embedded in the local landscape.