Designated an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2020, Sutton Bank, Danby and Dalby Forest in the North York Moors are all Dark Sky Discovery Sites, so called because the Milky Way is often visible with the naked eye, as is the Andromeda Galaxy, a spiral galaxy made up of 300bn suns and many planets, which is the farthest object a human eye can see without a telescope.
The South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve worked hard to achieve and maintain dark sky status, passionately believing the skies are just as important to protect as the rolling hills below.
Exmoor was designated Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve in 2011 and, on a clear night, thousands of stars and astronomical sights can be seen from the open moorlands and heaths of this protected parkland.
Dark sky rangers are on hand at Galloway Forest Park to explain the wonder of seeing more than 7,000 stars on a clear night.
Moffat, just over an hour away, is also worth a visit: Europe’s first dark sky town, it has special street lighting designed specifically to keep light pollution to a minimum.
.gif?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
