Dark Skies in the North York Moors National Park

Dark skies in the North York Moors make it a great choice for stargazing!

The lack of light pollution means the night skies are lit up by beautiful stars and you can see up to ten times as many as you would in the city (up to 20,000 on a clear night).

Now that the nights are starting to get darker, it’s the perfect time of year to get your binoculars out, look up to the sky and be mesmerised by its spectacular beauty.

Dark Sky Discovery Sites

There are two National Park Centres in the North York Moors – you’ll find one at Sutton Bank and one at Danby and both have been named as Dark Skies Discovery Sites.

The third official Discovery Site is at the Dalby Forest observatories (it was made official during BBC2’s Stargazing Live in January 2013) and all three of these sites have Milky Way status.

Other locations to try

You can spot stars throughout the North York Moors – remember the key to great stargazing is really dark skies so places with little to no light pollution are best.

Recognised places to try include Rievaulx Terrace near Helmsley plus Boggle Hole and Ravenscar on the coastline.

Where to stay

Gorgeous Cottages have lots of cottages throughout the North York Moors including:

The Potting Shed

You can enjoy a special stargazing package with an expert astronomer at The Potting Shed. The evening includes a warming meal (served alfresco) with fire pits, sheepskins and blankets to keep you toasty as you gaze into the night skies. Find out more.

Gateways

This gorgeous three-bedroom property is close to Dalby Forest so perfectly placed for a spot of stargazing. Find out more.

Egton Cottage

This lovely property is close to the coast (great for trying to spot the Northern Lights) and the National Park Centre at Danby. Find out more

For more information on any of our luxury North York Moors Holiday Cottages, please give the team a call on 01642 263 249.