How to enjoy the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge

Thursday, 21 December 2023 00:00

Tomorrow (Friday, 22nd December) is the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year.

We have put together all the information you need to know to enjoy the solstice in person or remotely.

The weather for the event is expected to be fairly mild for the time of year, but there will be cloud around, which may affect the visibility of the sunrise.

Hundreds of people will head to the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to celebrate the solstice. The car parks at the site will open at 5:15 am, with the cafe opening at the same time.

Parking will cost £5 per car and £2 per motorbike, with a shuttle service to the stones from the visitor centre. Alternatively, you can walk to the stones. This takes around 25 minutes.

Access to the stones will begin at 7:45 with sunrise expected at a few minutes after 8 am.

You can also travel to Stonehenge by bus; Salisbury Reds will be operating their 333 bus service to Stonehenge, so you can watch the Winter Solstice.

Buses will leave Salisbury between 0530 and 0640, returning from Stonehenge between 0915 and 1015. The timetable and fares are available to download by following this link: 333 Timetable

If you don't fancy making the journey yourself - you can watch the sunrise online - https://www.youtube.com/EnglishHeritage - with the live stream starting at 7 am.

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