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Littlestone wrote:
Lanolin’s good for your skin but is it good for the stones?
This is Fly-strike (Blow-Fly) season in the sheep world LS and the sheep rub their rear ends against stationary objects to get rid of the eggs or maggots if the fly has laid eggs on them. Having to deal with sheep that have fly strike and seeing what it can do to them if left, the stones would be the last thing on my mind...and I'm a devotee!!!

Thanks for that Mr S.

Had to Google flystrike to learn summat about it, and it seems it’s not only sheep and rabbits that can be affected – humans too (myiasis). Not a pleasant condition, and one that can lead to death. Given that the stones are touched, hugged and... oh yes, frequently climbed... by adults and children alike this could be a health issue no-one’s thought about (as well as an inappropriate use of a WHS).

Actually, it occurs to me why bother to keep the grass cut anyway? Why not leave it to evolve into natural meadow, with accompanying wildflowers and wildlife? There would always be enough visitors to the site to create pathways to the main points of interest while the rest could be left alone.