There will be a number of events held across the United Kingdom (UK) this year to celebrate the Winter Solstice, now that restrictions caused by the pandemic in the previous couple of years have now been lifted. This following list below is a sampling of the various events taking place.
Winter Solstice Sunrise (2010) – Image credit: By Winter Solstice Sunrise 2010 by Sian Lindsey – CC BY-SA 2.0
Glastonbury
Winter Solstice Portal Retreat
Dates/times: Friday, December 16, 5:00pm – Sunday, December 18, 1:00 pm UK time (UTC +00:00)
Location: Healing Waters Sanctuary, The Roman Way, Glastonbury, UK
“We invite you to harness the potential of this potent moment at one of the most powerful energetic spots in the world. Working with practices for deep embodied transformation and soul alchemy, we will guide you on a journey to the depths of your love and magic through the portals of the land. When we come together in community to do inner work in energetically powerful places, the work is deeply amplified within us and the collective.
If you feel a call to remember your deeper self, open your heart, deeply resource your being and experience a land overflowing with myth, magic, and portals, perhaps this journey is for you.”
Costs are listed on the website.
Chalice Well Winter Solstice Labyrinth
Dates/Times: Tuesday, December 20, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Chalice Well, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset
Tom Bree & The Labyrinth – The Journey Inwards for Transformation and Rebirth in The Meeting Room and the labyrinth.
“Discover the sacred wisdom of the Labyrinth and walk the Chalice Well Winter Solstice Labyrinth before it opens to the public in this exclusive one-day talk with Tom Bree. Tom Bree is a geometer, artist and writer. As a tutor at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, Tom teaches sacred geometry as a practical art. As part of this talk, you will be able to walk the Chalice Well labyrinth before it opens to the public. Tom will create a labyrinth in the Chalice Well Cress Field in time to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Tickets for Tom Bree’s talk include entry to Chalice Well and private access to walk the labyrinth with Tom, before it opens to the public on 21 December as part of the Chalice Well Winter Solstice Gathering and Ceremony.”
Tickets are £25 and available to book online or from the Chalice Well Office 01458 831154
Chalice Well Winter Solstice Celebration
Dates/Times: Wednesday, December 21 – Winter Solstice, 12:00 pm
Location: Chalice Well, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset
“You are also welcome to join us virtually from wherever you are in the world at 9 am our Facebook Livestream meditation. The garden opens at 10 am with free entry until 12pm. Our Winter Solstice Gathering and meditation begins at 12pm at the wellhead. We will also have a beautiful fire ceremony and you will be able to walk the Winter Solstice Labyrinth.”
London
Pagan Federation Winter Solstice
Date/Times: Thursday, December 22, 7:15 pm to 9:30 pm
Location: The Pirate Castle (Camden), Gilbey’s Wharf, Oval Road, London NW1 7EA.
Fee (cash only): £8 – PF members
£10 – non-members.
Please bring food and drink to share
More information is available here.
Forest Explorers: Winter Solstice
Date/Times: Wednesday, December 21, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm GMT
Location: Hainault Forest Country Park, IG7 4QN
“This event is for children aged 7-11 years only and they must be supervised to a ratio of one adult to every two children (whether they are participating or watching). For health and safety reasons, we reserve the right to turn away anyone who is believed to be too young to participate. Younger siblings can attend to watch, however supervision of the participating child only is strongly advised. Please only book a ticket per child participating, supervising adults do not need to book tickets.
“Our event will be outside and we may get muddy so please wrap up warm and wear sturdy footwear. Please note that this event will be canceled in the event of extreme weather.
“This event will take place in the forest along a steep unmade track. Unfortunately, this makes it unsuitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
“Please note that if you are arriving by car you will need to pay for parking via RingGo.”
Ticket pricing is as follows: Standard tickets are £5 per child. There are concession tickets available for those children who are recipients of universal credit.
Sales will close on Sunday 18th December at 1200 am.
