December 23, 2025
Rocks, shocks, and solstice snark
Diary: Val McDermid, Deep Winter
Stones, Solstice and Outlander: Fans Swoon, Skeptics Spar, and One Zine Flex
TLDR: Val McDermid’s ode to Scotland’s Clava Cairns—stone circles aligned with the winter solstice—sparked awe, Outlander-fueled fandom, and a debate over mysticism versus history. Commenters mixed reverence with memes, argued TV tourism vs. heritage, and one flexed that Val bought their zine, proving ancient stones still stir modern feelings
Val McDermid took readers to Scotland’s Clava Cairns—the ancient stone circles that line up with the winter solstice sunset—and the comments lit up like a midsummer sunrise. Some swooned over the Bronze Age magic: glowing red sandstone, sparkling quartz, and a passageway that catches the sun on the darkest day. Others swooped in with “astronomy, not vibes” reminders, insisting the alignments are real but the mysticism needs a seatbelt. Outlander diehards claimed “Craigh na Dun energy,” while history buffs rolled their eyes at TV tourism creeping into a 4,000-year-old site.
Then came the curveball: one user casually dropped a humblebrag—“met her and she bought our ’zine”—promptly earning both kudos and playful side-eye. Meanwhile, a mini-drama flared over Scotland’s past Christmas bans; locals defended Hogmanay (New Year’s) as the true party, while others argued the Kirk-era crackdown is a reminder that winter traditions have always been… complicated.
In true internet fashion, jokes flew. One meme called the cairns “the original smart home lighting.” Another crowned them “prehistoric Google Calendar.” And to cap it all, accessibility advocates jumped in, warning that viral TV fame brings crowds and litter. From solemn wonder to spicy snark, this solstice story got everyone glowing—and arguing
Key Points
- •Clava Cairns near Inverness are Bronze Age chambered tombs aligned on a southwest–northeast axis to capture solstitial light.
- •At midwinter sunset, sunlight reaches the back of the cairn’s chamber; at midsummer dawn, quartz on the northeast side catches the first light.
- •Stones were deliberately chosen and arranged by size and color: red/pink sandstone to the southwest and quartz-bearing stones to the northeast.
- •Scotland suppressed Christmas celebrations after the 1560 Reformation, with a 1640 law banning “Yule vacations.”
- •Christmas was not an official holiday in Scotland until 1958; Hogmanay became the primary festive focus during the ban.