Wiltshire Solstices

If you've got a few pics of the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge (either in or out of focus) we want to see them...

Shaunacus Barnesecus
Sky is wrong, how does climbing on the stones damage them? They have survived long enough. Also, there were clouds.

evoluzive
it was my first summer solstice and it was spectacular and some what mystical for me i have been going to strawberry fair for years for the weekend experience and this tops it i look forward to 2010 summer solstice and was an amazing feeling being near the centre of the rocks at what would of been sun break i hope people can understand why they have a police prescence and except it and continue to enjoy the experience i to have taken some awesome photos and have uploaded them to my facebook and would like to say thanks to the 2 girls that lifted me in the air in the morning that was wow

Flowery Shorts
To the friendly trio who picked me up on their way to Glasto... Thanks for the drop off in Wincanton... Made it back to Exmouth, eventually! And to all those posting negative comments... That's your perogative to post such things but as far as I'm concerned you were at a different Stonehenge to me because I had an overwhelming, spiritually uplifting experience. Ok there were youngsters breaking the '4 can rule'(actually I think I broke it myself) but life and your experiences are what you make of them.... Stop picking faults and see the good

Stormdame
Same as it ever was. Love you all. See you next year (Goddess willing). BB

nik flunta
in response to the negative comments posted on here, if the solstice wasn't what you expected, were the 36,000 happy, smiling people (check the pics!)at fault or your expectations? i've been going to stonehenge since the 70's (hawkwind used to babysit for me!) and every generation gets the stonehenge it deserves. from the victorians with their tales of sacrifices, the rockers of the 50's, the scooter boys of the 60's, hippies of the 70's, the travellers of the 80's, to the club culture of today. stonehenge is a changing dynamic, something different for each of us, and yes, people could have been a bit more careful with their litter, but does that imply disrespect or sacrilege? i think not. the summer solstice is the one night a year where we can all get together and be ourselves, whoever that may be, and if somebody's idea of a good time doesn't correspond with yours, does that give you the right to critisize them? most people there adopt a policy of tolerance towards other people, and if you didn't, then maybe you missed the point. as for the drug question, are we any different to the ancients with their use of hallucinogens, cannabis, or opiates? you can bet if coca was indigenous to britain, they'd have used that too! so the next time you want to critisize people for having fun their way, ask yourself if you have the right to, and if you think you have, then maybe a church would be more your thing, other than a pagan festival. oh, and it wasn't a "rave", the only music i head was tribal drumming (i was one of the drummers) with not a pair of 1210's in sight!

Mona Pagan
There seems to be several negative comments on here! Was my 8th Summer Solstice and I thought it was excellent. Arrangements were good as usual and actually held up very well considering there was double the usual amount of people. The police were just right on control (present but discrete), the stewards were a little heavy handed which upset me at the time (but on reflection, they were probably extra apprehensive due to the increase of people). The alleged Rave - I consider this our 'the Elders' problem... we don't communicate or pass on the spiritual wisdom to the younger generation anymore as our ancestor Elders did. How are they 'the young' to know what it means if we don't guide and inform them anymore, but instead stand back tut tutting and saying how disgusting and disrespectful!? I believe that in the past the Stones have seen wilder, alcohol and drug induced solstices than 2009AD... the Ancients after all lived by different sets of rules and rituals, we are not even a patch on them! It was a night of persons, nature and ancient past interacting in individual forms and that's what it is about. All in all, an extremely cultural solstice and long may they continue with community and personal individuality of experience.

christy c-s
david i see your vann:)

Gary Ames
I live in the U.S.(across the pond?) and if I may I would like to say that I find all of this fascinating.

carlaluisa fenu
my boyfriend proposed in the middle of the circle at sunrise......!!!!! i said yes. very special moment.

Charlie Lawrence
I'm Boring Cuz I Didn't Go But Caitlan Hadd A freaking amazing Time! (Y) :L

Me
I thought it was great. In response to some of the negative comments here about drunken behaviour, have humans never indulged in this kind of behaviour before? As far as I know the ancient druids were all up for human sacrifice so I think this years efforts were somewhat tame by comparison, humans have always got intoxicated, they always will. I thought the atmosphere was friendly.

Tracy Wride
Horrid night,if i'd wanted to witness a drug fuelled rave then i'd have paid for a ticket to glastonbury!!to everyone who ruined the solstice a big thankyou!!the drug dogs weren't working,lots of drugs inside.people climbing over the stones...disrespectful.it was my first time at stonehenge and was expecting a spiritual and fun evening.I'm sorry if necking a bottle of stonebow and getting coked up isn't my idea of fun.you ruined the solstice for a lot of people and i'm glad i didn't take my children now.As soon as the 'rave' began the police should've have stepped in and called a halt to the whole proceedings.The 4 can rule was a joke,kids were taking 4 cans in and then restocking...why not stamp hands to say you've already been in and can't enter again with booze?!?badly organised and a horrible night.horrible,sad and disrespectful.Stonehenge is a national monument and of special spiritual and regligious meaning,would we stand by if Westminster Abbey was turnt into rave pit or indeed any other mainstream religious building?NO i think not.

Dave & Linda from Essex
This was our 1st summer solstice at stonehenge it was something we always wanted to do,the journey was not too bad at 1st BUT it took us over 3 hours to do the last 3 miles to the car park which i thought was very bad surely they have been doing this long enough to have it sorted maybe opening the car park earlier say 5pm so people can stagger their journey,once we got in the car park we were given bin bags which we thought was a good idea but was we the only people to use them? as the amount of rubbish on the ground was disgusting,seeing its supposed to be a pagan festival and the pagan belief is to look after the earth but then again was there many pagans there, to me it seemed to be taken over by stoned new aged traveller & pissed chav's both on an alnight rave it was not what i expected at all, then again the warning bells should of started to ring when we were in the traffic for 3 hours when a van pulled up beside us with 2 guys blasting noise you expect at ibiza maybe it was because it fell on a saturday night and that if it was in the week it might be differant...... my rant has finishedon the + points it was a nice warm night no rain and on whole it went down peacefully & friendly and although the police were there in force they were ok would i go again? i don't really know? maybe i will try Avebury next time it seems to have the real spiritual feel according to the net, thats if they sort out the parking situation there cheers Dave

Maggie Lovins
Had a good time! Would have been better with greater police presence and more people there for the actual celebration than to just get drunk! But I'll take what I can get just to get close to the stones!

Sky
WHY are so many of htese idiots climbing all over a national monument adn someone else's most sacred temple as if it was a kids playground . RUDE, not to mention damaging.

Irene Colquhoun
it was a great trouble-free event

luke moss
yay thats me with the skull on a stick :)

c.hawkshaw
what would the ancestors have to say about mordern ci vile lation, too many pill popping .alcholics and deranged/lots of ugly negaTIVE VIBES LACK OF RESPECT...IT WAS LIKE A RAVE, NOTHING SPIRITUAL.APART FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRUE INTENSIONS...FEELT SORRY FOR THE KIDS ....THIS OUR BRAVE NEW WORLD..

Jake pike
Mum and dad you stoners i am ashamed at both of you

Sarah
How do I post my Solstice 2009 pics?

Jonathan Bentley
Great Experience..great atmosphere..not sure what 2 12 yr olds and an 8yr old made of it all..but glad they came 2...next year we want the sun!

Eddy Burt
I am a druid

Marion Jones
Fantastic atmosphere,great people, great night.