That's an interesting point Moth. I like the picture you've painted. I can imagine your sense of achievement at finding the stone. It's location is so closely guarded on TMA that you must have felt really pleased with yourself (I know I would have). Then tourists arrived. It's quite a picture.

I've not seen the Polisher, but I hope to. I tried dropping hints about it on the Forum, but nobody took the bait. I remain in the dark.

I'm not bitter though. It's fair enough. I'm clearly not committed enough to be trusted.

;-)#

Joking apart, I think we are right to be careful about revealing the location of the stone. When the time comes for me to try and find it, I'll hassle someone local (like Pete G) and do my best to persuade them that I'm not a spray can wielding loony

Kammer x

Half the fun of any site is finding it yourself I rather think.

Are the people on these tours the same ones that are on the Bath-Castle Combe-Stonehenge-Avebury buses? I suppose not. They're probably on the 'Mystical Vibe' tour where you Find Yourself. The polissoir's quite some distance from a minibus.

Actually Moth, on rereading your post - do you mean you think better directions should be posted on TMA?

Personally I think there Is sufficient information already on the Polisher page, for the observant visitor.

I am a fellow Keeper of the Secret and am uncomfortable about it.

There shouldn`t be secrets within our landscape, not between us lot, at least.

I do take the point that if it`s not protected then we should guard its location. But if it`s not on the SMR, then why not? We all seem to regard the Polissoir as a very special stone. It *is* a very special stone and should be recognised as such.

When someone from this site asks me to disclose its location, what am I supposed to do? Laugh in there face as I say no?

baz

>>Personally I'd much rather fellow enthusiasts could find it from TMA for free than a bunch of paying punters. <<

one of the fellow enthusiasts from TMA does guided tours round avebury and environs. he also refers to it as the 'polissoir' rather than 'polisher'. might even have been one of his groups that you encountered.

these tours are part of the way he earns a living. would you deny him that because TMAers/lone souls with maps &compases are somehow more 'worthy' of seeing it than a bunch of less clued-up but with money to burn punters?

sorry if that sounds a bit abrupt, but i dont see how anyone deserves to see it more or less than anyone else. the stone's there to see for anyone who wants to make the effort to see it... either by searching with map & compass or finding and paying someone with the local knowledge to take them to see it. there is no 'mystery' and i can't see the problem.

There are thousands of stones there. This site was used throughout history upto the 1930's. until concrete took over. Well thats according to a Goverment source.

So how do people know it's prehistoric marks ?

I travelled for four hours from sheffield and then spent a further four hours on the down, I have a problem with my leg and was in agony in the end, i did find it but all the info on finding it is shit.
Personally i think anyone withholding info on the whereabouts of the stone is sad. Imagine some poor geezer travelling hundrds of miles sometimes with very uninterested people in tow as we've all done and not being able to find the site easily.
Yes it is a very special place, a place that should be enjoyed by all.
Look at the security at stonehenge, still didnt stop those mad bastards trying to do whatever they were gonna do to the heelstone.
I've never been there before and found it, anyone seriously wanting to find it for any reason can.
yeah you may flame me for this but not as much as the people who wasted hours and hard earned holiday time would flame you.

It ain't all that secret is it. One quick google and I got a 6 figure grid reference for it.

There are many monuments that I go to and wonder whether to put them on the internet due to their fragile or portable nature. I very rarely censor myself with a site, although with a couple I wish I had done so.