Summer Solstice
Summer solstice takes place around 20th-21st June each year and is the longest day of the year in the UK. It pairs with winter solstice, the shortest day of the year around 21st-22nd December.
Summer solstice officially marks the beginning of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the point at which the path of the sun is the farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the UK, solstice is celebrated at Stonehenge and people from around the world travel to this historical place in order to experience the sarsen stones with the gorgeous sunlight.
Stonehenge is a circle of stones that was built in around 2500 BC and the stones were carefully placed in their locations based on the sun and the way it moves. The monument can be found on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.
Anyone can access the Stonehenge World Heritage Site to observe the summer and winter solstice. Many stay overnight to get those all important pictures of the sun rising and setting in between the stones. You can also watch the live stream of the sunset and sunrise from the English Heritage Facebook page and YouTube channel. At some point during summer solstice, the sun rises perfectly above the stones.
Stonehenge has long been associated with the Druids and Pagans. They often hold hands and sing or do breathing exercises whilst the sun rises at Stonehenge, which they see as their temple and they worship here.
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