I was quite literally bawling my eyes out this morning, but then I have been unemployed for 6 months so that could have something to do with it. 🙂

Things just came to a head, I suppose.

But, I remember feeling pretty much the same way – exactly this time last year, when I wasn't unemployed, but was having other problems.

All just a coincidence? Or is there something funny about this time of year? 😕

After the longest day winter is on it's way .That's the emotional bit it's depressing

Nope.

I'm bipolar, i get emontional about everything,the wind blowing the wrong way, dogs in hats,**** chaffinchs, boiled eggs,I have an irrational terror of rock ballads and iphones. consider yourself lucky.:)

MTFU?

jahwomble – Lol! 😛

Yeah I do, specifically about 3 days after.

Stonehenge gives off the most amazing vibes, as do other relics in Wiltshire. Done a few rides past there and would like to be amongst the stones at the Solstice.

Winter can be scarey for many people but the seasons are to be enjoyed. There is beauty everywhere if you open your eyes to it. Do not fear it.

Oh and ignore druid – what does he know? 🙄

Science maybe?

Mumbo jumbo!

I do.. but mainly cos my friends birthday is on the solstice so there is plenty celebrating to be done..

we actually managed to co-ordinate ourselves up to Stonehenge on the right night last year for quite an exhilarating experience..it could be slightly disturbing and/or cold and boring if you're not used to tens of thousands of full time pagan/hippy/pikey/techno traveller types plus another 20 or 30 thousand sensation seekers gathering together to dance/ogle/encourage/rob/worship/abuse/love/understand each other..

we left one of our party to make his own way home after he disappeared.. arriving home a day or so later having gotten lost by following the siren call of a mysterious and distant light on the horizon..

good times.. would have been better if the security firm had allowed us to take more booze and more blankets onto the site..

yeah but mainly because Glasto is the week after it and im usually on a masssssssive come down! Does that count!!!

Go to Stonehenge for the Solstice – that'll convince you that things are not so bad. The presence of a couple of thousand drunk / stoned / high fraggles, crusties, hippies, wasters, ravers, locals and associated hangers-on soon reminds you that you are not all that bad and you have a future. Cider and weed does not give anyone a 'deeper understanding of the stones, man'.
The few druids and other serious-about-it people are a reminder that there are also nice people in the world. But a minority.

The presence of a couple of thousand drunk / stoned / high fraggles, crusties, hippies, wasters, ravers, locals and associated hangers-on

I take it you've not attended the solstice events then tootall?

The numbers are much closer to 50 000 even after you've taken into account sensationalist/alarmist press reporting..

I've been going up there for a good few years on and off… and know others that have attended the celebrations for a good few decades on and off..

It has without doubt turned into a circus and there are a number of folk in attendance each year that would equally turn up at the stranding of a whale.. or the opening of a new supermarket by girls aloud..

there is a large majority of people that just turn up for a jolly good piss-up and an epic hullaballoo with thousands of like minded folk.. which I imagine the solstice celebrations have attracted at Stonehenge and at stones and and henges and monuments of every description since time immemorial.. with a spirit of toleration very much in evidence that is neccessary at such a huge party.

no doubt the organised religion types with their desire to sacrifice a few virgins and wail their very serious mumbo jumbo have to be tolerated in the spirit of the festival too..

the fact that it attracts a large population of folk who are.. err.. less inhibited by middle class laws and values adds a wonderful integrity to the proceedings and certainly helps lend a few glimpses into a much earlier, wilder and free-er past that alot of people yearn for and only few have fought for over the years..
At least this is the effect I personally experienced..
Might have been due to the drugs and booze though!

No

The presence of a couple of thousand drunk / stoned / high fraggles, crusties, hippies, wasters, ravers, locals and associated hangers-on soon reminds you that you are not all that bad…

…because a few thousand people can get together to have a good time in the summer countryside without it being sponsored by Carling.

But if you don't like it, stay at home, fair enough!

i'm a fairly regular visitor to stonehenge for the solstice celebrations most of what yunki, konabunny etc says is also my experience. I'm not sure I particularly like the 'managed access' concept but hey ho.

Avebury, Silbury hill and west kennett are also an excellent venue for the solstice and have the advantage of a. being somewhat less intensely controlled and b. at one end of the ridgeway, making a night ride from the vale of the white horse a real nice way to meet the dawn as you arrive in avebury at dawn.

Avebury also has the benefit of being the only stone circle in the world with a pub in the middle of it!

