Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
The summer solstice at Stonehenge
From midday on the 20 June the normally quiet countryside that is Salisbury Plains, situated in the heart of Wiltshire in the south of England, gives way to the rumble of traffic and the sound of people's footsteps as thousands make their way to one of the UK's most famous historical landmarks, Stonehenge. The visitors have come from all points of the compass, some also travelling thousand's of miles from foreign lands just to be at this site for the summer solstice.
The summer solstice in Stonehenge attracts a range of diverse groups who celebrate the event according to their own beliefs and traditions and this, together with the rising of the sun early on the morning of the 21st June, makes the event such a spectacular occasion for all who are fortunate enough to be there.
In the past, the druids used Stonehenge for initiation services as well as a celebration for the coming of the summer. Now, they and other groups, such as the New-Age Travellers gather at the site in all their regalia to give thanks to their Gods for the new life that nature brings with the sunrise on this day, and its regenerating qualities that are set to renew the life of the earth and its plants after the winter season. The colourful array of flowers and religious costumes also makes Stonehenge a unique experience, bringing the monument and its history to life in a way that no other days of the year can match. Even for the person who has no religious or sect connection it still proves to be a moving experience.
As darkness falls on the evening before the solstice, in addition to the ceremonies there will be dancing and, of course, drinking and entertainment. The sounds of the crowds rebounds off the massive stone structures, seemingly mingling with voices from history as the religious chants are recited. As midnight passes into the early hours of the morning, the crowd noise reduces to a murmur as some snatch a few minutes sleep before the dawn and others prepare for the time of the rising sun.
Just before five o'clock in the morning, the sky lightens. All eyes turn in the direction from whence the sun will rise. As the golden fires of the suns rays rise above the horizon, casting long deep and dark shadows across the land from the huge stones, and the grass and fields light up with bright colours of yellows and greens, the whole of the crowd gathered in and about the circle break into cheers and whoops of joy. Celebrations of hugging and dancing follow.
Stonehenge at the summer solstice is an experience that everyone should enjoy at least once in their lifetime; a joyful community gathering that sends you away uplifted and ready to greet the summer joys. Such is the attraction of this event that in 2007 more than 24,000 were at Stonehenge to welcome the dawning of summer.
