Dark Skies Festival: Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Fringe Festival returns from 24 October to 2 November 2025, offering stargazers the chance to experience the wonders of the night sky in one of the UK’s most stunning upland landscapes.

As an International Dark Sky Reserve, the Dales is renowned for its clear, unpolluted skies and magical scenery—perfect for exploring by moonlight.

This year’s Fringe Festival features guided walks, hands-on astronomy, family craft sessions, and immersive storytelling, all hosted by Dark Skies Friendly businesses across the National Park.

With plenty of cosy places to stay and local experts to guide the way, it’s a chance to linger longer and connect with the cosmos.

Running alongside the North York Moors Dark Skies Festival, the two events offer parallel programmes across both National Parks.

EVENT SCHEDULE

• Dark Skies Orionid Meteor Shower Stay – 21–23 Oct, Yorkshire Dales
  Self-guided stargazing break in a countryside lodge or cottage, timed for the peak of the Orionids meteor shower.
• New Moon Night Skies Stargazing Experience – 21–23 Oct, nr Settle
  Two-night stay with optimal dark skies for beginners to learn basic constellations and enjoy starlit views.
• Astronomy Rambles & Supper – 24 Oct, Dales venue TBC
  An evening with “The Rambling Astronomer” Martin Lunn MBE, paired with a two-course meal by Chef Bruce Elsworth.
• Magical Malham Cove Night Walk – 25 Oct, Malham
  A 5-mile starlit walk uncovering myths, moonlit trails, and the magic of Malham’s limestone landscape.
• Malham Full Moon Experience – 25 Oct, Janet’s Foss, Malham
  A guided night walk exploring folklore and full moonlight around this atmospheric woodland waterfall.
• The Curse of the Cosmos – 25–30 Oct, Lime Tree Observatory, Ripon
  An immersive evening of space-themed storytelling and stargazing in a fully equipped planetarium setting.
• Dark Skies Family Crafting – 29 Oct, 1pm–4pm, Dales Museum (venue TBC)
  Drop-in session of hands-on space-themed activities for families, included in museum entry.
• SOLD OUT – Bolton Abbey Dark Skies – 30 Oct, Bolton Abbey
  A guided evening of stargazing with astronomer Richard Darn—one of the festival’s most popular events.

Further events continue into November, including:

• A Night with the Stars at Stump Cross Caverns – 7 & 21 Nov, nr Pateley Bridge
• New Moon Stargazing Experience – 21–23 Nov, nr Settle
• Stories of the Night Sky at Malham Tarn – 29 Nov, National Trust Malham Tarn Estate

Please note: dates, times, and booking links are subject to change.