12 Jun 2025
As 21 June, the longest day of the year, approaches more people are seeking meaningful ways to mark the Summer Solstice. While thousands flock to Stonehenge each year, Scotland's ancient standing stones offer a more peaceful alternative, with the added bonus of spectacular scenery and fewer crowds.
Searches for “summer solstice” have jumped by 136% in the past month, and interest in “standing stones” in Scotland has risen by 101% over the past quarter. Tapping into this growing trend, VisitScotland has launched a refreshed guide to the country's most atmospheric stone circles, helping travellers experience the Solstice in places that feel truly off the beaten path.
Each year, more people are drawn to these ancient sites at midsummer to watch the sunrise, honour seasonal change, or simply find a moment of connection and calm. From weathered stone circles on remote islands to mysterious alignments in wild glens, these make for the ideal locations for those looking to welcome the sun in a more reflective way.
The ancient area of Kilmartin Glen in Argyll is home to more than 350 ancient monuments, including both the Nether Largie Standing Stones and the Temple Wood Stone Circle. The Nether Largie Stones are among the most significant prehistoric monuments in Scotland. Believed to be over 5,000 years old, the stones are thought to align with key astronomical events, including the midsummer sunrise. Set against a backdrop of green hills and misty moorland, the site offers an evocative space to experience the Solstice.
Temple Wood's 13 standing stones form one of the best-preserved stone circles in the area. The site's use began before 3000 BC and continued into the Bronze Age, with evidence of an earlier timber circle predating the stones by nearly 2,000 years. It's a quietly evocative place that adds even more depth to the glen's rich prehistoric landscape.
To begin your journey, Kilmartin Museum is an essential first stop. Recently redeveloped, the museum provides fascinating context on the area's archaeological heritage and offers a self-guided trail map linking many of the glen's key sites by foot.
Machrie Moor Standing Stones, Isle of Arran
Recently named as an official UNESCO Global Geopark, the Isle of Arran boasts one of the most remarkable ancient landscapes in Britain. Situated on the west coast of the Isle, Machrie Moor is home to six stone circles, each with its own formation, age and story. The tallest stones, some rising over four metres, create a striking silhouette against the open sky. Reached via a one-mile path across moorland, this wild and windswept setting offers an atmospheric Solstice experience. As the sun dips or rises over the hills, the scale and symmetry of these ancient stones take on an otherworldly glow.
Towering at nearly 7 metres tall, Sueno's Stone is Scotland's tallest and most intricately carved Pictish monument. Situated on the eastern edge of Forres in Moray Speyside, this monumental cross-slab dates from the late 9th or early 10th century and was most likely designed to be a landmark, visible from a great distance. The stone still remains in its original location, a rarity among early medieval carved stones.
Enclosed within a protective glass structure, Sueno's Stone is accessible year-round and free to visit. Its proximity to other landmarks, such as Brodie Castle, a grand 16th-century castle that was the ancestral home of the Brodie clan for over 400 years, and Macbeth's Hillock, where Shakespeare's Macbeth is said to have met the three witches, makes it a great choice for those interested in Scotland's history, both factitious and historical.
Only a 20-minute drive from Inverness, Clava Cairns is one of Scotland's most hauntingly beautiful prehistoric sites. This well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery complex features ring cairns, passage graves and standing stones, nestled in a quiet woodland setting. Built over 4,000 years ago, it's thought the site may have been aligned with the midwinter sunset, but its spiritual atmosphere makes it a special place to visit at any seasonal turning point, including the Summer Solstice.
Steeped in myth and mystery, Clava Cairns has inspired everything from archaeological theories to fictional tales; it's even said to have influenced the Craigh na Dun stones in the Outlander series. Visiting at Solstice offers a chance to reflect, recharge, and experience a powerful sense of continuity between past and present. Just a short distance away you can also find the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, offering powerful insight into one of Scotland's defining historic moments and providing an added layer of context for those exploring the area's deep cultural roots.
In the far North Highlands lies Achavanich, one of the country's most enigmatic and distinctive prehistoric sites. Dating back over 4,000 years, this unusual horseshoe shaped arrangement sees its stones positioned with their broadest faces turned inward toward the centre, an orientation rarely seen in other stone circles across Scotland or beyond.
Perched on a plateau near Loch Stemster, Achavanich offers a sense of scale and solitude that's hard to match. Its remote location, dramatic skies, and curious construction make it an immersive place to reflect during the Summer Solstice. With minimal light pollution and few visitors, it's one of the most peaceful places in the country to mark the turning of the seasons.
The site lies within the Flow Country, the UK's newest UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's first Peatland World Heritage Site. Considered the most outstanding example of an actively accumulating blanket bog landscape, the peatland ecosystem has been accumulating for the past 9,000 years. Nearby, you can visit the scenic Loch Rangag, which offers sweeping views across the peatlands, and the remains of Rangag Broch, one of many ancient landmarks that speak to Caithness's remarkable archaeological past.
Ballochroy Standing Stones, Kintyre Peninsula
Located near the western shore of the Kintyre Peninsula, the Ballochroy stones are thought to be aligned with distant mountain peaks and possibly even midsummer sunsets. The three tall stones sit in a line with views across to the island of Jura, creating a natural observatory that links sky, sea and stone. It's an ideal place for those seeking a raw, elemental Solstice experience.
The stones form part of the scenic Kintyre 66 route, which loops around the peninsula and highlights its natural beauty and heritage. Nearby, you can explore the harbour town of Campbeltown, known for its distilleries and historic waterfront, or take a short ferry to the peaceful island of Gigha, home to white-sand beaches and views across to Islay and Jura. It's a corner of Scotland where ancient landscapes and island calm come together.
To find out more about Scotland's standing stones, please visit: https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/historic/standing-stones
