The cosmic glories of the night sky above the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks will be celebrated during the 10th anniversary of February’s Dark Skies Festival (14 February – 2 March) this year, with star parties and a renowned space scientist having top billing in the programme.
Over in the North York Moors, the Festival begins with a preview event on the 13 February when renowned space scientist and broadcaster Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock will talk about space exploration at Sneaton Castle near Whitby.
Aptly, the Festival’s 17-day run of events includes Valentine’s Day on 14 February with Broughton Sanctuary near Skipton enabling people to dine in the woodland shelter of the Fire Temple before enjoying the romance of stargazing. The venue then rolls out a four-day programme of dark skies events, which also includes cosmic cinema screenings for youngsters and nature walks through the rewilded landscape showing why darkness matters to wildlife and our own wellbeing.
The Festival will coincide with an opportunity to see one of the best planetary displays for years as Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Uranus and Neptune all line up on the same side of the sun.
The so-called ‘Planet Parade’ will last throughout February making the Festival’s astronomy events and star parties, where powerful telescopes will help showcase the cosmic spectacle, even more out of this world. Night sky safaris include a star party at Wensleydale Ice Cream Parlour, an evening with astronomer Richard Darn at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes, AstroDog sessions in Dalby Forest, and Whitby Astronomical Society’s dark sky discoveries at Whitby YHA.
New events also include an invitation to join electronic dance artists The Long Dead Stars on a walk from Boggle Hole YHA down to the beach to mark the Spotify launch of their debut album Whitby Mudstone, inspired by the geology and dark skies of the Yorkshire coast. While over at Helmsley, there’s a Cistercian dark skies guided walk following a seven-mile circular route that visits the stunning historical ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.
Elsewhere in the Yorkshire Dales, people will be able to combine having supper with a guided stargazing evening at new venues including The Middle House at Askrigg, Elsworth Mill at Skipton, High Trenhouse at Malham Moor near Settle, Aysgarth Falls Hotel and The Hostel at Hawes.
A second planet trail at Buckden, complementing the existing one at Aysgarth, has also been created where families with young children can follow a 1.5-mile route to the tiny hamlet of Hubberholme learning fun facts about the solar system on the way.
Stump Cross Caverns in Nidderdale is holding daytime Cosmic Adventures where youngsters can explore the mysteries of space and make their own constellations as well as venture into the caves; while the Dales Countryside Museum will explore the science of planets with the Super Scientists’ Club.
Alternatively, families can head to Guisborough Methodist Church in the North York Moors for an astro crafts day where money raised will help buy equipment for children to experience a night out under the stars.
To make astronomy more accessible, there’s a special family-friendly online event in the company of Professor Carole Haswell, who is originally from Saltburn and is now Professor of Astrophysics at the Open University; and a repeat of last year’s successful accessible evening walk with Access the Dales at Grimwith Reservoir along tracks suitable for all-terrain wheelchairs.
Emily Watson, Regenerative Tourism Manager for the North York Moors National Park comments: “This year’s Festival programme reflects how proud we are of what has been achieved since the first event back in 2016. Not only have we helped thousands of people enjoy seeing a canopy of stars twinkling in the sky; a sight which is becoming more scarce in the face of growing light pollution, but also help them appreciate how important it is to preserve this precious natural wonder.”
Helen Dalton, Tourism Officer for the Yorkshire Dales National Park adds: “It’s inspiring to still see new venues coming forward to stage dark skies events during the Festival as well as throughout the winter months. It reinforces how much both National Parks are now viewed as stargazing destinations, particularly since gaining International Dark Sky Reserve status. The appearance of the Northern Lights last year only fuelled people’s curiosity of the night sky further, and the fact that many younger people are shunning traditional nights out in favour of other experiences such as stargazing, mean that the Dark Skies Festivals have a bright future ahead.”
For more programme information including booking details and pricing go to www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The Dark Skies Festival runs across four protected landscapes - North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale National Landscape, and Howardian Hills National Landscape.
North York Moors National Park
The National Park is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, spectacular coast, ancient woodland, dark skies and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire. Nearly 14% of its staff are apprentices from local families. For more information go to www.northyorkmoors.org.uk
Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a landscape of immense beauty and character with valleys of hay meadows, dry stone walls and barns, waterfalls, woodlands and peaks - one of the country’s most picturesque places. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has two main purposes: to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities. For more information to go www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
Nidderdale National Landscape
Nidderdale National Landscape covers 603 sq km (233 sq miles) from Great Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales through to the edge of the Vale of York in the east. The fascinating geology of the area, which has created a gorge and eye-catching rock formations, together with the tranquil expanses of water, open heather moorland, rolling pastures and scenic villages, are among the special qualities of the National Landscape.
Howardian Hills National Landscape
Howardian Hills National Landscape covers 204 sq km (79 sq miles) of North Yorkshire countryside, nestled between the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York. It is a captivating landscape with its well-wooded rolling countryside, patchwork of arable and pasture fields, tranquil villages and historic country houses with classic parkland landscapes.
For further information and images please contact Amanda Brown at A2BPR on:
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E: amanda@a2bpr.co.uk
Or Nina Beadle, Communications Officer, North York Moors National Park Authority:
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E: press@northyorkmoors.org.uk
Or Andrew Fagg, Media Officer, at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
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E: andrew.fagg@yorkshiredales.org.uk