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Sophie Pierce

@smpierce.bsky.social
353 followers 430 following 74 posts

Author: The Green Hill, a memoir about the sudden death of my son Felix. Rock Idols, a guide to Dartmoor in 28 tors; various wild swimming guides. Co-organiser, Dartmoor Tors Festival 1-4 May 2026 linktr.ee/sophiepierce

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Reposted by Sophie Pierce
Nicola Chester @nicolawriting.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Join us tonight!
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Reposted by Sophie Pierce
Dartmoor Preservation Association @dpadartmoor.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
A population of rare Small Pearl Bordered #Fritillary butterflies has been confirmed on DPA owned land at High House Waste. Our Ecological Consultant, Albert Knott, surveyed for these #butterflies, and was delighted to record substantial activity. dartmoorpreservation.co.uk/rare-butterf...
dartmoorpreservation.co.uk
Rare Butterflies Confirmed at High House Waste - Dartmoor Preservation Association
A population of rare Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterflies has been confirmed on DPA owned land at High House Waste. Our Ecological Consultant, Albert Knott, spent a day on the land last week su...
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Reposted by Sophie Pierce
Fiona Robertson @stonelands.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Preorder the Stone Lands paperback before its publication on 4th June and you have a chance to win this stunning framed print of Avebury by incredible illustrator Philip Harris! (I love his images so much, this is the Chapter 1 opener.) Enter here (T&Cs apply): www.littlebrown.co.uk/little-brown...
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
In search of 200 year old inscribed stones on Dartmoor- the work of the Rev Edward Bray, until recently, hidden and forgotten. There’s a rare chance to see them on Sat 2nd May. 2pm in a walk led by Simon Dell. Book here dartmoortorsfestival.co.uk/edward-brays...
Man looking for stones in undergrowthMoss covered stone engraved with the name Carlyle
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Fiona Robertson @stonelands.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
This weekend (17–19th) is the Good Grief spring festival 💚 It is online and FREE, with a huge choice of talks. I'll be speaking at 3pm on Sunday 19th with @smpierce.bsky.social + Lizzie Pickering @goodgrieffest.bsky.social on finding comfort and hope in nature. www.goodgrieffest.com/events/lands...
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Really excited that nature poet @janelovellpoetry.bsky.social will be joining us at the Dartmoor Tors Festival on Sunday 3rd May at 11am @ashburtonarts.bsky.social - along with fellow poet Mark Haworth Booth for conversation and readings . Book here : wegottickets.com/f/16604/
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Reposted by Sophie Pierce
Dartmoor Preservation Association @dpadartmoor.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
An interesting behind the scenes perspective from Paul Harris of Glavind Strachan Photography, who photographed our depiction of St Gudula for the Dartmoor Tors Festival. He delves into the complex and contrasting history of this local (or not so local) saint. glavindstrachan.com/blog/st-gudu...
glavindstrachan.com
Dartmoor Portrait Photography - St Gudula Shoot at Swincombe | Glavind Strachan Photography — Glavind Strachan Photography
Dartmoor photographer Paul Harris captures Helen Bruce as St Gudula for the Dartmoor Tors Festival - a portrait shoot in the Swincombe Valley
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Dartmoor Preservation Association @dpadartmoor.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
By reconnecting with local customs, by invoking #Dartmoor rivers as beings with agency and presence, the Dartmoor Tors Festival invites both locals and visitors to enter a deeper relationship with the national park. #holywell #welldressing #mayday dartmoorpreservation.co.uk/ancient-holy...
dartmoorpreservation.co.uk
Ancient Holy Well Forms Centrepiece for New Dartmoor Community Pageant - Dartmoor Preservation Association
St Gudula’s Well in Ashburton, an ancient holy well, will be the focus of a new community ritual honouring water as the source of all life, and celebrating the start of summer. ‘Gudula’s Gathering’ ha...
