A LIGHTHOUSE keeper decided to open up quite a bit earlier to mark the summer solstice. 

Graham Scrogham opened up the Sir John Barrow monument in Ulverston early so walkers could welcome the sunrise on the longest day of the year.

The event saw a good crowd of people turn up including some of the new volunteer keepers. The monument stands on a 450 ft high summit of Hoad Hill and offers panoramic views of Morecambe Bay and the mountains of the Lake District and the Pennines. 

The Mail: The spectacular view at 4am

he monument was built in 1850 as a memorial for Sir John Barrow and was a favourite spot of the explorer in his youth. It can be seen from many miles and has become a symbol for Ulverston.

The structure is a Grade II * listed building and is sometimes known locally as Hoad Monument. Graham thought this would be a perfect place to welcome the summer solstice.

The Mail: Dawn view looking out from the Ulverston lighthouse

He said: "I decided to open up the monument this morning as a bit of a last-minute decision I made on Monday. I know people like to climb the Lakeland fells on the summer solstice so I thought it would be a nice thing if we opened up the monument and let people come in and if they wanted and go to the top to watch the sunrise.

The Mail: Alpha Morning carving

"I got up there at 4am and I was joined by other volunteers, Caroline Smith-Dance, Cathy Stanfield and Gordon Evans. We had 15 to 20 people up there on the hill as the sun came over the horizon - it was just a shame the clouds obscured it but the sky higher up was clearer so we had some nice lighting as the sun illuminated the bottom of some clouds."

The Mail: The lighthouse volunteers at Sir John Barrow monument

The volunteers hope to put this in the calender for future summer solstices.

To find out more about the Sir John Barrow monument and keep up to date with future event, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sirjohnbarrowmounment.