The best places in Britain to watch a winter sunrise
As the cold nights draw in and bleak season in Britain reaches its peak, don’t be so fast to close the curtains and pull the duvet up over your head. This time of year is, by my book, the best for getting up and outdoors early.
One of the most underrated joys of winter is its crisp sunrises. Frosted grass underfoot and air that feels as thin as tissue paper – there is nothing more invigorating than getting outside to embrace the chill, and at this time of year you don’t even have to set the alarm too early.
To mark the winter solstice on December 21 (when the sun is expect to rise at 08:04), also called the hibernal solstice, here are the best places in Britain to watch a winter sunrise, and how to do it.
1. Bamburgh, Northumberland
Bamburgh Castle is a handsome sight at any time of day or year, but wintry sunrises over the sandy expanse and its magnificent 1,400-year-old building are unparalleled. Pick a partially cloudy or clear day and you’ll be treated to fiery red skies as the sun breaks the watery horizon.
Keep an eye on the ocean – pods of dolphins are occasionally seen swimming out a sea at this time – and when the show’s over, head inside the castle (open from 10am) for a hot drink in the tea rooms and tour of the grounds.
Stay inside the castle’s Neville Tower, get up while it’s still dark, and head northwards up the beach for views of its grandeur set against the pink skies. Alternatively, stay at the Bamburgh Castle Inn and you’ll have views of dawn breaking from your bed (the castle is further north, though, so you won’t get the spectacular sun behind its turrets).
2. Avebury, Wiltshire
Much is written about sunrise at the UK’s most famous stone circle, Stonehenge, but it’s the lesser-visited Avebury that should really get the accolades. This Neolithic monument, built and rebuilt from 2850 to 2200 BC, is magical at dawn. Come in the depths of winter when the crowds are at their lowest and you’ll get to marvel at the changing morning light almost entirely alone.
“In good early light the great sarsens turn a molten red colour,” says photographer David Abram, who has photographed the monument – and many others – at sunrise for a new book on ancient Britain. “The low light brings their features into relief, almost breathing life into them. Plus, there’s rarely another soul there at sunrise.”
Stay for two nights at least and spend a second morning at nearby Silbury Hill. “In winter the mound occupies a frost bowl,” explains Abram. “First light creates a wonderful palette of colours momentarily: tangerine and mint green, and ice white.”
Stay right inside the stone circle at Avebury Lodge and you could even see it all from the comfort of your bed.
3. Glastonbury Tor, Somerset
The near-perfect conical top of Glastonbury Tor looks man-made, but this shapely hill is the result of erosion over many millennia. Its peak now towers over the Somerset Levels and at its top sits the remains of a 14th-century church, presiding over a landscape of fields and the town of Glastonbury itself.
The sunrise from this hill is so spectacular, it draws plenty of people throughout summer, but come winter time, you’re unlikely to meet many others scaling its heights before dawn. Except, that is, local photographer Michelle Cowbourne. “I walk up Glastonbury Tor almost every morning at sunrise. The view from there is fantastic, looking out across the Somerset Levels, and the Tor itself is a very magical place to be at dawn – particularly when it is misty below.”
Steeped in legend, it’s said the Holy Grail was once brought here, that Jesus himself visited (which inspired William Blake’s Jerusalem) and that this is the famous Isle of Avalon, where King Arthur escaped to after his last battle. Go deeper inside the mystery and spiritualism by staying at The Covenstead, a Pagan-themed hotel right in the centre of town.
4. The Sound of Mull, Inner Hebrides
The channel of water that maroons the Isle of Mull in the North Sea, just off the west coast of the Scottish mainland, is an ideal sea kayaking spot. Dolphins, eagles and seals are just some of the wildlife you can expect to encounter, and at sunrise the experience is made all the more special.
Kayak from north to south along the Sound and you’ll get to watch the Scottish mainland light up as the sun rises in the sky and the gentle waves lap along the shoreline.
Bring your own kayaks and launch from the shores around the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa.
5. Crail, Fife
Sitting pretty on the Scottish east coast just north of lovely Crail, the geodesic domes at Sauchope Links are in prime position for watching a broad band of orange and yellow spread across the horizon. From the comfort of your double bed, ideally with the wood burner on high, gaze out at the Atlantic through the dome’s wide, front-facing windows.
If winter glamping sounds too cold, there are sea-view lodges and cabins for hire, too – some with their own private, wood-fired hot tubs. If you really want to get out of bed, a sunrise stroll on the Fife Coastal Path and along the soft-sand beach towards Crail will reward with equally spectacular views, and the Crail Harbour Gallery and Tea Room will warm you up on arrival in the village.
This article was first published in October 2022, and has been revised and updated.
