Stonehenge is at its most mystical in the colder months, and there are few sights more extraordinary than watching the sun rise over the ancient stones on the winter solstice.
There’s something particularly atmospheric about Stonehenge in winter. Maybe it’s the sight of the colossal stones emerging out of the early morning half-light. Perhaps it’s the relentless cawing of crows at the onset of dusk. Or it could just be the way the surrounding expanse of Salisbury Plain glistens after a heavy frost.
Whatever the reason, midwinter seems to amplify the mystery of this remarkable ancient site. Stonehenge was built with the sun in mind, its stones precisely positioned to frame two key events in the solar year. It is thought that the winter solstice, not the summer one, was the more significant, when the sun – at its lowest point in the sky – would have set between the two enormous pillars of the Great Trilithon; excavations suggest that ancient culture celebrated this time of year with huge feasting.
Early on winter solstice, the rope barrier to the site is peeled away, and huge crowds gather amid the stones to sing, chant and dance their way through dawn, toasting the longer days ahead.
If you miss the solstice, you need to join the Stone Circle Experience, a one-hour guided visit held out of hours throughout the year, in the eerie stillness of early morning or (in winter) late afternoon. Numbers are strictly limited, giving you the change to experience the site at its most peaceful and enigmatic.
Planning your trip
The nearest train station is in Salisbury, from where a bus runs to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. Shuttle buses ferry tourists down to the stones themselves, or it’s an easy walk. December is likely to be cold and wet, although there is a chance of crisp, sunny conditions. Average temperature is 8°C.
Whatever the reason, midwinter seems to amplify the mystery of this remarkable ancient site. Stonehenge was built with the sun in mind, its stones precisely positioned to frame two key events in the solar year. It is thought that the winter solstice, not the summer one, was the more significant, when the sun – at its lowest point in the sky – would have set between the two enormous pillars of the Great Trilithon; excavations suggest that ancient culture celebrated this time of year with huge feasting.
Early on winter solstice, the rope barrier to the site is peeled away, and huge crowds gather amid the stones to sing, chant and dance their way through dawn, toasting the longer days ahead.
If you miss the solstice, you need to join the Stone Circle Experience, a one-hour guided visit held out of hours throughout the year, in the eerie stillness of early morning or (in winter) late afternoon. Numbers are strictly limited, giving you the change to experience the site at its most peaceful and enigmatic.
Planning your trip
The nearest train station is in Salisbury, from where a bus runs to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. Shuttle buses ferry tourists down to the stones themselves, or it’s an easy walk. December is likely to be cold and wet, although there is a chance of crisp, sunny conditions. Average temperature is 8°C.