Stonehenge has once again played host to visitors from all over the world to celebrate the summer solstice. As usual, the public was invited by English Heritage to experience the solstice at the ancient site in Wiltshire, near Salisbury. Unfortunately, the event was marred by the actions of the Just Stop Oil protestors who sprayed orange powder paint onto the stones just days before the solstice. English Heritage managed to remove the paint, but warned that the stones could have been significantly damaged had they come into contact with rain.
Despite this small blemish, it was a spectacular event, with around 15,000 people gathering to see the sunrise at the 5,000-year-old site. The solstice is a rare opportunity for members of the public to get close to the stones and even touch them in certain cases. Tammy McCall traveled all the way from Washington, D.C. in the US for this “bucket list trip”, stating that it was an emotional experience to be able to touch the stones.
Visitors were allowed onto the site overnight, and many stayed to watch the sunrise the following morning after the sunset the night before. The sounds of drumming and cheers were heard as the sun emerged from the horizon, and several members of the pagan community gathered to engage in spiritual reflection. Similar events were held at other locations in the West Country, such as Avebury in Wiltshire and Glastonbury Tor in Somerset.
While the Just Stop Oil protestors marred this year’s event slightly, visitors to Stonehenge once again had a fantastic time taking in the history and atmosphere of this iconic site. As always, English Heritage did an outstanding job in facilitating such an event on such a grand scale
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