Re: Climbing on Standing Stones | Forum

postman wrote:

Resonox wrote:

ocifant wrote:

postman wrote:

At the risk of sounding like a clueless bufoon, can I ask why exactly it is frowned upon to climb on stones, is it a respect thing, or are we seriously saying that a barely 11 stone bloke will break or wear down a several tonne capstone or standing stone.

But it's not one 11 stone bloke, is it? Let's say the stones have been in situ for 3000 years, give or take. Let's imagine that someone clambers up, say, once a week on average. In the Victorian era whole parties used to clamber on the stones at once - see the old photos, so once a week is probably a fair average.

That's roughly 150000 'rubbings', plus the same amount of 11 stone+ stresses being placed on the stones and their contact points.

Not so minimal now?

Plus..what about those over 11 stone...will there have to be a weighbridge set up ?

I suppose it depends on the stone too doesnt it, Avebury might get that number of visitors but not a single standing stone miles from anywhere, Pentre Ifan might get lots of visitors but not Garn Turne.
If it's a respect thing is it ok if no one sees you.
If one has no affinities with Christianity one might stand on the Alter to get a better look without offending the any parisheners (if theyre not there)or the deity
A big fat solid menhir that couldnt fall over in a tornado would surely not suffer from a child climbing on it and jumping into his dads waiting arms.

For me it's a respect thing combined with the 'wear and tear' aspect. On saying that just how far does respect stretch to? I mentioned the West Kennet Long Barrow in a previous post. To me it is no different to grave in a churchyard that I also wouldn't walk on because of my respect for the dead even though I may not have known them personally. Yet, I will quite happily go into the barrow where the bodies actually were and spirit may well still remain! So I become a preacher on the one hand and a hypocrite on the other!
Avebury's Great Circle bank in another area of contention with regard to damage caused by the public, but are they seen as morons for walking along it and wearing it down? No they certainly aren't, but why not as our heritage is suffering badly there one could successfully argue. This would never be allowed at Stonehenge of course if the setup was similar so why Avebury?
It's all a question of balance for me and my slowly changing beliefs as I get older and more respectful of life around me and what our great ancestors left behind for our amazement. I've climbed Silbury Hill twice, would like to do it one more time officially but realise that if everyone was to do so then it would eventually lie in ruin. One of my great pleasures in life is to walk up Waden Hill and stand in awe of Silbury in all of its majesty. How could we possibly justify to our great grandchildren that our need to climb it in huge numbers was not a selfish act and we left behind a ruin for them and denied them that magical moment we so cherish today!