A River in Time is a written and photographic celebration of a limestone river in the Derbyshire Dales. The River Bradford, while only four miles long, has shaped the communities that depended on it over centuries. The river itself, the dale sides, surrounding farmland and woods are areas rich in wildlife and natural beauty, treasured by residents and visitors.
Christine Gregory's fine descriptions and atmospheric photographs reveal the river, its landscapes and its people with the subtle perspectives only visible to someone who has observed its life for years.
A River in Time explains the evolution of the landscape of the Peak District and the impact on the White Peak and its rivers of monastic grange farms, enclosures and lead mining. A pictorial journey along the River Bradford, from its source to the confluence with the River Lathkill, reveals previous uses of the river – the villages of Middleton, Youlgrave and Alport relied on it for their domestic water, farming and industry – and the flora and fauna that can be seen along the way.
The Head River Keeper for the Haddon Estate helps us to understand the ecology of the river, an important nursery for wild brown trout. Like many other British rivers, the River Bradford has recently suffered both drought and flood. A River in Time looks to the future, asking how the extreme weather predicted by climate scientists could affect this river and landscape.
Supported by the Sustainable Development Fund. A River in Time was produced with funding from the Peak District National Park Authority Sustainable Development Fund. Profits made from the sale of A River in Time will go into a fund for river or water-related conservation works in this locality.