Sun worshippers head for Stonehenge

4:00pm Monday 16th June 2008

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THE DAWN of the 2008 Summer Solstice approaches with thousands of revellers expected to descend on Wiltshire's sacred stone circle sites.

In 2007, 24,000 people celebrated Summer Solstice at Stonehenge and with this years event falling on a Saturday many more are expected to turn out.

Sunrise will occur at Stonehenge at 4.58am on June 21 on what is the longest day of the year.

National Heritage is opening Stonehenge to the public from 8pm on Friday June 20 to 8am the following day.

The Solstice car park, just off the A303 near Airman's Cross, will open from 7pm on Friday June 20, with last admission at 6am on Saturday June 21.

Access to the stones and car park will be free of charge.

Peter Carson, the National Heritage's Stonehenge director, said: "Over the last few years, English Heritage has successfully balanced the needs of those attending Solstice with the need to protect the stone circle and its surrounding monuments.

"Providing this balance is maintained, we look forward to continuing to provide managed open access for those wanting to celebrate the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge.

"This year Solstice falls on a Saturday morning, which means that we are expecting more people than usual to be making their way to Stonehenge on Friday evening. We are therefore urging as many people as possible to come to Stonehenge by public transport."

The Wilts and Dorset bus company will be running a regular service from Salisbury Railway Station, via the bus station, from 7.30pm on the Friday evening through to 1.15am on Saturday morning to meet the last trains from London, Southampton and Bath/Bristol.

A return service will operate from West Amesbury, which is within walking distance from Stonehenge, from 5.15am on the morning of the June 21 after the sunrise up until 9.45am.

Nearby in Avebury organisers have warned that there will be very limited public parking.

The National Trust, which owns and manages Avebury, works in partnership with Wiltshire Police, Kennet District Council, Avebury Parish Council, English Heritage and Avebury Sacred Sites Forum to plan for these events.

For more details on parking and conditions of entry visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury.