A gym group has caused outrage after using protected rocks as workout equipment at Stanton Moor in the Derbyshire Peak District over the Bank Holiday weekend. The individuals were seen using rocks next to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, prompting historians and the Nine Ladies Action Group to condemn the actions as 'disrespectful'. Police have been informed of the 'potential damage' caused.
Outrage over disrespectful use of ancient site
Chairperson Aimee Blease-Bourne described the incident as 'crazy', questioning whether the group wanted to use the rocks for social media props. 'It's a real lack of respect for a space which has been here for so long, and so many people love,' she said.
'The whole moorland area of Stanton Moor is an ancient scheduled monument and a sacred site – there are about 80 different Bronze Age megalithic sites up there,' she added. 'Visitors don't recognise the rest of the moor and how important it is to many people. It's a sacred, protected site.'
Blease-Bourne hopes the action group can collaborate with police and the Peak District National Park to enforce protections in the future. 'We need to start more conversations and raise awareness to help people understand the importance of the place,' she said.
Environmental damage concerns raised
Popular walking blog The Derbyshire Wanderer, dedicated to exploring Derbyshire and the Peak District, said that moving a boulder from its 'resting spot' can cause 'direct, immediate, and long-term ecological damage'. The social media creator accused the group of showing 'pure disregard' for the environment and other Moor users, explaining that lifting a rock also 'instantly destroys a microhabitat that took years or decades to form'.
'The space underneath an embedded rock creates a specialised microclimate – sheltered, dark, and humid. Rare insects, spiders, mosses, lichens, and amphibians (like newts and toads) rely on this precise moisture balance to survive,' they said. Furthermore, throwing the rocks can 'crush nesting birds and small mammals', plus hibernating reptiles using the scrub 'as cover from predators'. Ultimately, removing the rocks 'exposes fragile soil underneath' to the elements, resulting in erosion and drying out.
Police warn of criminal offence
A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary said: 'Damage of a monument of this nature is a criminal offence and can lead to fines and, in the most serious cases, jail. We would urge anyone with information to contact us on either 101 or via the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page.'
The Nine Ladies Stone Circle consists of 10 coarse sandstone rocks, each 10.8m in diameter and built between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago. As per tradition, they are believed to depict nine ladies turned to stone as a penalty for dancing on Sunday.
