The Joy In Finding This Photograph

A Memory of Ashwood Dale.

As a young man my father was both a keen walker and photographer. His hometown was Derby, consequently the surrounding area including the Peak District was walked and photographed extensively. Sadly he was killed in action during WW2. Among his personal effects were all his photos that my mother kept in a large brown crocodile skin like flap-over handbag with an orange lining. Occasionally she would let me look at them, at the time, being a very young boy they were just photos with no meaning.

Shortly after mother remarried. My step-father, in a fit of temper and jealousy, destroyed and threw out all these articles that were being kept for me, including the photos. There was one in particular that was etched indelibly on my mind, growing older I began to wonder where was it taken?

Having inherited my father's love of walking (but not photography), the Peak District has been walked extensively and always in the back of my mind was the question would I find "the spot", most unlikely?

Having discovered The Francis Frith Collection and even more importantly the range of books on offer including two on the Peak District no time was lost in obtaining both editions. As the pages were being turned in The Derbyshire Dales edition there it was, exactly as I remembered 'the photo', Lovers Leap, Ashwood Dale. Ironically it must be the only dale that I haven't walked. As they say the rest is history, a framed copy of this photo now hangs at home.