Gary and I recently visited Grime’s Graves. The name is somewhat confusing, as they’re named for a pagan god called Woden (or Odin, or Grim), and despite a few bodies, they’re actually neolithic flint mines, not graves.

When the mines were created, side passages were created, to get out as much of the prized black flint as possible. The length and depth were limited, as they are believed to have used only natural light. They were then refilled with soil. Some have since been excavated, and it’s possible to climb down into one.

The descent is nine metres, which doesn’t sound a lot until you start negotiating the first of three ladders.

You may wonder what stone age people used to mine flint. Apparently it was antler picks, and flint axes.

The BIG news, is that I’ve been offered a contract for a large print edition of my romance novel, Escape to the Country. That will be available, from libraries and to buy, next May. The regular paperback, ebook and audio book are unaffected.