Northumberland's countryside is a beautiful tapestry of heather-clad moors, rolling hills, and ancient meadows. There are intriguing castles to explore and the crumbling remains of fortifications reveal the county's rich history. But to see one of the county's best attractions, you'll have to look up at the spectacular show in the skies.
Northumberland has extremely low levels of light pollution, meaning the county has the most pristine dark skies in England. This makes it one of the best places in the country to discover the night sky and go stargazing.
On this trip, you'll experience spine-tingling moments in the company of an expert astronomer, Richard Darn. You'll learn all about the awe-inspiring sights you'll see in the Northumberland skies from Richard, who is part of the team that gained International Dark Sky Reserve status for the Northumberland Dark Sky Park.
There are visits to two observatories to look forward to, where you'll access telescopes and binoculars and wander outside under the sparkling skies to see amazing constellations with the naked eye. While at the observatories, there'll be illuminating talks, workshops, and demonstrations with professionals to teach you more about the beauty of the skies above. Between observatory trips, you'll visit one of England's most iconic historical attractions, Hadrian's Wall.
Your accommodation for this trip is the Twice Brewed Inn, a welcoming pub hotel near Hadrian's Wall, surrounded by beautiful scenery in the heart of rural Northumberland. Dine on hearty, home-cooked food and sample their selection of home-brewed ales and spirits. Get cosy by the open fire, sip a pint in the beer garden and discover the onsite Brew House and Dark Skies Observatory.
With numerous TV and radio appearances to his credit, Richard remains a stargazer at heart who loves to share his passion for the heavens.
Today you'll arrive in Hexham, where your stargazing adventure begins. You'll meet the rest of the group at the Twice Brewed Inn, a welcoming pub hotel that will be your base as you explore Northumberland.
You'll have dinner at the hotel tonight with your guide and expert astronomer Richard Darn. Before your first starry encounter this evening, there'll be a quick introduction talk about the local area.
After dinner, you'll head to the Twice Brewed Observatory for a private visit and a talk, so you can learn more about astronomy in Northumberland.
After breakfast, meet your guide, coach and driver for a tour of the surrounding area including a visit to the Roman Vindolanda Fort Museum, Roman Army Museum and Hadrian's Wall site.
You'll return to the hotel for dinner (not included) before travelling to the Kielder Observatory with Richard. The visit will include a full tour of the facility and the equipment and explanations of how the telescopes and robotic mounts work. Most importantly, there'll be plenty of opportunity for stargazing, using the large telescopes for objects like the planets, star clusters, the moon and step outside to view with the naked eye, looking at constellations, satellites and the Milky Way.
You'll have breakfast at the hotel before checking out as your trip comes to an end.
A popular country pub and bed & breakfast in the heart of rural Northumberland.
Set just a stone's throw away from Hadrian's Wall, Twice Brewed Inn is surrounded by some of England's most breathtaking scenery. An ideal pitstop for walkers and families, enjoy home-cooked food and an impressive selection of home-brewed ales and spirits both on tap and in store. Get cosy by the fire, savour a pint in the beer garden and discover the onsite Brew House and Dark Skies Observatory.
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