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the PRSD @theprsd.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Gudula’s Gathering | New Dartmoor Community Pageant focuses on ancient holy well New community ritual for Dartmoor reconnects with local customs and draws people together at St Gudula’s Well
theprsd.co.uk
Gudula’s Gathering | New Dartmoor Community Pageant focuses on ancient holy well
New community ritual for Dartmoor reconnects with local customs and draws people together at St Gudula’s Well
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Reposted by Sophie Pierce
Dartmoor Preservation Association @dpadartmoor.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
We're supporting the #Dartmoor Tors #Festival as lead partner for 2026, which includes playing a part in the closing parade. This celebrates community, culture and life giving water, symbolized by the dressing of St. Gudula's healing well in #Ashburton. www.theprsd.co.uk/2026/04/01/g...
theprsd.co.uk
Gudula’s Gathering | New Dartmoor Community Pageant focuses on ancient holy well - the PRSD
New community ritual for Dartmoor reconnects with local customs and draws people together at St Gudula’s Well
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Nature on Dartmoor is in decline. Is it too late to save it? @lisaschneidau.bsky.social from Dartmoor Nature Alliance, Tracy May from Dartmoor Commoners and Richard Drysdale from DNP, will discuss this with @sophiepavs.bsky.social in the chair - at the Dartmoor Tors Festival info at link in bio .
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Fiona Robertson @stonelands.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Looking forward to my talk at Arundells Salisbury on 15th April! All about Britain’s amazing standing stones - and local hero John Aubrey too (in this his 400th anniversary year). Just a very few tickets left now arundells.org/events/stone...
arundells.org
Stone Lands: The Megaliths of Britain - Arundells
A Journey of Darkness and Light through Britain's Ancient Places
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
What is natural mysticism and how does it relate to Paganism? The wonderful @rebeccambeattie.bsky.social will be joining us at the Dartmoor Tors Festival to discuss, and also lead a workshop on the Wheel of the Year. She grew up on Dartmoor; this feeds into her life and work. Tix at the link in bio
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Brilliant news, all thanks to the dogged determination and research by @guyshrubsole.bsky.social who is frankly a bit of a hero !
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
This pic, of the Beating of the Bounds at Throwleigh, was taken in 1991 by Chris Chapman. Chris has been documenting life on Dartmoor since the 70s, and he will be speaking at the Dartmoor Tors Fest with archaeologist Alan Endacott. Do join them on 1 May in Ashburton. wegottickets.com/f/16579/
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Fiona Robertson @stonelands.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Upcoming book event! LOVE, LOSS AND LANDSCAPE with me and lovely @smpierce.bsky.social, hosted by @foldedorset.bsky.social who yesterday were named Best Indie Bookshop in the Southwest! Please join us on 22nd April, 7pm, The Grosvenor Arms Shaftesbury. Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/folde-dorset
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Dawn at Sharpham Meadow where my son Felix rests. My memoir #TheGreenHill is out in paperback in April with @wiltonsquare.bsky.social - I’m doing some events with @foldedorset.bsky.social @goodgrieffest.bsky.social and others next month - talking love, landscape and loss - more info in bio
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Thrilled to launch the 2nd #DartmoorTorsFestival - celebrating Dartmoor’s nature and culture. We’ve got talks, walks, performances and more .. shorturl.at/8ROTt @visitdartmoor.bsky.social @dpadartmoor.bsky.social @dartmoorcollective.org @dartmoorac.bsky.social
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Quoit questing in West Penwith… a magical megalithic landscape. Pix show outside and inside of Chun Quoit. And a natural rock balance on the cliffs nearby….a pre-echo of these ancient graves ?
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
Sunday November 2nd 11-3 Moor Imaginations Centre, Buckfastleigh I’ll be selling Dart Map tea towels etc in aid of SUDEP Action and in memory of our dear Felix who died of SUDEP aged 20. Hope to see you there !
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Jon Vernon @onlyindevon.co.uk · 20/10/2025
A huge thank you to everyone who's already ordered a copy - it really means the world to us. All the money raised by the zine goes directly back in to supporting future events, projects and publications promoting the work or artists and photographers working on Dartmoor.
