ARTIST and writer Annie Farrer and cave diver John Cordingley have combined their skills to collaborate on a book - The Earth Beneath my Feet.

Annie, a botanical artist who has done work for Kew Gardens, London, concentrates on the earth bound landscape of the Ingleborough mountain, while John goes underground, describing his experiences of exploring Gaping Gill, one of the most famous caves in the Dales and one of the largest underground chambers in Britain.

The concertina-style publication features intricate illustrations and poetic writing set within breath-taking descriptions of underwater exploration and images all based on and under the slopes of Ingleborough mountain.

It has been part-funded by Stories in Stone, a four-year programme of conservation and community projects in the Ingleborough area, led by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) and mainly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Debbie Boswell from YDMT said: “The book is a thoroughly enjoyable and moving read that gives the reader an insight into how two people connect personally with the mountain.

“The stunning detailed artwork and underground photography sensitively provides two unique contrasting views of how people enjoy and interpret this landscape.”

Annie has worked as a freelance artist, teacher and latterly a writer, in the UK and abroad, specialising in the meticulous detail of grasses, and the overlooked in nature.

“Her inspiration over the last 15 years has come directly from the slopes of Ingleborough, beside which has been her home since she was three years old.”

John was the diving officer of the British Cave Rescue Council for 27 years. Although he has been on many overseas expeditions his primary interest has always been caving exploration projects in the Dales, and he now works at Ingleborough Caves.

Annie said: “Since the age of 15, I can remember being fascinated by the intricacy of the overlooked in nature.

“Working as a freelance botanical artist for Kew Gardens, amongst others, required me to show the aspects of plants required for botanical identification.

“Then, some years ago I decided that I wanted to continue the minute observation, but to also show what I chose. This became the focus of my attention in an exhibition, ‘Drawing to Your Attention’ at the Folly, Settle in 2008 and further at Jonathan Cooper, Park Walk, London in ‘The Earth Beneath my Feet’ in 2011 the latter based exclusively on pieces of grass, moss and earth pulled up by sheep and left to blow down the hillside on Ingleborough, collecting into enticing bundles.”

She added: “Having lived beside, and loved, the slopes of Ingleborough for many years, I decided a few years ago, to put my writing and drawings about this area, into a book entitled ‘The Earth Beneath my Feet’ which the YDMT agreed to help publish.

“Of course, what is actually beneath my feet, is an astonishing world of beauty and excitement. So I approached John Cordingley, an accomplished caver living locally.

“He has written poetically, about how it feels to explore caves and to dive in them together with the wide ranging experiences involved.”

John writes: “Caves excite the senses in a way which rarely seems quite so obvious in normal life.

The echoes from incessant drips in the otherwise silent Farrer Hall and the deafening roar of flood water in some savage wet shaft are two extremes in the wide ranging spectrum of sounds familiar to cavers.”

An example of Annie’s words: “On flanks of Ingleborough, the earth beneath my feet, unchanged through years,time stands in stillness. A breeze rolls down the slope, gently gathering dried earthy grass fragments, and small pieces of moss into tousled bundles of enticing depth and intricacy. A microcosm revealed. Inspires my eyes in shades of brown and green.”

The concertina type book opens up to eight panels, illustrated with Annie’s watercolour and ink illustrations overground, and underground, descriptions of Gaping Gill by John, together with photographs and plans of the extensive cave system by a number of cave photographers.

The Earth Beneath My Feet is priced at £24, £4 of which goes to the Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO). Available by post, or in person at the YDMT offices, Clapham, at Ingleborough Caves, Clapham; The Folly, Settle, or via the website: anniefarrer.com