The Peak District National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty. The High Peak in particular is a very dramatic and wild place at any time of year, but it is in winter when these qualities can be seen to full effect. It is not uncommon for snow to fall while the golden leaves of autumn are still on the trees or for spring flowers to be given a shock by late frost or a fall of snow. But officially winter starts just a few days before Christmas when many people are dreaming of a white Christmas: a covering of snow amongst Christmas lights and decorated trees can create a quite magical scene.

Winter can bring hard weather for the farmer and his hill flocks, and the season can be harsh. For others, the fun of sledging on sunny slopes is part of the joy of winter. Photographer Robert Falconer captures not only the beautiful crystal clear days with cold blue skies, but also the atmospheric mists and lowering clouds. He does not just portray the bleakness of winter and the wild remote landscapes to be found in the Peak, but also shows the villages and people in the Park. The Peak District is not just a nature reserve but also a place where people live, work and play: from the farmer crossing the landscape in his tractor to people enjoying a winter walk to children tobogganing on the snow-clad hills.

Through 140 stunning and evocative images Robert Falconer weaves a supremely colourful tale of the Peak in winter.

Imprint: Halsgrove. ISBN 978 1 84114 908 0, hardback, 214x230mm, 144 pages. Published September 2009.