Dinnie Stones facts for kids
The Dinnie Stones are a famous pair of heavy lifting stones from Scotland. They are found in a place called Potarch, in Aberdeenshire. These stones became very well known because of a strongman named Donald Dinnie. In 1860, he reportedly carried them without any help across the Potarch Bridge. That's a distance of about 5.2 meters (17 feet)! Today, people still try to lift these amazing stones.
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What Are the Dinnie Stones Made Of?
The Dinnie Stones are made from a type of rock called granite. They each have strong iron rings attached to them. Together, these two stones weigh a massive 332.49 kilograms (about 733 pounds). To give you an idea, that's heavier than a small car! The bigger stone weighs 188.02 kg (414.5 pounds), and the smaller one weighs 144.47 kg (318.5 pounds).
Where Did the Dinnie Stones Come From?
People believe the stones were first chosen in the 1830s. They were used as heavy counterweights to help keep the Potarch Bridge stable. After World War I, the stones went missing for a while. But in 1953, a man named David P. Webster found them again. Since then, they have become a popular challenge for strong people. Replicas, or copies, of the Dinnie Stones are even used in big international strength competitions.
Who Has Lifted the Dinnie Stones?
Lifting the Dinnie Stones is a huge challenge. As of As of June 2019[update], 106 different people have managed to lift them. This includes four amazing women!
Women Who Lifted the Stones
Two women, Jan Todd in 1979 and Leigh Holland-Keen in 2018, lifted the stones using special weightlifting straps. These straps help with grip.
However, on January 19, 2019, Emmajane Smith made history. She lifted the stones without any straps at all! This made her the first woman to achieve this incredible feat. Then, on June 10, 2019, Annika Eilmann from Finland became the first woman to fully lift and hold the stones for over ten seconds without any help.
Holding and Carrying Records
The current record for holding the Dinnie Stones up without any assistance is 46.30 seconds. Mark Haydock from England set this record on May 18, 2019.
Five men, including Donald Dinnie's own father, have managed to carry the stones across the bridge, just like Donald Dinnie did.
The record for carrying the stones in a "farmers walk" style belongs to Brian Shaw. He is a four-time World's Strongest Man champion from the US. On April 18, 2019, he carried the stones for 11 feet and 6.5 inches (about 3.5 meters). This amazing feat was shown on the The Strongest Man in History TV show.
