Twenty thousand people converged at Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year on June 20, joining together in a lively and spirited atmosphere.
A magical sight! (Image: Newsquest)
Among the crowd was Adrian Bell, a 60-year-old radio presenter from Surrey, who first hitchhiked from Sheffield to the free festival at Stonehenge in 1984.
Adrian said: “I went away having fallen in love with the place.
Adrian Bell, 60 (Image: Newsquest)
“The Public Order Act in 1994 really turned the screw and numbers dwindled, so I was one of maybe only 20 people who still tried to get here. It’s good for your mental health, coming here.”
The event drew people from across the UK and beyond, travelling to celebrate the sunrise at 4.52am.
Tino Gardiner, 21 (Image: Newsquest)
Tino Gardiner, 21, made a six-hour journey by train from Bridge North near Birmingham.
Tino said: “It’s got a really cool vibe, the people are interesting, the stones are interesting, it’s so otherworldly.”
Emma Jackson, 44, from Birmingham, described the event as ‘electric.’
Many attendees travelled from overseas to witness the celebration which marks the year’s longest day and the beginning of astronomical summer.
Julia Rainbow, Charlie Berthou, Jenny Corbin, and Emma Jackson (Image: Newsquest)
Lorna Nenciarini, from Detroit, had a pre-planned trip that coincided with solstice.
Her flight back to the US left at 6:30am, so she’s missed the sunrise but made sure to be there for sunset.
She said: “This is lovely.
“The traffic in London yesterday wasn’t so good, but this is so amazing.”
Jenny Corbin, from Nashville, in her 40s, solo travelled and found herself at the stones by a coincidence in timing.
Jenny, who is in her 40s, said: “It’s amazing. It’s exactly how I expected it to be. It’s just going to get better through the night.”
A magical sight! (Image: Newsquest)
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone -the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle – and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument.
Julia Rainbow, 29, is from Australia but has been living in London for about two and a half years.
She said: “I’m so in love with the vibes of this place already, I just feel calm.
“I can feel the power in this place.”
Charlie Berthou, from Manchester, said: “This is my first time, I’m so lucky to have met these wonderful people.”
The event saw people coming together, with Julia Rainbow, Charlie Berthou, Jenny Corbin, and Emma Jackson, all arriving alone and befriending one another at the stones.
Laura Debaene (Image: Newsquest)
For Laura Debaene, 42, it was her fifth year celebrating the Solstice at Stonehenge.
She said: “I love it, there’s an amazing atmosphere”
