A tourist has been branded an ‘idiot’ after she was caught on camera trying to touch the stones at Stonehenge, completely ignoring the rules and barriers put in place to protect the ancient monument. English Heritage, the body responsible for the upkeep of the site, states: “Stonehenge is a World Heritage Site, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is seen by many as a sacred place”.
While visitors are allowed to walk around the stones, there are clear markings and ropes to prevent any damage being caused by tourists. In the past, visitors could get closer to the stones, but restrictions were introduced after several people tried to carve their names into the rocks or take pieces of the monument home.
However, one woman decided to ignore these signs. TikTok user @kevintnorman posted a short video showing the woman walking right up to the stones, while a security guard tries in vain to stop her and guide her back to the designated paths.
She dismisses him before finally walking away, but not before turning around to face the worker and reaching down to touch one of the stones.
In the caption accompanying the video, Kevin explained: “You’re not supposed to approach or touch Stonehenge, but this woman walked over the fence and proceeded to touch it while blatantly ignoring workers and security demanding she stop.”
The decision has sparked outrage among the public, with many taking to social media to voice their disapproval. “At places like this the security should have the right to detain,” fumed one irate visitor.
Another chimed in that the stones “need protecting from idiots”, while a local reminisced about how the site used to be more open and even allowed picnics, “but people started drawing on and taking pieces of the stones, now it’s fenced”.
However, some questioned why touching the monument is seen as such a big deal. One person argued: “The people saying it’s just rocks don’t know how nasty human hands are and how their oils can deteriorate things over time.”
It’s important to remember that Stonehenge holds a sacred significance for many.
For millennia, it’s been a gathering spot for crowds celebrating the summer solstice; indeed, Druids regard Stonehenge as a holy place of worship, and for some, the summer solstice is a religious festival.
For those keen to get a closer look at the stones, private tours are available, and during the Summer Solstice, the barriers are removed so that Druids can approach the monument.
Even then, visitors are encouraged to show respect and refrain from touching the rocks.
The English Heritage website warns: “Please do not climb or stand on any of the stones – this includes the stones that have fallen. This is for your own safety and also to protect this special site and respect for those around you.”
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
