North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2024

The North Pennines Stargazing Festival is back for 2024 – running for a week between Friday 25 October and Sunday 3 November. This year is the eighth edition of the annual festival – with over 20 events on offer. Events are being organised by the North Pennines National Landscape Team and a variety of other organisations and businesses – all with expert astronomer guides to help you enjoy the fabulous dark night skies in the North Pennines.

The North Pennines is the darkest mainland National Landscape and is one of the darkest areas in the country. The festival has been running since 2017 to make it easy for people to celebrate the area’s dark night skies and to discover the area’s nocturnal wildlife.

• All of the events in the festival are listed below – with clickable links for more information.
• Bring warm/waterproof clothes/a torch (red light if you have one). No dogs please – they’re a trip hazard in the dark around telescopes.
• All events MUST be booked in advance – see individual events for ticket booking links.

Star Camp, Doe Park Caravan Site – 25 to 27 October

Stargazing suppers at High Force, High Force Hotel and Waterfall – 25 October (6 to 8.30pm and 8 to 11pm)

Dark sky astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory – 25 October, 26 October, 27 October, 30 October, 1 November – **FULL**, 2 November, 3 November (all 8 to 11pm)

Stargazing suppers at High Force, High Force Hotel and Waterfall – 26 October (6 to 8.30pm and 8 to 11pm)

Stars, stories and nature discoveries, Baldersdale – 28 October (5 to 9pm)

Lantern making and night-time mine trip, Nenthead Mines – 29 October (2 to 6pm) **FULL**

Lantern making and night-time mine trip, Nenthead Mines – 29 October (4 to 8pm) **FULL**

Family friendly astronomy, North Pennines Observatory @ ACA (Allenheads) – 29 October (6.30 to 8.30pm)

Stargazing at the Weardale Railway, Stanhope Station – 29 October (4 to 8pm) **FULL**

Dark skies run, Bowlees Visitor Centre (Teesdale) – 30 October (7 to 9.30pm) **FULL**

Aurora hunting in the North Pennines, North Pennines Observatory @ ACA (Allenheads) – 30 October (7 to 10pm)

New observatory welcome, Alston Moor Golf Club – 31 October (6.30 to 9pm)

Pies and skies, The Hive (Nenthead) – 1 November (7-10pm).

Stargazing suppers at High Force, High Force Hotel and Waterfall – 1 November (6 to 8.30pm and 8 to 11pm – **FULL**)

Stargazing at the Crewe, The Lord Crewe Arms – 1 November (7 to 10pm)

Stargazing suppers at High Force, High Force Hotel and Waterfall – 2 November (6 to 8.30pm and 8 to 11pm)

Family astronomy, Grassholme Observatory – 2 November (6 to 7.30pm)

Celebrating dark skies in the North Pennines National Landscape