Northumberland is home to the largest dark sky park in Europe, where you can see some of the most beautiful stars in the darkest skies. Northumberland International Dark Sky Park was awarded Gold tier status in 2013, making it officially the best place in England for you to stargaze. Our Dark Sky Awards are designed to help you make small changes to your business in order to attract visitors who are interested in marvelling at our starry skies.

 

The awards are available in two different levels, giving all accommodation providers the opportunity to attract stargazing visitors and develop their offer. You can find out more about each of the award levels below, including how to apply.

Dark Sky Friendly
A Dark Skies Friendly Business. These are businesses that encourage visitors to experience our dark skies during their visit and help them to do this easily. (Click on the award logo to download the application form)

Dark Sky Stay & Gaze
A Dark Sky Stay and Gaze Business.  These businesses provide facilities for enjoying the night sky from their own premises. (Click on the award logo to download the application form)

 

Find out more about how you can gain a ‘Dark Sky Friendly’ or ‘Dark Sky Stay and Gaze’ designation in our ‘Dark Sky Friendly Fact Sheet'.

If you are based within the Dark Sky Park and would like to apply to be a Dark Sky Friendly Business or a Dark Sky Stay and Gaze Business please download the appropriate application form, fill in the details and email back to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You must have a listing on visitnorthumberland.com to be eligble to apply for an award and have agreed to our Customer Charter.

If you have met the criteria specified in the application form we will then add the relevant logo to your listing on visitnorthumberland.com, promote you in specific searches and send you a copy of the logo for you to use in your marketing activities.

Running Dark Sky Events

If you would like to run dark sky events for visitors or residents in your area, we now have fully trained ‘Star Makers’ to help you. These Star Makers have undergone training to allow them to offer engaging and informative events focused on Northumberland’s night skies. Below you can find details about each Star Maker, their qualifications and special interests. Please contact them direct to discuss the details of your planned event, availability and what costs will be involved.

Star Makers:

Michael Tweedy

Rod Hine

Simon Rowland

Roy Alexander