Julie Fawcett and her family have travelled to Stonehenge from Liverpool.

"It was a long journey, seven hours with a lot of traffic on the way but it's worth it," she said.

She told our reporter Emma Elgee she used to visit Stonehenge as a child and has now bought her nephews to the solstice.

"It's on my bucket list to see this," she added.

While it’s the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere today, the southern hemisphere is experiencing its winter solstice - and events will be taking place to mark it.

In Australia, the Standing Stones in Glen Innes Highlands, New South Wales - which was set up in 1992 as a monument to the Celtic heritage some people have in Australia - sees a ceremony each year for the winter solstice.

The 24 standing stones represent the 24 hours in a day and are positioned in a circle, and visitors can watch the Sun rise through the gaps in the stones.

In New Zealand, the Māori culture celebrates Matariki from 19 June to 22 June, which marks the Māori New Year and is signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in the night sky.

Over in Peru, Inti Raymi - also known as The Sun Festival - takes place on 24 June each year and was one of the most important festivals for the ancient Inca Empire.

It took place to worship the Sun god Inti and today, a symbolic sacrifice is staged using an animal, but it doesn’t come to any harm.

If you're up and awaiting the sunrise, we'd love to see photos from where you're watching it.

You can get in touch with us on WhatsApp by using 0800 313 4630.

Carolyne, a pagan who is at Avebury, travelled to the site from Lincolnshire.

"I've been to the circle a few times but I've never done the solstice before," she told our reporter Sophie Parker.

"It's been lovely, I've really enjoyed it," she added.

"It's a celebration for me, bringing people together from different pathways."

Well, anyone who fancies it really. But traditionally the event was one of eight annual Sabbats, or holidays, for Celts - today’s Celtic pagans - that follow the seasonal calendar.

Traditionally, farmers would ask the goddesses and gods to bless their cattle and crops.

Pagans believe that the solstice marks the moment when the Fae folk - faeries, elves and spirits - come out and play among the humans.

Image source, In Pictures via Getty Images

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, Live page reporter

Our reporters Sophie Parker and Adam Clerck have arrived at another, slightly less renowned, stone circle close to Stonehenge.

Avebury is about 25 miles (40km) north of Stonehenge but always gets a good crowd for the winter and summer solstices.

Drumming can be heard amongst the crowd, with someone also taking part in flame throwing.

"The party has arrived," said Sophie.

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, Live page reporter

Abigail Ng, 28, has lived in the UK for more than a decade and said she felt she had to visit Stonehenge before moving back home to Hong Kong.

She said she was drawn to Stonehenge after hearing about the atmosphere and pagan festivals and traditions.

"I had to come here before I left," she said. "So I grabbed my best friend who lives up in Edinburgh and dragged her here this morning."

Abigail said the visit was all about appreciating the history of the site.

In 2024, sun lovers who went to Stonehenge said the morning was "emotional" and a "spiritual experience".

One person had travelled thousands of miles - from Washington state in America - to see the sun creep up over the ancient stone circle.

One of the most amazing stories we've heard this morning is that of Kerri Hobson-Pape and her family who have come to Stonehenge from Atlanta, Georgia

Karri was born on the spring equinox, her daughter on the summer solstice and her son on the autumn equinox, and her husband close to the winter solstice.

And today, Karri's daughter turns 18 and is celebrating at the ancient stone circle - a commitment Karri said the family made when she was born.

"The weather has been absolutely amazing, the people have been amazing," Karri told our reporter Emma Elgee.

She said it is "really special" to be there for the solstice.

Stonehenge in Wiltshire has been an important landmark for thousands of years and has become a focal point for both summer and winter solstices each year.

The stones are believed to have been moved there at about 2500 BC and are deliberately placed to line up with the Sun’s movement during the two solstices.

No-one really knows why Stonehenge was built, but its connection with the Sun’s movement and burials uncovered at the site mean it’s believed to have played a spiritual role.

The changing seasons would’ve meant a lot to the people who lived at the time, defining what would grow and the general living conditions, according to English Heritage’s website.

The history charity adds that “we can imagine that people came here [to Stonehenge] to celebrate midsummer and midwinter”, with its design suggesting that winter solstice - rather than summer - may have been the most important focus for the people who built the stone circle.

“We have few clues as to what they did here,” it says, adding excavations show the area within the circle seems to have been kept clean of everyday debris.

The Earth doesn’t spin on a vertical axis - it’s tilted, meaning the amount of sunlight reaching different parts of the planet changes during the year as the Earth orbits the Sun.

On the summer solstice, the northern hemisphere is most tilted towards the Sun - but it’s the opposite for the southern hemisphere today, which is tilted the furthest away from it and is experiencing its winter solstice.

