Head To Head
Log In
Register
The Modern Antiquarian Forum »
Climbing on Standing Stones
Log In to post a reply

353 messages
Topic View: Flat | Threaded
GLADMAN
948 posts

Re: Climbing on Standing Stones
Mar 01, 2012, 00:20
thesweetcheat wrote:
I could kiss you (but you might take offence). I would just like to record that I practically stood up and cheered this post.


I warned you about the Buckfast SC.

Seriously, official bodies can only do so much with limited resources, and many would see the protection of ancient monuments for future generations as being way down the list of priorities.

Perhaps EH etc have no choice but to take the pragmatic view, husband resources and focus upon those sites which give the most 'value' to the general punter.... Stonehenge gets flattened, everybody mourns... so work to actively and conspiciously protect it, hopefully educating visitors a little to the fact that there are many, many other sites which need to be treated with similar respect. Cattle virtually destroy the environs of Tordarroch? Who realises, who even has the chance to care. Unless someone highlights it, talks to the landowner, reports it? To my mind this is where TMA comes in. Members have a forum here to highlight what they've seen locally, or on their holidays, stuff EH are most probably not aware of. We can work in league with EH, be their eyes and ears. I first began posting here because I was sick and tired of meeting people who would say 'but hasn't every mountain got a cairn. So what? Only piles of stones built by walkers'. There you go.

I fully agree that restrictions need to be adhered to where appropriate. I've never climbed Silbury, for example... I wanted to punch the lights out of several blokes climbing the central Tursachan stones... but there is no issue at all with climbing upon upland cairns.... in fact any material potentially dislodged back into the void left by their desecration can only help stability. Some - but by no means all - land owners have got away with trashing monuments on their land for years. I guess it's up to us to remind them they have a moral responsibility to protect and conserve. If not we need to ensure are on hand to report back so the appropriate action can be taken.
Topic Outline:

The Modern Antiquarian Forum Index