Dales author David Joy, writer of Men of Lead and Rails in the Dales, relates the traumas posed in completing a very different new book on the Grassington area.. The result is a must for residents of and visitors to Grassington and surrounding villages and hamlets.

IT was a chance remark in the Dales Book Centre in Grassington back in January that started it all. I was delivering copies of my recent books Men of Lead and Rails in the Dales. The proprietor Charles Newbery mentioned his regret that there was no longer any guidebook in print on the Grassington area. If only somebody would write one and if only it could be done for the coming summer, he pleaded.

No prizes for guessing where this discussion led. Most authors are prone to rash promises and this one is no exception. Within a matter of moments I had agreed to take on the challenge. A book entitled Discover Grassington would be written, illustrated and printed by early June. It was partly an ego trip but also a deeply felt wish to support an independent local bookshop.

Enthusiasm then swiftly gave way to panic. An aim was to create something different to the traditional guidebook. In our visual age, this was especially the case with the illustrations but how was it to be achieved? Then I remembered having seen some impressive ‘movies’ of Dales scenes from the air taken by John Jameson, an experienced drone photographer who lives locally. Might he just possibly have some ‘stills’?

This happily proved to be the case. In addition, John offered to make special flights with the drone to capture additional views and donate all these images for use in the book.

The dilemma was suddenly resolved as this would be the first time a local book has featured drone photography in such a way. All was agreed by early March and we confidently felt there would be no problem in having everything complete a month later.

Yet it was not long before optimism was again succeeded by panic. It is now easy to forget just how appalling was March this year. Clouds were constantly down and gales were howling. Day after day and then week after week there was scarcely a hint of sunshine. It seemed that the book was not going to make its target publication date of early June. Then at last there was a magnificent weekend at the beginning of April. The drone repeatedly took to the skies and all the required shots were obtained.

Seeing images on screen was an immediate reminder of the old adage that a good picture can save hundreds of words. Clearly visible are many facets of village character that are certainly not obvious from the ground. The photo of Grassington used across the front and back cover of the book shows just how close-knit is the centre of the old village with more modern development spreading out in all directions. The green oases provided by the Congregational churchyard and trees surrounding the Old Hall are especially apparent. Other photos give a wholly fresh perspective on individual features such as Grassington Bridge, Linton Church and Linton Falls.

Aerial pictures of a village do not work in a book unless used at a large size. Apart from the cover photo of Grassington, it was soon decided that most of the nearby villages – Linton, Threshfield, Hebden and Conistone – would similarly have their photo spread across two pages.

Although these pictures might indeed save hundreds of words, there was still the issue of the text and how this could also be made refreshingly different. It was decided that it should be more than just a guide to the area and should include lots of separate pieces on life past and present in and around Grassington.

Research revealed plenty of material from which to choose and often provide a lighter note.

A favourite concerns the travelling dentist who once came from Bradford. There was an agonising punch line to his advert: ‘Teeth carefully extracted. With cocaine (painless), 2s 6d, ordinary 6d.’ In today’s money these amounts are £7.50 and £1.50 so it was clearly long ago. The cheaper option certainly does not bear further consideration and it may be no coincidence that a local store stocked powders for the cure of facial pains and toothache!

Against all the odds both text and pictures came together. It had more than once seemed impossible but the rash promise back in January was somehow achieved. The book went into production and it was a moment of great relief in early June when the printer’s van drew up outside the bookshop. Unloading copies caused a traffic jam, but that is a regular feature of Grassington life!

Discover Grassington is exclusively on sale at the Dales Book Centre in the Main Street, price £7.50. David Joy will be signing copies on Thursday, June 28, between 2pm and 3.30pm.