An anonymous contributor writes:
“Sorry dear” I muttered quickly to my wife just after I entered the field at Castlerigg a few months back. My eye had caught the arc of a foreign teenager leaping from stone to stone. As I strode across the 50 or so yards to the circle, I took in the full visage; 15 or so teens with a couple of teachers, 7 or 8 of the teens climbing on several of the stone, having their photos taken, leaping up on the stones and then off them. The teachers chatting between themselves, obviously content to find something, anything to divert their charges attention enough so they could find 10 minutes respite. I shattered their peace fast and hard.
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? GET DOWN OFF THE F’ING STONE. THESE ARE NOT A PLAYGROUND, THEY ARE AN ANCIENT SITE, SHOW SOME F’ING RESPECT.”
The 3 closest too me looked shell-shocked and one almost fell off the stone he was perched on. I stood and glared as they cleared off and then pivoted looking for more offenders. 2 on the far side hadn’t heard me or the alarm calls of their compatriots and were lazily enjoying their day. I set off at a rate of knots, my gander well and truly up, however the teachers protective nature had kicked in and I was headed off at the pass by one whilst the other gathered the horde and led them away from the circle and the dishevelled manic hippy articulating wildly.
And that should have been that with the mumbled apologies of a shocked teacher disappearing into the distance, except, the day had a slightly bitter twist for me. A well dressed chap who’d been stood watching the debasement when I turned up, sidled over to me and said “I’m glad someone said something, disgraceful behaviour”. Well yes indeed, I’m very glad I said something. But I’d have been happier still if he’d said something first. if he’d stepped up out of his British reserve and said “Stop it. Your behaviour is unacceptable”.
That’s our takeaway. Don’t stand by and tut whilst people climb on stones, drop rubbish, draw on stones with chalk, leave offerings or even carve their name in a stone. Step forward, defend your heritage, be the person that stopped it today. There won’t always be an enraged hippy to do it for you.
The Heritage Journal 
9 comments
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28/10/2015 at 08:16
smackedpentax
Good for you! I would have done exactly the same. The teachers should have known better 🙂
28/10/2015 at 12:14
Billy
This would have been commendable if the poor children had been actually doing any damage to this monument. But I am sure that they were not. Now I wonder if this great champion of the stones would have on seeing cows or sheep rubbing against the stones which does cause real damage if he would have done any thing at all .maybe these stones were made for standing on…
28/10/2015 at 12:38
Jamie Stone
Billy, would the behaviour have been acceptable at a church or a museum?
Leaping from stone to stone and jumping on them presents a very real risk of damage and should be stopped. Just climbing on them shows disrespect and rudeness, or do you think all activity anywhere is fine so long as no damage occurs?
29/10/2015 at 12:23
annie
The children were doing damage just as animals do, albeit by different activity.
Animal abrasion/erosion and human attacks are equally unacceptable but controlling animals is easier.
29/10/2015 at 13:33
elaine p
Swearing at children is not acceptable. Why not inform the teachers and make sure they dealt with it.
29/10/2015 at 14:57
Billy
Does anyone know any standing stones toppled by visitors jumping on them?Disrespect to a monument?Cows and Long Meg come to mind.
29/10/2015 at 16:29
Jonboy80
Of course it’s disrespect. 99.99% of people know that and don’t do it.
01/11/2015 at 09:53
Billy Buchanan
do they really or do they only know what they are told ?;;;-)zxy
08/09/2020 at 02:48
Kerry Hennigan
I probably wouldn’t have sworn at them, but I certainly would have said (in my Aussie accent) “What the bloody HELL do you think you’re doing?” Despite knowing full well that a softly softly approach to such situations is probably the way to go… my natural protective inclinations for the integrity of the monument would have taken over before I’d even though about it.