Wiltshire Beyond Stonehenge
Where to Go in Wiltshire for the Summer Solstice
Stonehenge is always everyone’s first thought when it comes to the Solstice, but if you’re looking for a more peaceful spectacle and experience there’s a few other places to choose from. In Wiltshire our prehistoric landscape stretches far beyond the famous stone circle and for those willing to explore it, the summer solstice can be enjoyed across Wiltshire. Here’s where to go when you want to feel the midsummer magic without the crowds.
The Stone Circle at Avebury
Avebury is one of the largest prehistoric stone circles in the world, and unlike Stonehenge, you can walk freely among the standing stones. The village sits inside the monument itself, which makes the whole place feel wonderfully strange, as though the modern world never quite managed to erase the pot marked ground of the ancient one. Also nearby is West Kennet Long Barrow, a Neolithic burial sites.
Avebury has inspired a seam of weird British fiction that seems to have leaked out of the stones themselves. The Children of the Stones, a haunted 1977 ITV children’s series, was filmed in Avebury, even if the village is never named directly — in the show it becomes Milbury. The atmosphere of the place runs through every frame of its seven episodes.
There was also an excellent BBC Audio adaptation released in 2020, well worth listening to while wandering among the stones with headphones on.
If you want to drift further into the landscape, try Steve Marshall’s 10 Tracks, built from Avebury field recordings, voices and electronica. Need a folk music fix? Listen to Abbie Lathe’s LP. It’s also worth digging through Julian Cope’s discography for songs inspired by the area.
Say “Happy Day” to the shop owner and you should get a smile.
At the solstice, people gather here throughout the evening and into the early hours — drumming, talking, sharing food, watching the light stretch across the Wiltshire fields. There’s no ticketing system, no barriers, just ancient stones and the long June twilight settling over the landscape. It gets cold so bring layers and a torch.
Silbury Hill Prehistoric Mound
A short walk from Avebury, is the ancient mound of Silbury Hill. The mound was constructed around 2400 BC for reasons that still elude archaeologists. Though you’re not allowed to climb it, it can provide a stunning backdrop for the Solstice sun. Standing at its base at midsummer, you can watch as it casts long shadows across the valley.
Silbury hill sits at the centre of Wiltshire’s interconnected system of monuments that surrounds it. We recommend visiting at dusk, when the light turns golden and the landscape does something it doesn’t do at any other time of year.
The Quiet Downs & Vales of Wiltshire
If you want to get out into the most rural areas of Wiltshire’s prehistoric landscape, walk part of the Ridgeway Britain’s oldest road. Running along the chalk escarpment of the Marlborough Downs, the route connects a series of barrows, hill forts, and sacred barrows making it a good walking route at the solstice. Sunrise on the Downs on the longest day of the year is an extraordinary place to be.
The Pewsey Vale sits nearby the Marlborough Downs and is dotted with the famous white horses in hillsides, ancient fields, and villages that connect the walk. At the summer Solstice, the fields and the hedgerows create the kind of countryside that makes it a special view.
Plan Your Solstice
Want to experience the Solstice in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside? Contact our team here at Brades Acre. We’re located in the village of Tilshead, just 15 minutes down the road from Stonehenge. Don’t wait, to book your spot for a sunny break on Salisbury Plain! Make sure you book one of our campsite spaces or log cabins. Our cabins sleep four in a double bed and two singles, so it’s ideal for a small family or friends get-away. Don’t take our word for it, read our reviews here!
For other detailed guides visit our local attractions pages including Rainy Day Guide to Salisbury, Events in Salisbury Summer 2024, Ten of the Best Local Restaurants to Try, Historical Site Around Salisbury and our Quick Guide to Larkhill.