Hadrian's Wall. Image by Ian Jackson.
Rock back in time - no Tardis required
The success of Northumberland Rocks led to a series of five best selling books that reveal the origins of the landscapes of Northern England.
Now, author Ian Jackson has transformed hundreds of pages of geological storytelling into a new podcast series: Reading Rocks.
The five books in the Rock Book series opened a window into the ground beneath the reader’s feet, inspiring people to explore more than 250 remarkable places across Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, County Durham, Teesside, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
Now, those who love landscapes can go one step further and listen to these stories on their smartphone or computer through the new Reading Rocks podcast.
Reading Rocks brings to life places where listeners can clamber over the remnants of ancient volcanoes, feel the power of long‑vanished earthquakes, wander across a foreshore that was once a sub‑tropical swamp, witness the force of the last Ice Age, or simply marvel at the ingenuity of ancestors who used these rocks to shape the region’s shared heritage.
Ian Jackson, author and narrator, says:
“After several requests, I’ve taken the plunge, and the first twelve episodes are now available, with more to follow. I thought it might be informative and fun to theme the stories differently to the books, so the first series of short 15 - 20-minute episodes takes the listener on a journey through time - no Tardis needed -from five hundred million years ago to the present day.”
Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, adds:
“The wonderful thing about the books, and now the podcasts, is that they translate expert scientific knowledge into intelligent, accessible storytelling. The books are simple but never simplistic, and the podcasts feel like a conversation in a pub rather than a lecture theatre.
People who love the outdoors can both learn and imagine experiencing those landscapes in their own surroundings. And it’s brilliant to hear good science about the North delivered in a northern accent. They’re well worth a listen.”
- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-rocks/id1868687744
- https://open.spotify.com/show/0xgzXwDfcXCqnxopWVNlaW
- https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/92b43f8d-60f2-4c6d-8c4e-fa79e8157cd7/reading-rocks?ref=dm_sh_yrFKpcud5sfYK10Fxej521Y2n
The proceeds from Ian’s books all go to charities. To date, eleven thousand copies have been sold, raising over £36,000. Northumberland Rocks has raised £17,650 for Northumberland Wildlife Trust.