AN HOUR or two spent with the latest book from a local author is just exactly as its title promises: A Breath of Country Air.

Former Liskeard School head of sixth form John Batey says his partner Carolyn was first to spy their new home in a tiny hamlet near North Hill.

The 17th century farm labourer’s cottage nestled in the lee of Kilmar Tor, with its slate floors, solid granite fireplaces and clome oven, captivated John every bit as much and the pair moved in two days beforeChristmas.

Each chapter of the book is dedicated to one aspect or other of their new life ‘in the sticks’, in a place so tranquil it’s possible to catch the last of the evening sun by setting up deckchairs in the road that passes the house.

Gentle stories illustrate life at a slower pace, “away from the coast, in secret places, often only accessible by narrow, high-hedged lanes, where more traditional ways hold sway”.

With a light touch, these chapters, by turn heartwarming, amusing, and illuminating, depict a lifestyle not so much side by side with nature as enveloped in it.

Swallows swoop and dive through the pages, their seasonal return to nest beating the rhythm of the year.

Not quite so eagerly anticipated is a hedgehog John names Edwina, whose casual use of the outhouse shows exactly who’s boss; and a persistent squirrel, apparently outwitted with the aid of a water pistol and a bottle of pinot grigio!

The cast of creatures invading and enriching life includes the great and the small, from woodworm and mice to the tawny owl and nighttime-glimpsed otters.

The description of the ‘wildwood’ at the bottom of the lane resonates: this remnant of ancient woodland is a different world, a place to nourish the soul, a place which by virtue of its marshy floor has not been cleared for farming, and is thick with birdsong and centuries-old layers of life.

With self-deprecating humour, John describes his forays into the world of the rural auctioneer, his attempts to become a jam-maker, and the challenges of DIY in a house not meant for modern living.

Tales of narrowly-averted minor disasters demonstrate how the natural world will always be master of those who choose to live in a rural hamlet down a steep, single lane track.

As he settles into rural life, John realises that secrets and intrigue lie not too far beneath the surface of sleepy village life: an historical unsolved murder is still cause for speculation; and there’s also a surprising connection between this tiny Cornish hamlet and reggae icon Bob Marley to discover!

This gentle, pleasing book is a tribute to the people who keep a community close-knit. Above all it is an ode to a special place where “nature and wildlife are all around….and there is no clear distinction between their boundaries and ours”.

Author John says it was a delight to be able to collaborate with two of his former students who have provided illustrations for A Breath of Country Air.

The cover artwork was done by Callie Jones, who grew up on a smallholding near Dobwalls, and attended Liskeard School, where John was her A level Geography teacher in 1982.

Having worked as a freelance illustrator in London for 25 years, Callie, whose clients have included the National Trust, Marks and Spencer and BBC Good Food Magazine, left urban life behind to set up home and studio in North Wales with her photographer husband.

“I have recently been producing linocuts and pen and ink drawings inspired by the local landscapes and wildlife that remind me so much of my Cornish roots,” says Callie (pictured above).

“I was delighted when John got in touch last autumn and asked me if I’d like to do the cover illustration for his latest memoir. It has been lovely getting back in touch after all this time and a real pleasure to have collaborated on the book.”

Meanwhile, interspersed through the pages of the book are cartoon sketches by Robby Bullen, whose previous work can be found in Private Eye, and who has had regular spots in the Western Morning News, Plymouth Herald and Sunday Independent.

“John Batey was a teacher of mine way back in the 60s, at St Austell Grammar School. He simply was the best teacher I ever had,” says Robby, who lives at Menheniot.

“We made contact again on Facebook and John liked my stuff and asked if I’d like to do the illustrations.”

A Breath of Country Air is available for £7 from the Lewannick Village Store or £8.50 to include postage: contact [email protected] to request a copy of the book.