| Where: | Avebury, Wiltshire at the Henge |
| When: | 20th & 21st June |
| Time: | Sundown ceremonies from around 9pm; dawn at just before 5 am |
While the ceremonies at Stonehenge may be the most famous of those held on the Summer Solstice, there is also a large gathering at the stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire. Crowds gather to witness the sunset, various entertainments, plays and displays during the Solstice eve and of course the rising of the sun on the longest day of the year the following morning. Most of the entertainments take place in the sector of the circle across the road from the pub to the South; for more quiet contemplation the other sections of the circle and the Manor grounds are less busy. Expect drumming, extravagant costumes, drama and fire!
Helpful Hints
It’s held on the evening of the 20th June and morning of the 21st (there is some confusion about this but it’s simple enough).
Parking is limited and use of local bus services is encouraged. The main village car park is usually full by late morning on 20th and there is a parking exclusion zone around the site and nearby villages for over a mile; the overflow car park at the Manor usually opens at 7 pm sharp and when we were there it was full to capacity just over half-an-hour later (though spaces may well be vacant again for the sunrise as many visitors depart after the evening activities). Camping is available on a first-come-first-served basis.
The site and parking is managed by the National Trust (see links below). Local shops stayed open until 10pm when we visited, for food & drink. The grass gets wet after sunset even in fine weather so I’d recommend taking a waterproof-backed blanket.
Click here for the National Trust Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AveburyNT
and website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/avebury
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