Crawick Multiverse summer solstice celebrations expanded

The old mine was converted into an "artland" by the late Charles Jencks

Summer solstice celebrations at a former coal mine in southern Scotland have been expanded.

Organisers have promised a "bigger and extended" programme of events at the Crawick Multiverse near Sanquhar.

At the centre of proceedings will be the sunrise on the summer solstice which falls on 21 June this year.

However, a week-long programme has been draw up at the old opencast mine which was transformed into an artland by the late Charles Jencks.

Storyteller Gordon MacLellan will help lead a "sunrise ceremony" at the site

The celebrations will run from 18 to 24 June and include tours and talks, activities for schools and an early morning "sunrise ceremony".

Cathy Agnew, a trustee of The Crawick Multiverse Trust, said: "We're thrilled to be inviting visitors and locals to our unique space at Crawick to mark the summer solstice in whatever way they choose.

"We believe the site and the spectacular surrounding countryside lends itself perfectly for visitors to celebrate the solstice, alone or with their friends and family."

The community programme is being co-hosted with The Open University in Scotland.

A series of events is planned on the land near Sanquhar this summer

Senior knowledge exchange manager Derek Goldman said: "The multiverse is a stunning and unique site which brings together the wonders of art and science.

"With students across the whole of Scotland - including 2,900 in south Scotland - The Open University is pleased to be delivering talks and workshops in the programme with some of our leading experts in space science and the arts, as part of our cultural and community engagement work across Scotland."