Dark skies

What we do

Dark skies

The North Pennines is the perfect place for stargazing!

The North Pennines has some of the darkest skies in the country where you can see 1000s of stars on clear nights, so it’s the perfect place for stargazing. Here, you are away from busy towns and cities where there is lots of light spillage creating that familiar orange glow that blocks out the stars.

Dark Sky Discovery Sites

Some of the best places to see stars in the North Pennines have been designated as Dark Sky Discovery Sites.

There are more Dark Sky Discovery Sites in the North Pennines than anywhere else in the UK.

Nationally recognised

The initiative is part of an international programme to protect dark skies initiated by the International Dark Skies Association. Dark Sky Discovery Sites are nationally recognised places that are dark and easily accessible where it is easy to observe the Milky Way or the constellation of Orion with the naked eye.

Engagement

The idea of the designation is to encourage public engagement with astronomy and physics through star gazing events and visits. We have worked with landowners and local authorities to nominate the top spots for stargazing, and the nominations are moderated by The Royal Observatory in Edinburgh.

The North Pennines National Landscape team has successfully nominated 16 sites across the North Pennines:

Allendale Golf Course
Balderhead Reservoir
Bowlees Visitor Centre
Knarsdale Village Hall
Burnhope Reservoir
Allen Banks
Cow Green Reservoir
Millshields
Grassholme Reservoir
Hamsterley Forest
Hury Reservoir
Parkhead Station
Pow Hill Country Park
RSPB Geltsdale – Clesketts car park
Selset Reservoir
Tan Hill

Our Stargazing in the North Pennines leaflet includes a map showing where our Dark Sky Discovery Sites are. Also visit Dark Sky Discovery for more information on the sites.