Fiona Robertson
@stonelands
Megalith geek, writer, editor, author of STONE LANDS
Sunday reading… so fantastic to get @hookland.bsky.social in book form. A portal into the weirdscape that’s actually realer than reality. I love the idea of ‘Re-enchantment as resistance’, yes let’s do that please! ✨✨✨
The glorious Stones of Stenness! Was so good to see them again. #StandingStoneSunday
Last month I got to visit the awesome 5,000-year-old Isbister Cairn in Orkney aka the Tomb of the Eagles, which has only just reopened post Covid thanks to a community buy-out. And you get to enter flat on your back via a trolley. Great stuff! #TombTuesday
The Stanerandy Stones, near Birsay (Orkney). In a mystical haze that may or may not be sunscreen on the camera lens. I waded knee deep through buttercups to reach them, so was sneezing a lot in that moment #StandingStoneSunday
For my FINAL Stone Lands paperback tour talk, I’m heading to @salisburymuseum.bsky.social in wondrous Wiltshire. Please join me on 16th July (next Thurs) to celebrate Britain’s ancient places! 💚🪨💚 salisburymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/tal...
I’m happy to report that the torch at Wideford Hill cairn (Mainland, Orkney) is currently working. Useful for crawling into those dark, 5,000-year-old chambers … #TombTuesday
The Stane o’ Quoybune (Orkney), surrounded by not one but TWO rings of barbed wire. To protect it from cows and megalith enthusiasts? Or perhaps it’s to save us from the stone … this is the one that goes down to the loch at Hogmanay and if you try to watch, it will kill you… #StandingStoneSunday
One of my favourite sites: Bedd Arthur, in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire. I’m going to be talking about this stone circle and many other wonderful megalithic places at Waterstones Cardiff this Tuesday 7th July. Please do join me! www.waterstones.com/events/stone...
I have three wonderful megalithic events coming up in the next two weeks – so excited about them all! 2/7: @coriniummuseum.bsky.social CIRENCESTER 7/7: Waterstones CARDIFF 16/7: @salisburymuseum.bsky.social SALISBURY Please do join (tickets via the websites) and let's celebrate the stones! 💚🪨💚
Lovely little St Magnus Church, Birsay, established 1064 (Magnus was buried here before being moved to Kirkwall). By the door are some 18thC graves with the same curious image - does anyone know what it means? #TombTuesday
As a non-Cornish person with an unbridled love and respect for Cornwall and its incredible stones, being shortlisted for the Gorsedh Kernow Holyer an Gof awards is just FANTASTIC and a huge honour. Thank you so much Gorsedh Kernow! gorsedhkernow.org.uk/shortlist-20...
On Tuesday 7 July, I'll be at Waterstones Cardiff talking about the amazing megaliths of south Wales (and elsewhere). Eg this one, Maen Llia, one of those stones that goes for a walk at midsummer. (Did anyone try to see?) waterstones.com/events/stone-lands-an-evening-with-fiona-robertson/cardiff
It’s such a privilege to be speaking this Friday at the St Magnus Festival in amazing Orkney - Salvation Army Kirkwall, 5.30pm. I cannot wait to see Orkney again! Also it is significantly cooler up there 😰 stmagnusfestival.com/festival-pro...
Woken at 4.30am today by the most incredible and terrifying storm! (Did anyone else notice this?) Anyway it reminded me of all the times I'd sheltered in prehistoric burial chambers from bad weather. This was a good one: Innisidgen Upper on St Mary's, Scilly #TombTuesday
Hugely looking forward to exploring the @coriniummuseum.bsky.social when I do a talk there on Thursday 2 July! Just browsing the website and it's full of incredible stuff, like this Roman owl comb and flying duck brooch! Please join me in Cirencester: coriniummuseum.org/event/evenin...
VERY exciting trip to North Wales ahead and I am going armed with this brilliant book by @drtobydriver.bsky.social Can’t wait! It was a real pleasure and privilege to interview Toby recently and hear some of his stories of stones and forts and his life-long passion for the long-ago past.
To celebrate the upcoming solstice, there's a fantastic solstice-themed event on 18 June at @thebookery.bsky.social in Crediton. Please do join @traceynormanauthor.bsky.social and me! Here's just one of the old stones with midsummer folklore: Maen Ceti on the Gower! thebookery.org.uk/event/fiona-...
All these STONE LANDS events still to come this summer! I'm looking forward to talking about these incredible survivals from prehistory, exploring what we can tell about the preoccupations of the people who built them and what they mean to us today. Hope you can join and share your thoughts too!
Dear ancient sites enthusiasts of the North East, I'll be at Darlington Library at the @crossingthetees.bsky.social festival on Tuesday 16th June, talking about my favourite prehistoric places across the UK. Tea + coffee provided or bring a tipple of your choice! www.ticketsource.com/booking/sele...
Carnac from quite a long time ago. These alignments really defy comprehension, there are just SO MANY stones. A whole army of them in various formations. Definitely need to get back here one day. #StandingStoneSunday
A soggy but still awesome Avebury. The cows in the Avenue field were sheltering under a tree and I found my refuge in The Henge Shop! Met some very cool people and sold a few books too … 💚🪨💚
I’m going to be back in magical Avebury tomorrow (Saturday), doing a book signing at The Henge Shop from 11.30am on … if you’re around please pop in and say hello!
The Stone Lands paperback is out today! Here it is on the ground at St Lythans, underneath the great stones in a patch of sunlight that happened at that moment to be falling through the 'spirit hole' at the back of the chamber ... ✨🪨✨
For some reason it took us ages to work out how to open the entrance to Wideford Hill cairn on Mainland, Orkney. Once inside, you descend into this 5,000-year-old hallowed space via a helpful (modern) ladder! Amazing #TombTuesday
This is a strange Dr Who-ish kind of standing stone, in the Tudor fort Harry’s Walls on St Mary’s, Scilly. It’s set next to a modern daymark used by boats entering the harbour, as the stone itself must surely have been in centuries past! #StandingStoneSunday
Would you like to get writing about nature and emotion? Join me at Broadstone Library Poole on 3 June for a creative writing workshop! I’m the author of Stone Lands and also a book editor with 25 years plus experience - encouraging people to write is what I love to do! @literatureworks.bsky.social
The mother of all tombs? West Kennet long barrow: used for a thousand years, then closed up by the megalith builders … #TombTuesday
The Hurlers one similarly scorching day last summer #StandingStoneSunday