Guy Stagg

The true valour needed to go on pilgrimage in Britain

Oliver Smith finds sanctity in remote peninsulas and holy islands, but is less impressed by the tacky ephemera that decorate our more accessible shrines

Glastonbury Tor and St Michael’s Tower. [Alamy] 
issue 23 March 2024

Every summer solstice, thousands of people gather at Stonehenge to greet the longest day of the year. Judging from the druids in the crowd, you might think this tradition dates back to pagan Britain. In fact, it was started in 1974 by members of a hippy commune who decided to host a free festival among the stones.

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