Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2009
The Summer Solstice - also known as midsummer - occurs once a year on June 20th or 21th, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky for those on the northern hemisphere. It's the longest day of the year and the start of the Summer. It's also one of the few days English Heritage provides 'Managed Open Access' to Stonehenge: You get to spend the night in between the ancient stones and no access fee is charged.
This year, the 'Summer Solstice 2009' takes place Sunday the 21st of June. Practically, this means you can access Stonehenge starting Saturday 7pm until Sunday 8am. The sunrise itself occurs at 4.58am. The weather forecast for it is 'cloudy with sunny intervals' and not too hot. Let us hope that doesn't progress to 'rain'.
How to get to the Summer Solstice
Stonehenge is located approximately 2½ miles (4 kms) from the town of Amesbury. The nearest bus and railway stations are in Salisbury, which is 12 miles (19 kms) away from Stonehenge. Trains run regularly to Salisbury from London, Bristol/Bath and Southampton and the local bus company, Wilts & Dorset, will running a special service, number 333, from Salisbury railway and bus stations to a drop-off point near Stonehenge. This bus service will commence at 6.30pm on Saturday and run regularly until 1.15am on Sunday 21st June. After sunrise, a service taking people back to Salisbury will start again at 5am and run frequently until 9.45am.
Keep in mind, the walk to Stonehenge from the bus drop-off/collection point is 1½ miles (approximately 2½ kms) (about 20-30 minutes) and is through farmland. Sensible footwear might not be fashionable but is definitely advisable. Also the route is not lit and you may wish to bring a small flash light.
Dos & Don'ts for the Summer Solstice 2009 at Stonehenge
According to English Heritage...
IT'S BEST THAT YOU..
- Don't take too much luggage. You need to be able to carry & keep an eye on it.
- Wear sensible footwear & warm clothing.
- Bring something small & watertight to sit on.
- Don't take too much alcohol. Only small amounts are allowed. (four cans of 500ml lager or cider, or 75cl wine/person).
- Remember to take some money with you!
- Bring a responsible(!) adult with you if you're under 16.
- Recycle your litter.
NOT ALLOWED
- Giant backpacks / suitcases.
- Dogs, pets & other creatures.
- Glass.
- Fires & fireworks.
- Sleeping bags, duvets & foldaway chairs.
- Camping!
- Getting extremely drunk.
- Illegal drugs.
- Climbing on & standing on the Stones. As far as we know, you may touch though. ;)
According to us you should definitely take along:
- A photo camera, a sketchbook, ... . Really, if you are going to the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, you want something to show to all those unlucky persons - like me - that did not get there! Besides, sunset and sunrise at Stonehenge are excellent occasions to take magnificent photographs.
- Toilet paper. That's just a universal fact. (Portaloos are scary enough without lack of it!)
- Drinks & cookies. Catering, drinks and even a drinking tap is available, but with such a large amount of people expected, better safe than sorry!)
- Me! (Ok, that's optional, but if anybody reading this is driving from London to Stonehenge on Saturday and has a seat left, please, let me know! ann@heritage-key.com And I know all about Stonehenge, so am excellent company! ;))
More information on the English Heritage website.
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Here's my must-have list of solstice essentials:
I swear, if I make it to Stonehenge, I'll go say 'Hii!' to our personal Heritage Key druid (and mascotte?) Kim Payne! ;)
Please do not throw your empty four cans of cider at the police drones. They are expensive.
Police does sound a bit more moderate than in 1985. I don't think this solstice celebration will turn into a second 'Battle of the Beanfield'.
A little update: It seems that even something as ancient as Stonehenge and the solstice celebration can't escape modern day technology. On the event's facebook page, more than 800 persons have confirmed they'll attend the Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2009 celebrations, and another 600+ are still considering to travel to Avebury. Comments range from thoughtfull onces such as '(nvm, none found)' to something a bit more 'light' as 'I've managed to bring in a 3L jar of cider as well as 4 cans in a rucksack, easy (Y) haha'. Also, a lot of 'help! I need transport!' My favourite: "BOYCOT STONEHENGE SUMMER SOLSTICE, ITS ONLY BEEN THERE SINCE 1980 AND SELLS PORNOGRAPHY AND ALCOHOL TO UNDER 18'S". *sighs* This makes all the druids and pagens sound very well educated and sensible. :D
Strangely enough, #stonehenge on Twitter hasn't quite started to buzz. Yet? Keep an eye on it here.
and if you do go to Stonehenge and only have your iphone camera (oops) here are my tips for taking decent photos: http://heritage-key.com/blogs/jon-himoff/tips-iphone-make-photos
bit concerned as have been requested to go film solstice but this will involve taking my 6 month old baby in a backpackand don't want to get stuck in between druids and riots along with the other excitable drunken memebrs of public. am i just being paranoid or is it a stupid thing to take a baby?
Jess, I don't think nowadays druids are as vicious as the Romans painted their ancient counterparts to be. It's indeed more the other excitable drunken members of public. I'm already worried about my camera (ok, and how to get there). So errr... yeah, I would say it's stupid to take a baby. Not that I expect escalation, but because it will be cold and terribly busy. I you have a baby in a backpack, and people are pushing all over to get to the stones, that might not be the most comfortable position for it to be.... . Find a babysit? :/
(Oh, let me know if your footage ever ends up on the internet? If I won't manage to get there, I'd love to see it! :))
A practical example, I'm taking along:
Money
DLSR + 50mm +70-200mm + 11-22mm + flash + extra battery + manual for flash + 4 GB memory
3 cans of redbul
4 kellogs food bars (those with the red berries in them, mjummie!)
Mints
Notebook + pen
GSM (incapable of receiving / making calls, but still, it has a camera in it! :d)
Identity Card & Oyster thingie
Sensible shoes (on feet)
Cigarettes + lighter
Warm clothes (weather forcast is 11 degrees celsius but dry, tonight)
Things I should take along, but don't have:
a torch / flashlight
company
something to read/do on train (will find that at Waterloo, I'm sure)
How I hope to get there:
Waterloo Station, take train by south west trains to Exeter St Davis, get of at Salisbury
Take bus 333 to Stonehenge drop-off point
Walk
How do I hope to get home:
reverse the above
Sounds like a fail-proof plan, no? :)
My 1st 3 photographs of this year's Summer Solstice at Stonehenge. I must admit I picked 3 random ones from the .raw files to process. More (and bigger & better) photos will follow when I had a hot bath, at least some sleep and when my eyes can do the 'focus' thing again. But it was definitely worth going, and all that stayed behind/in London should feel very much ashamed! :D (and jealous)
I did not find/see our Heritage Key druid. :( (To my defence, it was a bit crowded.)
Great pics Ann. Well done for getting yourself to Stonehenge (and back). What did you think of it? A spiritual and moving experience, or a cloud-ridden crusty-fest?
I'm not sure about the marketing strategy behind the Papua guys protesting at the site.
...Imagine the meeting the Papua protesters had before going to Stonehenge? I love the idea of some guys back in Papua frantically calling their friends in Britain - "Get down to Stonehenge now!"
thanks for sharing those pictures. The Papuan dancers were amazing and very inspiring to have them at Stonehenge to share their dances and spread knowledge about their struggle. We must all do what we can to help them in their struggle for freedom from Indonesian rule
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