More than 6,000 people gathered at Stonehenge on Tuesday morning in the first celebration of the summer solstice at the historic site for three years.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.49am.
There was a party atmosphere and people were in high spirits as revellers travelled from across the UK to take part in the annual tradition for the first time since the pandemic began.
The event was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions, and again last year people were asked to stay away, although some rulebreakers hopped the fence to see the sunrise from the historic site.
Both times, the event was streamed online at the World Heritage Site.
This year, English Heritage operated a system of “managed open access” with a planned capacity of 10,000 people.
Jennifer Davies, head of historic properties at Stonehenge told the Guardian: “We’ve been planning for this moment for two years.
“Some people have been desperate to get back, while others may still not be ready to be in a crowd on Salisbury Plain.”
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument.
It is believed that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
Summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for year.
It marks the end of spring and the beginning of summer.
Wiltshire Police said they made two arrests during the celebration. One person was arrested on suspicion of common assault and the other on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs.
Despite the arrests, Superintendent Phil Staynings said the solstice event had been a success “on many levels”.
