A PHOTOGRAPHER from Petersfield has helped frustrated walker Heather Lacey produce a coffee table book of the South Downs.

After a chance meeting with Heather, Steve Cannings travelled around with her to take the stunning landscape photos for ‘Whan that Aprille’.

The title of the book is the first three words of Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ about going for a walk in April, in the rain, just as Heather did when she first walked the Downs.

She came down from her home county of Kent by herself for a few days, and got very wet in a deluge. With her hood up she could see little of the landscape, and started investigating books on the subject.

Finding there were only ones telling walkers to “turn left at the third horse on the right”, and nothing for nosy people like her who wanted to know much more, she decided to take action.

“There was only one thing for it – write it!” explained Heather.

“Never having written a book, I was in at the deep end, but at last I found someone in Kent who managed to help me get the whole thing together.

“In the meantime, I’d bumped into a photographer from Petersfield who has taken some fantastic shots. It was rather lovely driving him around saying ‘I’ll have one of those, and one of those’ as he snapped away.”

Alongside Steve’s images, the large, coffee table-style book contains useful maps and information.

“To sum up, the book is about what is either side of you as you walk the South Downs Way between the start in Winchester and the border with West Sussex,” said Heather, who is a cover teacher.

“It is full of ‘stuff’ about the people and the places, the history, the landscape, work and leisure, that the usual guides don’t tell you about.

“Do you know about the ghost who does housework? The club that held the FA cup for longer than any other team? The Royal Navy signalling system that never really worked? The lady of the manor who would do her morning exercises on her balcony… in the nude?

To reserve a copy of ‘Whan that Aprille’ contact Heather on 01634 850128 or e-mail [email protected]