Crowds gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice - as police issue roads warning

Sky News
Updated Fri, 22 December 2023 


Crowds have gathered at Stonehenge to welcome the sunrise for this year's winter solstice.

The sun rose at 8.09am, marking the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Sunset is expected at 4.02pm.

In the northern hemisphere, the Earth's axis is tilted at its furthest point from the sun today.

The solstice is one of the key occasions where English Heritage allows people near to the stones, which make up the prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.

The winter solstice, which has been celebrated all over the world for thousands of years, is also known as Yule, a celebration of light and the symbolic rebirth of the sun.

Wiltshire Police warned nearby roads were "extremely busy" due to people gathering to mark the occasion and the English Heritage site's car park had "reached full capacity", the BBC said.

Motorists were asked to seek alternative routes to Stonehenge, with delays expected for the duration of the morning.