From delivering calves on dark, snowy mornings to treating a myriad of ailments in both farm animals and pets, Lorna Francis has enjoyed a colourful career as a rural vet. 

Now she shares some of her most compelling recollections in her new book – Lorna, the Peak District Vet.

Drawing from her personal experiences, Lorna guides us through some of the National Park’s most stunning and remote landscapes, sharing captivating, amusing and evocative anecdotes along the way.

She highlights trials and tribulations, adventures and misadventures, happy and sad moments from her career in a Bakewell veterinary practice. We experience the most unpredictable and harsh weather conditions and meet some of the Peak District’s most enthralling characters and their equally charismatic animals and pets.

The book is illustrated throughout with some of Lorna’s own charming sketches.

Yet it was a chance conversation that led to Lorna’s debut as an author. She explains: “I was reminiscing with a farmer and talking about some of the characters I’d worked with over the years when she suggested I write it all down.

“I started making some notes and it was so enjoyable that I just kept going, as memories came flooding back. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and it reminded me of all the good times I had working in the Peak District with farm animals, horses, companion pets and their owners. The result is a book with a real feel-good factor.”

She adds: “What links all my stories together is the Peak District. I love the variety of landscapes, the community spirit in the villages and the fact that the agricultural communities are so important to the area. I’m fascinated by Peak District traditions, such as well dressings and Wakes weeks. Food has always been a big part of my life and, when I was on my rounds, I loved popping into village shops and trying locally sourced foods.”

After graduating from Liverpool University with a degree in Veterinary Science, Lorna’s career began in Oxfordshire. But her desire to work in a rural setting soon brought her to Derbyshire. She says: “One of my great joys as a vet was getting to know people. I quickly discovered that people here were very friendly, welcoming and down to earth. 

“Being a vet in the Peak District is a very privileged position because you are able to meet people from all walks of life. An important theme in the book is my relationship with the people of the area and my respect for them. I hope it also gives readers a sense of how hard hill farmers work and how much they care for their animals.”

The Peak District can be a challenging environment to work in – for both farmers and vets. “I got stuck in the snow a few times; I’ve been bitten by a dog and a horse and kicked by a cow,” smiles Lorna. “But it’s enjoyable to work outside a lot of the time, to be able to travel around and get to know the area intimately; to share bonds with people and to learn different aspects of farming and animals. There has been lots of laughter, too.”

The book features a foreword written by Amanda, the Duchess of Devonshire.

The Duchess writes: “Lorna Francis has painted a wonderful picture of life in the Derbyshire countryside, a truthful picture full of charm and yet never avoiding the harsh physical struggle that is the constant feature of the lives of those who create the countryside that the rest of us are able to enjoy.”