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Delighted that #TheGreenHill will be out in paperback from @wiltonsquare.bsky.social in April. And you can get 25% off if you pre order by Friday from @waterstones.bsky.social with code OCTOBER25 - link in bio
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
An enchanting evening listening to tales of Dartmoor told by Emma Cunis… enjoying not just the stories themselves but exploring why they still resonate with us today. And wonderful to be in such a historic and atmospheric venue - St Lawrence Chapel in Ashburton…whose walls could tell a few tales …
Emma and Sophie sitting in candlelit St Lawrence chapel telling stories of the moor
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Spent a morning clearing vegetation around one of Dartmoor’s strangest oddities - the Rev Bray’s inscribed stones. 200 years ago he decided to carve poets’ names into boulders in the Cowsic valley. Some of the stones also have lines from the poems and others have Bardic runes….
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
The coach of bones : one of Dartmoor’s stranger stories .. I’ll be chatting to Emma Cunis about the moor’s many myths and legends at historic St Lawrence Chapel, Ashburton 9/10/25 - do join us! Tickets : dartmoortorsfestival.co.uk/tall-tales-a... @dartmoorcollective.org @visitdartmoor.bsky.social
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Great new project : @ourdartmoor.bsky.social
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Terri Windling @terriwindling.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
This is coming up next Tuesday here in Chagford: a remarkable evening with one of my favourite people, Alan Weisman (author of World Without Us, Gaviotas, etc.). If you're anywhere near Dartmoor, please come. And please share to help spread the word. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/624630...
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
Dartmoor has many weird and wonderful myths and legends - I’ll be delving into them with Emma Cunis aka Dartmoor’s Daughter - do come and join us 9/10 at atmospheric St Lawrence Chapel, Ashburton 7pm dartmoortorsfestival.co.uk/tall-tales-a... @visitdartmoor.bsky.social @dartmoorcollective.org
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Huge congratulations @guyshrubsole.bsky.social ! Your tireless and meticulous research as well as brilliant writing is creating real social change .
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
A 5 hour swim/scramble down the Dart from Buckfast to Staverton. It’s the only way to see the river as both banks on this stretch are private. Now rather tired ….,
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Excellent to hear @lewis-winks.bsky.social on the Today programme this morning discussing his research on 'Who owns the River Dart' - and why this shows we need a right of responsible access Listen here (45mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... Guardian story: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Devon campaigners call for ‘right to riverbank’ after finding Dart has 108 owners
Research shows difficulties ahead for ministers if they are to keep manifesto pledge to extend riverside public access
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
This Sat - 5 July at 11am at Bude Methodist Church join Matt and I for swimming stories and amazing images of swim locations across the West Country - and after for a dip at Bude Sea Pool … @tessread.bsky.social @outdoorswimmer.com
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The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 24/06/2025
ICYMI: What Unbound’s demise has shown, to a quite alarming degree, is how little tangible, active advocacy is available to authors in this situation, say the authors affected by the collapse of Unbound in our recent Comment piece 👇 #BookSky
ebx.sh
Opinion: The Unbound authors' view
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Alex de Campi @alexdecampi.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Unbound authors’ statement on the collapse of the publisher. Please read it and share. If you want to know what really went on, here are some answers:
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
More salt bath than salt path....Matt Newbury and I will be recalling our aquatice adventures in upcoming talks.. we'll be in Bude 5/7/25 (and swimming at #BudeSeaPool of course). The next day we'll be in Fowey - venue TBA. Tix shorturl.at/pjNoM @outdoorswimmer.com @tessread.bsky.social
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Susannah Walker @susannahwalker.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Being part of the whole Unbound saga has not been fun; one consolation has been the support of the many other authors involved. And so, in that spirit, we've put together a list of some of the great books that now need publishers and agents. Please do share! open.substack.com/pub/therebou...
A logo of a book and the title Great Books, that deserve better
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
The banner’s up… the #DartmoorTorsFestival starts today! Lots to enjoy inc talks with writers, archaeologists, artists incl @lisaschneidau.bsky.social @guyshrubsole.bsky.social , @lewis-winks.bsky.social and walks shorturl.at/Oomce
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
"Win or lose in the Supreme Court, we now want the government to step up and pass a right to roam act, to protect and extend public rights of access to nature across England.” @lewis-winks.bsky.social ahead of this morning’s verdict on wild camping on Dartmoor: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Dartmoor case set to decide future of wild camping
Hikers can pitch a tent under the stars on the moor without permission, but for how much longer?
