Unwitting Climbers Pull On Prehistoric Carvings
Lakeland boulderers may be unwittingly using rare prehistoric carvings as holds warns an expert who fears that the carvings could be damaged without a volunary ban.
Posted: 24 September 2004
by Jon
According to a report in today's Guardian newspaper some Lakeland climbers may be causing
damage to rare prehistoric carvings by using them as holds...
The article says that boulderers climbing on Copt Howe, close to
Chapel Stile may be unaware that the prominent outcrop is decorated
with prehistoric cup-and-ring markings which were only discovered in
1999 and some may unwittingly be using the delicate indentations as
holds.
The carvings are more common in Northumbria and in some areas of
Yorkshire, like Ilkley Moor, but much rarer on the western side of
the country. Aron Mazel, a specialist in prehistoric art, is
appealing for climbers to exercise a voluntary 'keep away' code, but
stresses that the lack of signs at the site means that many climbers
are totally unaware of the artwork.
Researchers are still unsure of the purpose of the markings, an
OUTDOORSmagic expert suggests that they may be a prehsitoric code for
'bloody climbers, get orf moi land...'
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