June 24th 2014. Clifton Suspension Bridge - Midsummer Day

[Carruthers]

Midsummer Sun

Early risers on Saturday,the summer solstice, enjoyed the rare sight of the sun aligned perfectly along the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. (UK)

This stunning picture shows the sunrise perfectly aligned along the historic Clifton Suspension Bridge on the longest day of the year.

It has long been speculated that Isambard Kingdom Brunel built many of his landmarks to align with the sun on significant dates.

And this impressive picture, taken on Saturday, captures sunlight shining precisely through a gap in the bridge, on the morning of the Summer Solstice.

Historians have argued that Brunel liked to secretly show off his engineering skills by incorporating the sun into his designs, such as the railway Box Tunnel in Wiltshire.

The sun is said to shine exactly through the 1.83 mile Great Western main line between Bath and Chippenham on or around April 9 each year - the date of Brunel's birthday.

Bristol Post