Sophie Pierce

Sophie’s new book, Rock Idols: a guide to Dartmoor in 28 tors – is out now with Wild Things Publishing. It is a co-production with her husband Alex Murdin, and features amazing new drawings (by Alex) of the moor’s charismatic natural monoliths.

Caught by the River have featured the book – you can read an article about it HERE.

Muddy Stilettos have also done a piece – you can read it HERE.

Sophie and Alex will be in conversation with author Wyl Menmuir about the book at the Dartmoor Tors Festival, which is taking place in Ashburton, Devon on Saturday 24th May. : TICKETS HERE

About Rock Idols:

Fantastical yet natural, Dartmoor’s 280-million-year-old tors are among the most iconic landmarks in Southern Britain. Victorian antiquarians described them as ‘rock idols’, believing them to be stone deities worshipped by the Druids. Thousands of years before that, they inspired our ancestors who built ceremonial stone rows and circles aligned on them. Today, the tors are loved by walkers, climbers and locals, who visit in their thousands every year.

Rock Idols is a hymn to these mysterious monoliths, in which the authors share tales of their trips to 28 of the tors. With stunning original drawings, the book delves into the moor’s archaeology, folklore and geology. It is a meditation on the human relationship with ancient stones and wild places, and the hold they have over our imagination. 

Featured image of Alex and Sophie by Emma Stoner.

Contact: sophieATsophiepierce.co.uk

Sophie is a writer with a passionate interest in the human relationship with wild places. Her latest book, Rock Idols, explores the charismatic nature of Dartmoor where she lives.

For many years Sophie was a reporter for BBC South West, covering all manner of stories for the radio and TV. She left in 2020 and now writes full time. Her memoir, The Green Hill: Letters to a son, was published in 2023 after the sudden and unexpected death of her son Felix in 2017. She has published 5 wild swimming guides with her friend Matt Newbury; the latest, Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon came out in 2024.

She is co-organiser of the Dartmoor Tors Festival which is taking place in late May 2025.

Photograph of Sophie by Frankie Mills

In 2017, Sophie’s son Felix died suddenly and unexpectedly. He was 20. His death was recorded as SUDEP – Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. The small charity SUDEP Action does wonderful work supporting the bereaved, and funding research into why SUDEP happens. At present, the cause isn’t known, but it predominantly affects young adults, particularly young men.

Sophie has a small project, called The Dart Map, created with her artist friend Anna Dunscombe, to raise money for SUDEP Action. Anna has painted a beautiful pictorial map of the Dart Gorge (with Felix pictured in the centre, reading a book on the river bank as was his wont) which we are selling as prints and tea towels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Sophie’s latest book with Matt Newbury, Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon, came out in 2024. Together they have authored 5 books. The others are Wild Swimming Walks Dartmoor and South Devon (2016), Wild Swimming Walks Cornwall (2021), Wild Swimming Walks Dorset and East Devon (2022) and Wild Swimming Torbay (2024)