Stones from protected Peak District monument next to Nine Ladies Stone Circle used as workout equipment
The incident took place over the bank holiday weekend
A group which decided to use stones from a protected historical site for their workout session has sparked widespread anger and calls to respect local heritage.
The incident took place over the bank holiday weekend when a group of people were seen lifting stones next to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle on Stanton Moor as a part of an outdoor exercise.
While the stones were not a part of the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, they were still taken from a legally protected monument site – with the entire Stanton Moor classed as a Scheduled Monument.
This has caused anger and upset among Peak District enthusiasts, historians and local groups including Nine Ladies Action Group.
Commenting on the weekend incident, the group’s chair Aimee Blease-Bourne, said: “It’s just crazy.
"I wonder if they wanted to take some photos for social media.
"It’s a real lack of respect for a space which has been here for so long and so many people love.”
Aimee, who has enjoyed visiting Stanton Moor for many years, added: 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.
"Visitors don’t recognise the rest of the moor and how important it is to many people.
"It’s a sacred, protected site.
"We have set up a group called the Nine Ladies Action Group, and we are hoping to work with police, the landowner and the Peak District National Park to help protect the site.
"We need to start more conversations and raise awareness to help people understand the importance of the place.”
The Derbyshire Wanderer, a popular social media creator sharing updates from walks across Derbyshire and the Peak District, has raised further concerns about the incident commenting on the environmental impact.
The social media creator said: “This is a protected historical not an outdoor gym.
"My reason for highlighting this issue is one of pure disregard for the other moor users and the environment.
"Moving a boulder from its resting spot—and especially throwing it into dense vegetation like gorse or heather—causes direct, immediate, and long-term ecological damage.
“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 moiusture balance to survive.
"Lifting a rock instantly destroys a microhabitat that took years or decades to form.
“Throwing rocks into gorse and heather acts like a heavy projectile. It breaks the woody, slow-growing structure of heather and gorse, crushing nesting birds (such as stonechats or meadow pipits), small mammals, and hibernating reptiles (like adders and lizards) that use dense scrub as cover from predators.
"Rocks act as natural anchors on hillsides and moors. Removing them exposes the fragile peat or soil underneath to rain and wind, leading to erosion and drying out peatlands that store massive amounts of carbon.”
The Derbyshire Wanderer has also raised concerns over another Peak District habit – stone stacking
The content creator explained: “While a stone stack looks cool and artistic, it leaves multiple organisms exposed.
"Every rock lifted leaves multiple micro-habitats destroyed underneath.
"Stacking exposes soil-dwelling species to sunlight, heat, and predators.
"The stack itself doesn't replace the natural, broad cover a rock provides when flat against the earth.”
The bank holiday weekend incident has been reported to the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA).
A PDNPA spokesperson said: “We urge all visitors to the Peak District National Park to enjoy our beautiful landscape with care and to leave no trace.
"Sites like the Nine Ladies Stone Circle have legal protection.
"They are archeologically and culturally significant and we encourage everyone to respect these monuments for future generations to enjoy.”
A spokesperson for Derbyshire police said: “We are aware of an incident involving the potential damage at the Nine Ladies stone circle – a Scheduled Monument in law.
"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.”