Winter Solstice sunset in Norwich (2014) – Image credit: Jon Bunting (UK) – CC BY 2.0
Sussex
The Anderida Community – Winter Solstice Journey from Dark to Light
Date/Time: Thursday, December 15, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm GMT
Location: Lewes Road #3 Forest Row RH18 5ES
“Enjoy the ritual of walking the spiral to light your candle and shine your light in the world, dance and be festive in community together, enjoy festive refreshments.”
The North
Date/Time: December 17, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Dilston Physic Garden, Dilston, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5QZ
“Independently run by local … druids this event is part of a series of 8 which explore and deepen awareness of earth-centred spiritual heritage, symbolically celebrating the wheel of the year. From the earliest times our ancestors have welcomed the rebirth of the sun at the darkest point of the year. In the same spirit we gather to first mourn the death of the sun and let go of that which is ending and dying. Then, through a ceremony which symbolically enacts the turning of the year from darkness to light, we celebrate the fact that life will ever spring up in a new dawn.”
Admission free – donations appreciated. Parking for this event is in the Top-up Car-park shared with Dilston Scouts
Wildways – Winter Solstice
Date/Time: Thursday, December 15, 7:00 PM 9:00 PM
Location: Wild Ways, The Acorn Wellness Retreat, Harrogate
“A ceremony to mark the wheel of the year as we descend into to peak of darkness at the winter solstice. This will be a weaving of cacao, sound journey, and sister stories as we celebrate the rebirth of the light and embody our own. A circle to connect to your truth. To express your beautiful essence. To be seen and heard and held. To Welcome in the darkest part of the year, Winter Solstice and let go of all as we welcome back the light.
We will drink Cacao to open our hearts and settle our minds. There will be sound, meditation and Ceremony. Finally, as the energy settles in our bodies we will come to share our experience. We will voice our stories and listen to the women in the Circle.”
Scotland
Cluny’s Winter Solstice Retreat (Findhorn)
Date/Time: Monday, December 18 – Saturday, December 24
Location: Cluny
“At this auspicious time of the year, escape the bustling world into the peace of Cluny Hill, where you’ll be welcomed into the community.
“On this retreat, built around the winter Solstice, enjoy the time and space to reflect on the year that is ending, and consciously prepare to transit into the New Year, opening up to the possibilities of what is to come.
“Central to the retreat is a beautiful annual Solstice ritual, honouring the energy of this powerful time and consciously marking the turning of the year in our lives.”
More information is available on their website.
Get Yer Witch On – Yule Circle
Date/time: Saturday, December 17, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: The Moon Rooms, 1A, The Studio Kirkhill House, 81 Broom Rd E, Newton Mearns, Glasgow
About this Event:
“Let’s gather together around the time of Yule to celebrate as the nights become shorter and the light starts to build its way back into our lives.
Winter is a wonderful time for magical practices as the animals sleep, the trees are bare and the Cailleach wanders the woods with energies of death and decay that ultimately transmute to new life come the spring.
The full schedule is yet to be confirmed but in our Circle you can expect:
Guided Meditation
Seasonal Crafting
Charms & Spell work
Light seasonal refreshments
Sisterhood by the bucket loads”
Winter solstice dawn over Llanrug as the sun rises between Crib Goch and Carnedd y Ddisgl – Image credit: Eric Jones – CC BY-SA 2.0
Wales
Winter Solstice Sunset On Pen Y Fan – guided walk
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 21, 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Pont ar Daf Car Park, Where
1st layby north of Storey Arms OEC, Libanus, Brecon LD3 8NL
We recommend ‘What3Words’ to locate the start point disarmed.blues.cherubs
“This is a guided walk to the summit of Pen y Fan (the highest mountain in Southern Britain) in time for sunset.
“It can be cold on the top even in good weather so warm layers and waterproofs are essential. It’s an up-and-down trek and a hunt for that gorgeous sun disappearing behind the mountains of the West to cheers and whoops of delight :)”
More information:
Height Gain: 450m Distance: 6km Time: 3hrs
What to bring:
Walking boots
Warm layers and waterproofs essential
Torch
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