Stonehenge Summer Solstice
England

 

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The sun rising over Stonehenge on the morning of the Summer Solstice (21st June), watched by a crowd of around 15,000 people. The photo was taken by Paul Dunn a couple of minutes after sunrise and a little to the right of the solar alignment line.

 

Summer Solstice: regulations and access (but no guarantees they'll be the same any other summer):
The summer solstice occurs around 5.00am on June 21st. The car park opens at 8pm on June 20th and is free, as is entry to Stonehenge, opening at 10pm. Car park admission closes at 8am on June 21st and the site closes at 9am June 21st.

No backpacks, sleeping bags or other large bags are allowed onto the site, nor are large amounts of alcohol. Personal use quantities only!
Also no glass (i.e. bottles of booze. Plastic is OK), dogs, cycles, camping equipment, chairs, fireworks, fire making equipment or amplified musical instruments are permitted on the site, though kids in push chairs are OK.

Special car parks, ambient lighting, heated braziers, drinking water, toilet facilities, meeting points, stewards, first aid, emergency services and refreshment areas and local camp sites are organised by English Heritage. Weather guarantees are not, and so it rains.

Public buses run from Salisbury Railway and Bus Stations to Stonehenge from the evening of June 20th to early morning of June 21st. Return runs go from about 6.00am until 9.00am June 21st.

Visitors are permitted to touch the stones but not the climb, stand or lean on them.

 

 

Stonehenge hosting a Druid cluster during midsummer solstice.
Next, Stonehenge Area Map with Crop Circles or jump to Avebury Stones.

 

At the summer solstice police sometimes battle with individuals determined to climb the stones, resulting in a hospital trips for revellers. Meanwhile King Arthur Pendragon, Battle Chieftan of the Council of British Druids, presides over a night-long flaming torch dance near the Heal Stone - the summer sunrise marker - backed by dozens of well-lit drummers, while psychedelic cloaks whirl, Tibetan Hand Bells chime, fragrant herbal aromas wafte through the damp air and the lunatics take over the asylum. Business as usual at Stonehenge.

Stonehenge, more information and normal opening times

 

 

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