North Pennines Stargazing Festival

North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2026

The North Pennines Stargazing Festival is back for 2026 – running between Friday 16 October and Sunday 1 November. This year is the tenth edition of the annual festival. 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.

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 (apart from the Creatures of the night trail at Bowlees Visitor Centre) – see individual events for ticket booking links.

The festival programme:

Dark sky astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Fri 16/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Experience our Milky Way, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Fri 16/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Stargazing supper at High Force, High Force Hotel (Teesdale) – Fri 16/10/2026, 6 to 8.30pm and 8.30 to 11pm

Creatures of the night trail, Bowlees Visitor Centre (Teesdale) – Sat 17/10/2026 to Sun 1/11/2026, 10am to 4pm

Family astronomy at Grassholme Observatory, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sat 17/10/2026, 6 to 7.30pm

Dark sky astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sat 17/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Stargazing supper at High Force, High Force Hotel (Teesdale) – Sat 17/10/2026, 6 to 8.30pm and 8.30 to 11pm

Aurora night, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sun 18/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Introduction to astrophotography, Carrshield Village Hall (West Allen Valley, Northumberland) – Tue 20/10/2026, 7 to 9pm

Dark skies run, Bowlees Visitor Centre (Teesdale) – Wed 21/10/2026, 7 to 9.30pm

Astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Wed 21/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Why space travel is hard – talk and stargazing, Langdon Beck Hotel (Teesdale) – Thur 22/10/2026, 7 to 10pm

Astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Thur 22/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Star camp, Doe Park Caravan Site (Cotherstone, Teesdale) – Fri 23/10 to Sun 25/10/2026

Saturn – Lord of the Rings, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Fri 23/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sat 24/10/2026 – 8 to 11pm

Discover the creatures of the night – family-friendly night walk, Bowlees Visitor Centre (Teesdale) – Tue 27/10/2026, 7 to 9pm

Stargazing on the Weardale Railway, Weardale Railway (Stanhope Station, Weardale) – Wed 28/10/2026, 5.30 to 8.30pm

Family stargazing at High Force, High Force Hotel (Teesdale) – Thur 29/10/2026, 6 to 8pm

Stargazing supper – A moment for the moon (residential), High Force Hotel (Teesdale) – Thur 29/10/2026, 9.30 to midnight

Astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Thur 29/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Stargazing at the Lord Crewe, Lord Crewe Hotel (Blanchland) – Fri 30/10/2026, 7 to 10pm

Alston Moor stargazing, Alston Moor Observatory (Alston Moor Golf Club, nr Alston) – Fri 30/10/2026, 7 to 9.30pm

Astronomy and stargazing, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Fri 30/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Family astronomy at Grassholme Observatory, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sat 31/10/2026, 6 to 7.30pm

Saturn – Lord of the Rings, Grassholme Observatory (Baldersdale, Teesdale) – Sat 31/10/2026, 8 to 11pm

Lantern making and night-time mine trip, The Hive/Nenthead Mines (Nenthead, Cumbria) – Sun 01/11/2026, 4.30 to 7.30pm

Lantern making and night-time mine trip, The Hive/Nenthead Mines (Nenthead, Cumbria) – Sun 01/11/2026, 6 to 9pm

If you would like to be kept up to date with the work of the North Pennines National Landscape and things to see and do in the area, including stargazing – sign up to receive our enewsletters here.