PLEASE GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR THE STONEHENGE MIDSUMMER CELEBRATIONS AND READ IT THROUGH THOROUGHLY AT LEAST TWICE AS THERE ARE MANY CONDITIONS AND DOS AND DON’TS FOR ATTENDING.

1. If you are coming by car you need to book up in advance for parking.

2. You cannot bring any camping equipment with you on the site, NOT EVEN A SLEEPING BAG. A rug or wrap is allowed. Strictly speaking you are not even allowed to lie down, but people do, moreso as you get further away from the Stones.

So, should you happen to be attending this on the way back from a stay in the West Country (“just saying”) you need to store your camping etc, gear somewhere, i.e., in a vehicle, or perhaps at Salisbury Station. I leave you to make all these arrangements YOURSELF please.

Last year I went to this, and the weather was fine and warm, not a drop of rain in sight. BUT I imagine if the weather is not so good, it may not be entirely pleasurable to be there – it depends what you are used to. So please think about what it may be like to stay awake all night in drizzle and coolness. If the forecast is really bad I MYSEL:F will not go.

I don’t wish to put the Fear of Thor into you and put you off coming, but you need to imagine what it may be like at Stonehenge under different weather conditions!! (with no tent or proper sleeping bag with you)

The Oak and the Ash have been coming out about the same time this year, which may indicate some rainy spells this Summer, if you believe the old country saying…

My plan: Last year I got there late in the evening, and stayed until ‘late’ish’ (about 7.30am GMT or BST I can’t recall!) in the morning. By the time I got there it was dark and I was bumping into and tripping over the stones and when I put my hand out to touch a stone I found I was touching a person!!  It was noisy and crowded. I lay down and rested near the stones with people climbing over me – by the time of sunrise I had rather forgotten what I was there for, and which stone to look through for the sunrise. I then hung around for a few hours, and then joined a long, long queue for the special bus back to Salisbury Rail Stn (at least two hours in the queue – it’s all a bit hazy by now). The bus back to Bournemouth (where I was staying) took some three hours owing to traffic, likely because of road works. This last bit was NOT due to Stonehenge, of course, but added to the strange day. (I then managed to catch a train to Wareham for a multiple garden open day there in the afternoon!)

SO THIS YEAR I want to do things the other way around: Get there early while it’s still light, and have some time to explore around the stones before it gets dark (might be quieter too!). Then retire to quite a distance from the stones (as it’s possible to do) to rest and doze through until the early hours. At sunrise (around 3.40am GMT) I shall  be back at the stones. And then I shall leave quite soon (the bus service back to Salisbury starts VERY EARLY), despite possible temptations to linger on in the atmosphere. Back at Salisbury I shall either go home, go to Bournemouth on the bus (if that’s where I’m staying), or possibly – if there’s any life left in me –  go and explore a bit of the city. Sometimes you get a second wind after a poor night’s sleep.

So that’s my intention. If anyone else wants to do anything differently then please do so, and we can try and meet up using the wonders of modern technology.

If the conditions are good this is quite a thing to go to and you can walk amongst the stones of Stonehenge – there’s some so-called Pagan drumming and chanting going on within the stones too! It’s free to enter, but getting there (and I imagine parking a car) is expensive. Bear in mind this is the last time the Summer Solstice falls at a weekend for some years, probably until the early 2030s (although it takes place every year, of course, whatever day it is).

Just be aware of all possibilities and bring a sense of Humour (and maybe flowers in your hair!).

Also good to bring your own food and flask. There are stalls selling food and drink (which I didn’t use last year), which will have queues.

There are loads of portaloos available.

I shall appoint a meeting time in the early evening outside Salisbury Rail Stn for anyone coming at that time. I may or may not have been in the City for part or all of the Saturday to explore around, I haven’t decided yet and may not know until much closer to the time.

A email much nearer the time will give a meeting time (around 6-7pm) outside Salisbury Rail stn on the evening of Saturday June 20th (Midsummer Even) – the Solstice is not until 8.24am GMT on Sunday June 21st, BUT THE MAIN EVENT HERE IS THE SUNRISE THROUGH AND OVER THE STONEHENGE, some hours before that at – yes – sunrise.

SO UNTIL THEN PLEASE GO STUDY THE WEBSITE and see what you think. (The special bus service timetable has not appeared yet, but will do shortly, I’m sure. DON’T CONFUSE THIS SPECIAL CHARGED BUS SERVICE FROM SALISBURY TO STONEHENGE VISITOR’S CENTRE WITH THE FREE SHUTTLE BUS LAID ON BETWEEN THE VISITOR CENTRE AND THE STONES (FOR THOSE NOT WANTING TO WALK OVER TO THE STONES (about a mile or so) ).