How to mark Winter Solstice at Stonehenge this year
It is subject to change based on government guidance
The Winter Solstice will be marked at Stonehenge tomorrow, with the public able to attend for the first time in two years.
People can gather at the stones on Wednesday morning (22nd December), to experience the solstice sunrise.
Organisers are asking anyone attending to take a lateral flow test, before setting off, and only travel if it's negative and they feel well.
However, those unable to attend will still be able to experience the event.
Organisers are once again running their livestream of the sunrise, so people can watch from home.
Streaming services were first utilised for the Summer Solstice in 2020, which couldn't have the public in attendance due to the pandemic.
Jennifer Davies, English Heritage’s Head of Historic Properties for Stonehenge, said:
“We will be livestreaming this year’s winter solstice sunrise so that everyone, no matter where you are in the world, can experience this special moment at Stonehenge from the comfort of home. We appreciate however that solstice is a very special time for some and so we will be opening the site on the morning of the 22nd December for those who wish to mark it in person. This is subject of course to any updated Government or Public Health Guidance and we are asking anyone who is planning to attend to take a lateral flow test before travelling and please only come if it is negative and you are feeling well.”
Many people believe that the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, always falls on 21 December, but because of a mismatch between the calendar and solar year, the December solstice is not fixed to a specific date.
This year, based on advice from the druid and pagan communities, the Solstice will be marked at Stonehenge on the morning of the Wednesday - the first sunrise following the astronomical solstice which occurs after sunset the previous day.
The sun will rise at around 8:11am.
English Heritage are encouraging the wearing of facemasks, providing regular hand sanitiser stations and making sure wherever possible that there is plenty of space to socially distance.
Kate Blackburn, Wiltshire Director of Public Health, said:
“We know how special the winter solstice is for some people, and we want all attendees to enjoy the event safely. Although it’s predominantly an outdoor event, it’s really important people take a few simple steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Attendees should take an at-home lateral flow test before they go, and not travel if they have a positive result. The event will be live streamed on English Heritage’s social media channels, so anyone who can’t attend the event can watch it there.”
People are being urged to regularly check the English Heritage website in case government guidance changes.