Rock Idols: The Magic and Mystery of Dartmoor

An illustrated talk by Alex Murdin and Sophie Pierce, presented by North Street Books and Tea Room. Friday 27th November 2026, 6.30pm, at North Street Books, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7QJ. Tickets £4.25 to include a glass of wine.

With its primeval tors and prehistoric ritual sites, Dartmoor is a beguiling landscape. Join Alex Murdin and Sophie Pierce for an evening exploring some of the moor’s extraordinary places, and learning more about their history, archaeology, folklore and geology. Alex and Sophie are authors of Rock Idols: A guide to Dartmoor in 28 tors, which tells the story of Dartmoor through the lens of its famous granite outcrops. They are currently working on a follow-up, Megalithic Dartmoor, which is about the moor’s prehistoric stone circles, stone rows and menhirs. These mysterious sites raise fascinating questions about how our ancestors related to the material world of stone and the heavenly worlds of sun, moon and stars. Sophie and Alex will show some stunning images, and also talk about their emotional and creative relationship with Dartmoor, and the role it plays in their lives.

Alex Murdin is an artist who has lived on Dartmoor for over 25 years. Inspired by the moor’s granite landscape, he writes and draws to reconnect human and non-human worlds. Sophie Pierce is a writer drawn to the wild landscapes and ancient history of Dartmoor. She is author of The Green Hill: Letters to a son, a memoir about love, loss and the Devon landscape, as well as five wild swimming guides.

Photograph: Emma Stoner.