The summer solstice always happens between 20 and 22 June but it’s not pinned down to be the same date each year.

This is because the calendar year doesn’t exactly match the time it takes for Earth to orbit the Sun - it’s about a quarter of a day short, which is why we have leap years to bring it back in line with the planet’s orbit.

Chris Kelly
Digital Editor, BBC West

The moment of the summer solstice - the point where the northern hemisphere of the planet is most tilted towards the sun - is about to happen.

It will occur at 03.42 BST, external and will mark the official start of summer, for astronomers at least.

For meteorologists the start of summer is a different date. Check out Darren Bett's explanation here.

Now we are looking forward to the first sunrise after the solstice in the UK, in just over an hour's time.

The summer solstice marks the 24-hour period with the most hours of sunlight, which people often call the “longest day of the year”.

It always occurs between 20 and 22 June and the tilt of the Earth determines how long you can expect to have sunlight - the further north you are, the longer you can expect to see the sun’s rays today.

The Earth spins at a tilt and for half of the year, the northern half of the planet is tilted towards the Sun - which is the position the Earth is when it’s the summer solstice.

From today onwards, the days will gradually get shorter until the winter solstice on 21 December.

Image source, PA Media

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, Live page reporter

Rollo Maughfling, the Archdruid of Stonehenge and Britain, told our reporters Emma Colman and Emma Elgee that he has been coming to the solstice at Stonehenge for the past 37 years.

In his role, he says he is responsible for arranging the rights and access for people who want to participate.

He said how busy the site is this year was "daunting at first".

"It look a long time for people to get in," he said. "They were baking in the sun for an hour or two before they could get in.

"Once everybody got in and it cooled down then it's become really very pleasant."

"I think it's great really," he added. "I think it's what these ancient places were built for, so people can come together and have gatherings."

It will be sunrise at 04:51 BST at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, where thousands of people have gathered.

Our reporters Emma Elgee, Emma Colman and Chris Keen are there to bring you a flavour of celebrations from the ancient stone circle.

But Stonehenge isn't the only stone circle in Wiltshire. At one of the others, Avebury, we have Sophie Parker and Adam Clerck.

And Liam McGuinn and Simon Lewis will soon be making the climb up Glastonbury Tor for solstice celebrations there.

Meanwhile, Kate Clark will join people heading to Cheltenham Lido for a sunrise dip.

Image source, PA Media

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, Live page reporter

Back in Wiltshire, people have travelled from far and wide to experience the summer solstice at Stonehenge.

Anneka Watson, 38, told our reporter Emma Elgee she left her home in Edinburgh at 04:00 BST on Friday to get to Stonehenge for the solstice.

"I've never been to Stonehenge or Wiltshire before," she said.

"We've talked about doing it for years and we finally got round to doing it this year."

"It's amazing," she added.

Chris Kelly
Digital Editor, BBC West

There have already been celebrations for the solstices in other parts of the world.

At Long Beach in Hobart, Australia, nude swimmers enjoyed a dip to mark the winter solstice.

Image source, EPA

And people have been taking part in a Mind Over Madness Yoga event to celebrate the summer solstice in Times Square, New York.

Image source, Reuters

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, Live page reporter

A large crowd has gathered at Stonehenge ahead of the summer solstice. The sun will rise there in just over an hour, at 04:51 BST.

Our reporters Emma Colman, Emma Elgee and Chris Keen are there soaking in the atmosphere.

They say there is relaxed feel, with thousands of people already on site.

Image source, Getty Images

People descend on Stonehenge each year to celebrate the summer solstice, so here’s a checklist of what you need to know if you’re joining them at sunrise:

• Parking is very limited and visitors are advised to car share where possible, say English Heritage, which manages the historic site - you can find more about travel options on its website, external
• Wear sensible footwear - you don’t want sore feet while waiting for the sunrise
• People are asked to not wear hi-vis jackets as it can cause confusion with safety officials
• Big umbrellas are not allowed but you can take a small one, so take a waterproof coat or hat instead
• Drones and remote-controlled flying devices are banned from the site, and amplified music and alcohol are not allowed at Stonehenge, in the surrounding landscape, or in the car park
• Don’t forget to take all of your rubbish with you when you leave

As you can see from our colleagues at BBC Weather, the amount of sunlight you'll see today really is dependent on where you are.

The sun will rise in Inverness in the north of Scotland 47 minutes before it rises in Plymouth on England's south west coast.

But the daylight goes on longer into the night north of the border as well, with the Scottish city getting 48 minutes more daylight at the end of the day than its English counterpart 641 miles (1,031km) south.

But neither place will get as much sunlight as Tromso, the world's most northerly city, where the sun will be up all day.