The dark sky above the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of the most beautiful and darkest in the country.
Being free from light pollution, it is the perfect place for families to stargaze.
Now, visitors to one of the area’s top tourist attractions are being invited to view the stars from a canoe at Scar House Reservoir as part of the seventh Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Park Dark Skies Festival.
How Stean Gorge is hosting a series of activities and pizza nights for the festival, which is returning from February 18 until March 6 after it was forced to go virtual last year due to covid restrictions.
It comes after the Yorkshire Dales National Park was officially granted the status of an ‘International Dark Sky Reserve’ at the end of 2020, making it one of the best places in the world to view the skies above.
Astronomy lovers will be able to glide and paddle a rafted canoe on the reservoir, one of three Dark Sky Discovery Sites in the Nidderdale AONB, surrounded by the moon and the stars.
Tony Liddy, head of outdoor education and estates manager at How Stean Gorge, said:
“Scar House Reservoir is one of the darkest places in the UK because there is no light pollution. When the weather is on your side, you can go up there and it is perfect – flat and calm and not a cloud in the sky.
“We do the trips with small numbers, with 16 for each trip, which last around 90 minutes. Saturdays have been booking up fast, so we have opened bookings for Fridays.
“The canoes are rafted together and you head out in groups of six or eight with an instructor. You can then use a pre-downloaded app on your phone to look at the constellations.
“Children from age seven can do the canoeing, so it’s great to do with the kids. Families often come back and do the other activities at How Stean.”
The canoe trips, which will be weather dependent, will take place in February from 7pm until 8.30pm on Saturday 19, Friday 25 and Saturday 26 and in March on Friday 4, Saturday 5, Friday 11 and Saturday 12.
If the canoeing is unable to go ahead, alternative activities, including gorge walking or caving, will be provided.
An International Dark Sky Reserve (IDA) is defined as a ‘public or private land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment.’
Other sites that have protected status include the Grand Canyon and Death Valley National Parks in America, Mont-Mégantic National Park in Canada and NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia.
For more information and to book click here.
