Industry News

The programme has been launched for this year’s celebration of the dark skies of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark.

The sixth North Pennines Stargazing Festival will run from 21 to 30 October 2022, during the Autumn half term, and has over 20 events spread across the AONB and beyond.

There is a packed programme of fun and informative events with activities for more experienced stargazers alongside events aimed at children and families. Activities include themed walks, stargazing and astrophotography events at High Force and in the new Plotters’ Forest at Raby Castle and a range of exciting, themed nights at Grassholme Observatory in Upper Teesdale – including exploring our Milky Way and dark sky astronomy and stargazing. Alston Moor Golf Club also hosts a stargazing event on the second weekend – where you can also find out about exciting plans for a new observatory.

At the AONB Partnership’s Bowlees Visitor Centre in Upper Teesdale there is a self-guided Galaxy Trail, an evening walk to discover the creatures of the night, children’s Wild Wednesday and Discovery Club sessions, and the return of the popular night skies run.

A special ‘dark skies for profits’ workshop, led by astronomer and PR professional Richard Darn, at Talkin Tarn Country Park in Cumbria will help tourism businesses to make the most of the area’s stargazing opportunities. An evening event, also at Talkin Tarn Country Park, in partnership with Border Astronomical Society will guide budding stargazers across the night sky.

Daily astronomy tips will be posted on Facebook and Twitter throughout the week - to inspire stay-at-home stargazers and provide people with handy stargazing tips, advice and things to look out for in the night sky.

Shane Harris, Responsible Tourism Lead for the North Pennines AONB Partnership, said: “The festival is now in its sixth year and it goes from strength to strength. We have a wide range of events spread across the North Pennines AONB and UNESCO Global Geopark, appealing to local people and visitors to the area. The North Pennines is the darkest mainland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is one of the best places in the UK to enjoy stargazing – the festival is designed to make it easy for people to celebrate the area’s fabulous starry skies and to get to grips with nocturnal wildlife.”