No – beginning of September for me – light levels change

yunki – Member

I take it you've not attended the solstice events then tootall?

I have – which is why I commented on what I saw there – but forgot the trustafarians, middle class kids rebelling and other self-worthy hangers-on.
I went there with a very open mind as I have a deep interest in ancient Britain, divining, etc and have visited many ancient sites around the world. I found the majority of those present to have the self-belief that, due to drink / drugs / dreads / banging a drum for hours / German para boots / blowing a frikkin rams horn over and over / repeat festival attendance (better if illegal and free of course) / poor personal hygine, they had a deep insight into Mother Earth and all things worthy and ancient.

They didn't.

Sounds like they're the appropriate descendants of the original menhir-bothering, sun-worshipping, sickle-waving, mistletoe-abusing druids who thought they had a deep insight into fertility and the earth, then.

After the longest day winter is on it's way

It's a great ride downhill though.. July.. August.. September.. Even though the daylight is on the wane you still have some of the year's BEST months go come 🙂

a much earlier, wilder and free-er past

On what planet was the past much more free than today?

The solstice is an amazing time of year that is very special to some people.

And it's not all 'hippies, crusties' and drug taking. Midsummer is incredible and wonderful, it just depends on how the individual celebrates it.

solstice who?

And it's not all 'hippies, crusties' and drug taking

we clearly celebrate it at different places then 8)

No.
February, working from home, cabin fever, little light in the day time, that's when I need to have an away-holiday as I find I grind to a halt.
Ban February I say!

We'll be celebrating it by trying to get pregnant… that's the spirit, isn't it? 😉 8)

Yes I do, mainly as I organise a solstice pub crawl ride around my local hills! i get pretty tired and emotional and normally fall off!

I have an irrational terror of rock ballads

I feel your pain man!

Stonehenge on "Midsummer" morning. I can't imagine anything more nonsensical and dreary, to be honest…

the last time I was at stonehenge there was a bloke walking round tutting a lot

was that you TooTall? 😉

I think everyone has a different version of the solstice and waht it means in their own universla world view. Most of dread heads are fluffy, why would it annoy anyone?

Is there free-sex in a consequence-free environment available at this event?

If so I'm in.

Avebury, midsummer night… Beautiful. 8)

On what planet was the past much more free than today?

This planet, the time before fences and private property signs.

Kev

The few druids and other serious-about-it people are a reminder that there are also nice people in the world. But a minority.

That's most odd as every day I see nice people in a majority and find that the nasty ones a really small minority. Wonder why it's the other way around just because the day is a few minutes longer.

yossarian

Avebury, Silbury hill and west kennett are also an excellent venue for the solstice and have the advantage of a. being somewhat less intensely controlled and b. at one end of the ridgeway, making a night ride from the vale of the white horse a real nice way to meet the dawn as you arrive in avebury at dawn.

Avebury also has the benefit of being the only stone circle in the world with a pub in the middle of it!

+1

There is NOTHING MEANINGFUL about the way the solar system is moving around.

Also, Stonehenge was built to mark the winter solstice.

Hippies. Pfeh.

I have – which is why I commented on what I saw there – but forgot the trustafarians, middle class kids rebelling and other self-worthy hangers-on.
I went there with a very open mind as I have a deep interest in ancient Britain, divining, etc and have visited many ancient sites around the world. I found the majority of those present to have the self-belief that, due to drink / drugs / dreads / banging a drum for hours / German para boots / blowing a frikkin rams horn over and over / repeat festival attendance (better if illegal and free of course) / poor personal hygine, they had a deep insight into Mother Earth and all things worthy and ancient.

They didn't.

+1

Having lived among the Wilts sites most of my life (have defected over the border to Hants.. the ridings better ;-)) there are an awful lot of idiots attracted by the sites. Solstice just means the traffic gets worse 🙂

Worse than this is the appearance of 'guides' at Avebury whose main intention appears to be to ensure that people stay at home and look at a DVD rather than experience the site for themselves. I'm sure there are some good ones but the few I've come across consider the stones to be theirs and would prefer people not to be there at all.

Conversely there were a bunch of hippy types up at West Kennet longbarrow just celebrating the new moon, who were very nice indeed.

There is NOTHING MEANINGFUL about the way the solar system is moving around

iirc that big ball we orbit is quite important and fairly meaningful as is our orbit and our distance from it etc.

Let me try and clarify it for you by placing the capitals elsewhere.

There is nothing meaningful about THE WAY the solar system is MOVING AROUND.

Try again.