Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

"The solstice is traditionally celebrated at the sunrise closest to the time when the sun is stationary before beginning its transit to the north or south. This year this occurs late on 21 December, hence the winter solstice celebrations take place at sunrise on 22 December."

That's all a bit muddling. The actual solstice is at 23.03 GMT on the 21st but the traditional solstice, if you mean a traditional old Stonehenge solstice would be whatever was observable wouldn't it? Earliest sunset, latest sunrise or longest night? None would have been easily visible, i.e. measurable, but it does seem the place was designed to celebrate sunset - the earliest one presumably - which isn't on the 21st or 22nd is it? (George?)

Is EH playing along with a mistaken understanding by Druids of what the monument was most likely to have been designed to observe? Shouldn't they tell 'em to line up their beliefs with the evidence? (And save a lot of overtime payments for EH staff) ;)

I shall be heading over to Hafod y gorswen, undoubtedly the least known of solstice hang outs, which is just the way I like it.
Then I shall be hunting down even littler known kerb and ring cairns.
Stonehenge ? how predictably unoriginal.

Top man, that's a proper solstice plan.

Personally I shall be hoping the lovely virus thing I currently have recedes enough to let me outside the house, even if only to the cake shop.

Well I know you think EH is just a money machine but personally I don't see why they shouldn't make people pay at solstice. Let's face it, because those people don't pay, we do!

Ow, that sounds grim. Mine's more of a coughing-my-lungs-up, massive high temperature and generally wobbliness thing.