June 2025: the ‘new’ Skinnet Stone is now in position and looking wonderful! We had a lovely dedication service on the 10th May. We even had bright sunshine all day! It is well worth a visit but , if this is not possible, here is the link to a photograph https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:8cb65b45-f58f-4568-b35c-a3ca0396bad5

Update Feb 2025: After many delays, the stonemason is now carving a reconstruction of the Skinnet Stone. He is thrilled to report that he has identified two symbols, of hippocampi, on the original stone that are so worn that he is the first person to realise that they are there! We are organising a ‘welcome and dedication’ event for 10th March, by which time the ‘new’ stone should be in position.

22nd July 2023: Have just said good-bye to ‘our’ stonemason, David McGovern of Monikie Rock Art, who was here in Caithness to re-acquaint himself with the Skinnet Stone as we now have planning permission to erect a reproduction of this amazing example of Pictish art. David will be using traditional methods to carve the new stone, which will look as the existing stone would have looked when new. He hopes to have it ready for installation in April/May 2024.

3rd to 16th July - the ‘Legends of Caithness’ event is being held in the Ross Institute, Halkirk. For more details, go to their facebook page. This tells the story of the Caithness fairies and others through the medium of paintings and talks.

24th April - update. We now have the funding needed for the Skinnet Stone! Just waiting for planning permission before instructing the stonemason. So excited!

12th February 2023

It occurred to me that people might like to know about our latest project - not an event as such but really exciting and worth sharing! We are currently fundraising for a substantial amount to allow us to recreate two Pictish carved crosses and place them where they will be close to their original settings but easily accessible to the public. The Skinnet and Ulbster stones are famous in the Pictish Art world and these reproductions will look as the original stones would have done when new. They will be made using traditional methods, hence the price tag of about £45-£50,000. However they will be wonderful assets for the villages of Halkirk and Thrumster and will stand as witnesses to our Christian heritage for another thousand years.

We will be holding a proper event to mark the erection of these stones but this will be many months away. In the meantime, if you would like to feel part of the project, we would love to receive a donation from you. Just go to our ‘donate’ page.