Gazing up at the stars has a way of making anyone question the wonders of the universe, and in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors national parks, you’re treated to some of the clearest night skies in the entire UK. Thanks to minimal light pollution and vast open landscapes, the region has been designated an International Dark Sky Reserve, joining an exclusive global family of protected Dark Sky Places.
Yorkshire’s national parks are home to some of the darkest skies in the world, where it’s possible to see thousands of stars, the Milky Way, meteors and even the Northern Lights on particularly clear nights. Unsurprisingly, the area has become a magnet for stargazers, photographers and night-sky enthusiasts.
From 13th February to 1st March 2026, the region will celebrate one of the UK’s best stargazing seasons with the return of the Dark Skies Festival. The 11-day programme features a packed schedule of events, including guided stargazing sessions, night walks, expert talks and practical workshops. Highlights include night-time photography tuition from local experts, guided evening moorland walks, astronomy talks with the Whitby Astronomical Society and themed events exploring the wider universe.
Residents and visitors alike are invited to learn, explore and look up together beneath truly dark skies. The Yorkshire Dales National Park and the neighbouring North York Moors are among only 25 International Dark Sky Reserves worldwide, together protecting an incredible 3,615km² of dark skies. This makes it the largest designated dark sky area in the UK and one of the biggest in Europe.
Other festival events include night-time fell running, photography workshops, canoeing in the dark, rocket-making sessions, nocturnal wildlife talks and a range of family-friendly activities. The Dark Skies Festival 2026 offers a rare opportunity to experience Yorkshire’s extraordinary night skies at their very best — a place where the stars truly steal the show.
You can check out the full list of events taking place here.