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
This weekend the #DartmoorTorsFestival will explore and celebrate #Dartmoor - with talks and walks with fascinating people incl @lisaschneidau.bsky.social @lewis-winks.bsky.social @campaignerkate.bsky.social @guyshrubsole.bsky.social - thanks BBC for coverage .
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
The Supreme Court will rule on the Dartmoor #wildcamping case 21/5 - key players will be at #DartmoorTorsFestival this Sat, incl @guyshrubsole.bsky.social @campaignerkate.bsky.social @lewis-winks.bsky.social Tix: shorturl.at/ebGva @righttoroam.bsky.social @paulpowlesland.bsky.social
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Not many people open an interview by quoting Gramsci, but @georgemonbiot.bsky.social does. Dead chuffed to be in conversation with him today at the Restoring Nature festival in Totnes, chatting about cultural hegemony, The Lie of the Land, and campaigning on nature & land reform in England
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
“A very good new book” - thanks @johnharris1969.bsky.social for your review of #RockIdols in your very interesting substack post .
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Lewis Winks @lewis-winks.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
News just in - Dartmoor wild camping Supreme Court judgement to be handed down on Wednesday next week -- We stand poised to rally, in defiance or celebration. Win or lose, we call on the government to put in place legislation to protect and extend access to nature.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
On Saturday I'll be interviewing the amazing @guyshrubsole.bsky.social about his book The Lie of the Land (which is great!) at the Restoring Nature festival. Do come. www.ambios.net/restoring-na...
ambios.net
Restoring Nature: A literary festival - Ambios
Join Ambios and the East Gate Bookshop on the 17th of May at Lower Sharpham Farm for our anual nature-centred literary festival!
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Ben Bradshaw @benbradshaw.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
For anyone who loves #Dartmoor or wild places generally, this is a wonderful book about its history & its mysterious & majestic tors.
theguardian.com
‘They erupt from the moor like castles, monsters and giants’: exploring Dartmoor’s tors
These ancient rocks have inspired myth and mysticism for millennia, and a new book and festival celebrate their enduring power
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Dartmoor’s tors “erupt from the moor, like stone beings… looking like castles, creatures, monsters and giants” Great piece by Sophie Pierce. Come and celebrate these unworldly places at the Dartmoor Tors festival she’s organising (I’ll be speaking) 23-25 May! www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
theguardian.com
‘They erupt from the moor like castles, monsters and giants’: exploring Dartmoor’s tors
These ancient rocks have inspired myth and mysticism for millennia, and a new book and festival celebrate their enduring power
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
The culture, history and people of Dartmoor will be celebrated at the first #DartmoorTorsFestival 23-26 May - with artists, writers, musicians historians, archaeologists, campaigners and more, including @guyshrubsole.bsky.social @lewis-winks.bsky.social @campaignerkate.bsky.social shorturl.at/Tv5LP
theprsd.co.uk
Dartmoor Tors Festival | final prep as events fill up and sell out - the PRSD
The final preparations are under way for the Dartmoor Tors Festival, and events are filling up and selling out. Here's what's on
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Sophie Pierce @smpierce.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Coffin conversations with coffin cakes. Sat 10 May, St Andrews Church Hall, Ashburton, Devon. It’s the chance to talk about death and dying in a warm and kind atmosphere - more info here www.middevonadvertiser.co.uk/news/coffin-...
middevonadvertiser.co.uk
Join 'coffin conversations' on death in Ashburton
COFFIN cakes will be on the menu at a new event aiming to open up the difficult subject of death and dying.
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Agatha Christie Festival @agathafestival.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
***The Green Room Interviews*** Your backstage pass to hear from some of the amazing speakers we welcome every year. Sophie Pierce chats to Jeremy Vine about his debut murder mystery novel, Murder on Line One. @thejeremyvine.bsky.social @smpierce.bsky.social youtu.be/5c3-wNR9KBg
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