December 21, was the Winter Solstice.

The winter solstice, also called the hiemal solstice, hibernal solstice, and brumal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.

This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere.

Basically, it's the shortest day of the year, and it holds religious significance, particularly with Druids.

Prior to the arrival of Christianity, the Celtic people of Britain celebrated Yule in a similar fashion to the Germanic festival.

It is alleged that Celtic Druids began the tradition of the Yule Log, with the intention of driving out darkness, evil spirits, and poor luck in the following year.

Different groves will celebrate with different rituals but, in general, the solstice represents the time of death and rebirth, when the sun abandons the earth and the darkest day occurs.

The Yule Log was intended to be kept alight over the entire solstice period, twelve days over which the sun was believed to stand still. The log being extinguished symbolised poor luck in the following year.

Additionally, evergreen plants were used in decoration - of key significance are "The Holly and the Ivy", used in decoration, and Mistletoe, suspended over a doorway in a token gesture of goodwill to all who passed under it.

These traditions have been adopted into the Christian winter celebrations, symbolised by a mistletoe wreath placed on the front door to a building.

For this reason, we decided to take a look back through our extensive photograph archives, to see photos from way back when of our county's Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick, where Pagan religious events and observations are held.

One of around 1,300 stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany, it was constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from 3,300 to 900 BC, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.

Every year, thousands of tourists travel to the site, making it the most visited stone circle in Cumbria.

Yesterday, December 21, was the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year.

The winter solstice, also called the hiemal solstice, hibernal solstice, and brumal solstice, occurs when either of Earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.

This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere.

Being the shortest day of the year, it has been celebrated through time and holds religious significance, particularly with Druids.

Prior to the arrival of Christianity, the Celtic people of Britain celebrated Yule in a similar fashion to the Germanic festival.

It is said that Celtic Druids began the tradition of the Yule Log, with the intention of driving out darkness, evil spirits, and bad luck in the following year.

Different groves would celebrate with different rituals but, in general, the solstice represented the time of death and rebirth, when the sun abandoned the earth and the darkest day occurred.

The Yule Log was intended to be kept alight over the entire solstice period, 12 days over which the sun was believed to stand still. The log being extinguished symbolised bad luck in the following year.

Additionally, evergreen plants were used in decoration – of key significance are the holly and the ivy, used in decoration, and mistletoe, suspended over a doorway in a token gesture of goodwill to all who passed under it.

These traditions have been adopted into the Christian winter celebrations, symbolised by a mistletoe wreath placed on the front door to a building.

For this reason, we decided to take a look back through our photograph archives, and look at photos taken at Castlerigg stone circle on the outskirts of Keswick, where Pagan religious events and observations are held.

One of around 1,300 stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany, it was constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from 3,300 to 900 BC, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.

Every year, thousands of tourists travel to the site, making it the most visited stone circle in Cumbria.