9 places to celebrate the summer solstice in the UK

The biggie. The longest day of the year attracts crowds in their thousands to the ancient standing stones on Salisbury Plain. On the summer solstice, druids and pagans gather to see the sun rise behind the Heel Stone, before rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the circle. Magic. 

Made up of three groups of monuments, the oldest of which dates back to at least 3,500 BC, the Rollright Stones are hidden in greenery on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border. They’re open to the public all year round for a small donation fee, and usually draw in quiet and contemplative visitors to watch the dawn on midsummer’s day. 

Head north for some serious sun worshipping on June 21. Darkness barely falls on the Shetland Islands around the summer solstice. It’s known as the ’simmer dim’ – a special kind of twilight that fills the sky as the sun dips beneath the horizon, only to appear again shortly after. 

You might imagine Milton Keynes to be a somewhat unlikely spot to celebrate the summer solstice, but the new town, which was founded in the 1960s, was actually designed around the movement of the sun. The town was built around a neat grid pattern that aligns with the sunrise on the longest day: the sun rises at the east end of the town’s Midsummer Boulevard on the morning of the solstice. The Light Pyramid, a more recent addition to the town, also marks the point where the solstice sun rises. 

Where better to watch the sun rise on the longest day than from the highest point in the UK? The highest mountain in Scotland and the UK, Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres above sea level. It’s advisable to book onto a guided event, if you’re new to night climbs. That way you’ll safely make it to the summit to welcome the sun at dawn. 

Bryn Celli Ddu (which translates atmospherically as Mound in the Dark Grove in English) on the island of Anglesey is probably the most famous Neolithic monument in Wales. It’s an ancient tomb that really comes into its own for the summer solstice. As the sun rises on the longest day, the tomb’s opening is aligned so that rays of light shine directly into the inner chamber. 

Thought Stonehenge was the UK’s only significant stone circle? It might be the most famous, but it is far from alone. Our ancient landscape is dotted with incredible neolithic momuments, and Avebury is home to, well, more than it’s fair share really. Not only is the village of Avebury literally inside a huge stone circle (the largest in Britain) the surrounding area also features an avenue of standing stones, neolithic burial sites and the UK’s answer to the pyramids: Silbury Hill, which is the largest artificial mound in Europe. It’s clear why the sacred landscape, a Unesco world heritage site, is a popular destination to mark the longest day. 

This atmospheric hill, topped by a fifteenth-century tower, is one of the most spiritual sites in the UK. The site is steeped in mystery and legend, and is popular with pagans and the spiritually-curious all year round. It’s also an incredible viewpoint from which to watch the sun rise over the Somerset countryside – so naturally it’s a pretty dreamy vantage point from which to celebrate the summer solstice. 

Set in the Lake District National Park, the Castlerigg stone circle boasts a pretty stunning backdrop. The otherworldly location is a popular but low-key destination for those wanting to immerse themselves in nature and watch the sun rise over the mountains.