20th June 2024
An evening as perfect as it could be. After weeks of grey and cold, the elements held and kept their promise of a spectacle for the summer solstice, reaffirming the beauty and spirit of the world. With celebrations taking place at sites such as Stonehenge and Avebury, where ceremony and observation has been played out amongst the stones for thousands of years, the solstice at White Horse Hill in Uffington is a more contemplative affair.
Equally ancient (1380–550 BC) as these sites, those who choose to ride with the Uffington White Horse as it chases the sun, experience a world view from the best seats in the house. Sitting on the hills above the chalk figure, the land expands as far as the eye can see. I chose my favourite spot, amongst the barely discernible set of barrows above the horse’s head, while others scatter across the land. A drumming circle sits atop Dragon Hill, waiting for the appointed time of the solstice, while others perch at Uffington Castle.
As the sun makes its descent to the horizon, it glows brighter and bolder, its rays spilling across the hilltop and bathing all those assembled in a rich, warm glow. Was the chalk figure positioned and cut to receive the sun during the solstice? It’s easy to imagine so, but the true spectacle is that of the setting sun. So brilliant is the light, it darkens the horizon and the sky becomes a captivating combination of blue and gold, casting dramatic shadows across the clouds.
Glancing at those I can see within my sight, all are transfixed by the view. The only sound is that of the excited chatter of warblers sensing night approaching, their chirrups increasing in intensity, before falling silent. Looking east, the darkness is slowly seeping in.
The sun dips below the horizon, a deep red pinprick which spreads into a line and illuminates the clouds with a fiery glow. Behind me, the moon rises above the hill, glowing brightly and making its entrance in a heavenly drama, while its opposite number exits stage right.
Pricks of light twinkle in the distance as the lights come on across the land, and the glow of nearby Swindon becomes more intense as the band of sunlight compresses. At 9.50pm, the drummers on Dragon Hill below herald the incoming summer at the exact time of the solstice, their beats rising up the hill as the temperature cools. Perhaps they’ll stay there to greet the morning sun, but slowly and reluctantly, those assembled make their way to the bottom of the hill to return home, myself included.
It certainly was a exhilarating experience that carried through to the next day. As was first said here in Reading some 800 years ago, Sumer Is Icumen In. Returning home, I drank a toast to the change of season and regarded a much loved commission by the artist, Rowan Song,
Here, she captures the reason why White Horse Hill remains my favourite place to celebrate the summer solstice, the passage of time where light is predominant and in the darkness, the moon glows brightly. At this place, both co-exist equally with the horse remaining constant in the land, a clarion call to those willing to experience the moment.
Stone Diaries 