Dear All,

Please see message below from Dave G about an extra social walk that he has added to the calendar:

The Winter Solstice Walk (with breakfast provided for Dorset Primary Members) will start at 07:45 on Sunday Dec 22 from Maiden Castle Car Park (SY668889).

We will watch the sunrise (!) from the vicinity of the Roman Temple (SY671884) (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/maiden-castle/)

We will aim to be at Wetherspoons, Dorchester for breakfast at 08:45 (https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/dorset/the-royal-oak-dorchester), taking in Maumbury Rings on the way.

After breakfast, we will have a quick look at the Roman Mansion and then head East along the Frome and then South over the Ridgeway to Bincombe and Upwey where there will be a late pub stop (https://www.theoldshipupwey.co.uk/). We will then return North over the Ridgeway to Maiden Castle.

Total distance about 20 miles (17 after breakfast) so bring torches.

A winter solstice is the moment in time when the Earth's tilt away from the Sun is at its maximum and the Sun's maximum elevation in the sky is at its lowest. This year it occurs at 04:19 22/12/2019.

 At Maiden Castle the sun will rise on the winter solstice at 08:10 and set at 16:06 giving 7:56 of daylight, the shortest day of the year.

However, the solstice does not correspond with either the latest sunrise or earliest sunset! Sunrise is at 128deg (approx. SE) so from Maiden Castle, hopefully we will see it appear over White Horse Hill on the South Ridgeway.

Dave G   crisp.walkers@gmail.com

Please do not reply directly to the email because it is from an un-monitored account.

Anne Brown

Dorset LDWA Walks Secretary