Description

The author of more than 50 books, David Joy conveys the unique appeal of an area that has always aroused strong passions. His family has lived in Upper Wharfedale for more than four centuries – mainly as lead miners and farmers – and thus he is in a special position to capture the magic of the Dales. This superbly illustrated book is the product of an overwhelming desire by a native dalesman to share his passion for a unique landscape and its people.

The many varied themes of this book include:* The Limestone Wonderland – storm and tempest at Gordale Scar* Wild weather – snowed in for weeks on end* Climbing the remotest peak* Ancestors who risked all and dug deep to find lead* The timeless country railway* Dalesfolk – their humour and their resilience* Farming – especially at lambing time and haymaking* Shepherding – relative Tom Joy and Amanda Owen, the ‘Yorkshire shepherdess’* Memorable meetings – Alan Bennett, Bill Bryson and Brian Blessed* 10-day ‘road show’ with Hannah HauxwellDavid Joy has written extensively on many aspects of Yorkshire. He has widespread interests in the countryside – and especially the Dales. A former editor of the Dalesman, he has also served on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee. A founder member of what is now the Friends of the Yorkshire Dales, he later became a founder trustee of the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

For almost 40 years he was local secretary of CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) and ceaselessly strove to safeguard the finest features of the Dales. In 2006 he was awarded the MBE for ‘services to the environment’.

As a landowner he has always believed that conservationists and farmers needed to be on the same side. Otherwise, a way of life that has endured in the Dales for more than a thousand years will be lost and the area will become a combination of theme park and wilderness. A Passion for the Dales reflects this determined conviction.