Wessex Guided Tours

CLEAR skies meant the thousands of revellers who flocked to Stonehenge got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise at this year’s Summer Solstice on Monday morning.

About 20,000 druids, pagans and revellers from across the country and abroad travelled to the famous Wiltshire landmark to celebrate the longest day of the year.

Numbers were lower than last year’s record-breaking event, which fell on a weekend and had a crowd of 36,500, but for the first time in recent years clouds didn’t block the view of the sunrise at just before 5am.

As the sky started to brighten the Widders Border morris dancers performed several routines next to the Hele Stone, before druids performed rituals and hailed the sun.

Revellers filled the stone circle and the crowd cheered as the sun came up between the stones.

Druid King Arthur Pendragon said: “I thought this year went exceedingly well. It was a nice crowd and a nice atmosphere and with a great spirit of co-operation – how could it not be a successful solstice?

“Lots of pagans say they are fed up with the revellers but I don’t have that view. Even if they initially come for the wrong reasons, they return for the right ones in the end.

“It’s the spirit of the place, Stonehenge itself, that draws people here and even if they don’t respect the stones the first time they do by the next year.”

No major incidents were reported. Wiltshire Police made 34 arrests – one on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, two minor thefts, two for assault, three for possession with intent to supply drugs, one drink driving, nine drunk and disorderly and 16 possession of drugs. A police spokesman said they were happy with how the event had gone and, despite the arrests, the solstice had been mostly peaceful.

Rhanks to all that joined me on the sunrise, a good time was hads by all.  I will be uploading my photos later in the day and would appreciate your input

Nicholas – Stonehenge Tour Guide
HisTOURies UK

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Summer solstice revellers disappointed that coalition government will cut funding to new Stonehenge visitor centre

Summer solstice revellers disappointed that coalition government will cut funding to new Stonehenge visitor centre Sometimes the police come in for criticism, while at other times English Heritage attracts the ire of the druids, ravers, hippies and sun lovers who turn out for the summer solstice at Stonehenge. At today’s celebrations there was a political target – David Cameron and the coalition government – following the announcement that government funding for a visitor centre at the ancient monument was being cut. The outcry from solstice revellers was led by the unmistakeable figure of Arthur Pendragon, a druid who believes he is an incarnation of the once and future king. Pendragon, who rejoices in the title of battle chieftain of the council of British druid orders, said he was not surprised that the £10m funding was dropped. “I knew the writing was on the wall. I knew the new government wouldn’t stump up the money. It’s no surprise but, still, it’s a disgrace. This wouldn’t happen anywhere else in the world.” Pendragon has campaigned for 20 years for a new visitor centre at the World Heritage site and to close at least one of the busy roads that surround the stones. Tourists are often shocked at the state of the centre and amazed that traffic is allowed to roar past so close. Last year Gordon Brown promised £10m towards a £25m scheme to build a glass and timber centre and to shut the nearby A344. The scheme was expected to win planning permission soon and the project was due to be completed in 2012 to coincide with the staging of the Olympics in the UK. Last week the government announced the funding would be pulled. English Heritage, which manages the site, said it was “extremely disappointed”, arguing that transforming Stonehenge was “vital to Britain’s reputation and to our tourism industry”. It said it would try to find the funding from elsewhere. Pendragon said he was worried about how the shortfall would be met: “I don’t want to see them making up any shortfall with a public-private partnership. I don’t want to see Americans going home with T-shirts reading: ‘I’ve been to McDonald’s Stonehenge’. “All they’ve got to do is go to an investment banker with a decent proposal. Nearly a million visitors come through here every year. Any investment bank will see that it’s a money spinner. “It’s not as if they aren’t good for the money. Being English Heritage, they’ve got a castle or three they can put up as collateral. “We’ve been 20 years waiting for this visitor centre, faffing about. They can borrow the money and build the bloody visitor centre. That’s what I intend to make sure they do.” Rollo Maughfling, archdruid of Stonehenge and Britain, greeted the rising of the sun with a blast on his trumpet – which sounded not unlike a vuvuzela. “It’s been a wonderful, warm night,” he said. Around 20,000 people turned up to mark the solstice and by dawn there had been 30 arrests for minor offences. It was also the first time the solstice sun had peeped from behind the clouds since 2003. While campaigning tends to be left to Pendragon, Maughfling said it was a druid’s duty to get involved in politics when the need arose – and it had now arisen. “You have to tangle with politics to make sure that, for example, our national shrines and temples are looked after,” he said. “Look at any of the stories of druids in ancient British literature and ancient Irish literature, there have been times when the security of the land has been in the hands of druids as well as kings. Druids have taken sides in all kinds of matters. We can’t stand apart from it all.” Peter Carson, head of Stonehenge for English Heritage, said he was pleased at how the solstice went but disappointed at the withdrawal of funding. “But it’s not over yet,” he said. “Let’s see what we can do. Maybe there is a way forward. The project has a great deal of support. It will ensure a suitable setting for Stonehenge and it will upgrade considerably the very poor facilities we currently have.” Sky, a pagan from Devon, broke off from a drumming session to explain how crucial it was that Stonehenge was improved. “It’s the most wonderful place and it’s a disgrace that we’re still waiting for a new visitor centre and for improvements to the roads. I bring people here from abroad sometimes. They’re amazed by the stones – but also amazed at how crummy the facilities are. I’d like that David Cameron to come down here and tell us why Stonehenge, our national treasure, is being treated so shabbily.”

Nicholas – Stonehenge Tour Guide
HisTOURies UK Tours

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