Solstice Sunrise

An early morning, to travel to watch the sun rise on the longest day of the year. The city of Milton Keynes is unlike most UK cities and has a central district which is aligned with the path that the sun takes through the sky on midsummer’s day. That road is named Midsummer Boulevard.

To the North there is Silbury Boulevard and to the south lies Avebury Boulevard; named after Silbury Hill and Avebury stone circle, historical and mythological sites in Wiltshire. Midsummer Boulevard stretches a tendril straight out into the park, where we are now.

On mid-summer’s day, people gather at historical sites across the land to see the sun rise or set. Stonehenge opens its fences and allows people in, to arrive in the middle of the shortest night and mark the solstice with celebration. Although there are not the thousands of people seen at Stonehenge, a few hundred people watched the sun rise over Bedfordshire this morning at The Light Pyramid, a modern-day sculpture in mystical alignment of Midsummer.

The hours before sunrise were tranquil and beautiful with clear skies. At the second a sliver of orange appeared on the horizon, a calm silence took over. Not long after, cheers, a small choir singing and warm hubbub of chatter, as the world was bathed in golden light.

A wonderful moment. Happy Summer Solstice!