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The Cumbria Dark Skies Festival takes place annually in autumn and features a host of exciting events to celebrate the wonders of the night sky. The 2026 festival takes place between 23rd October - 20th November.
The winter months are a great time to take advantage of the longer nights, wrap up warm and spend time in the outdoors, getting closer to nature and really appreciating the dark sky above you.
Check out our Cumbria Dark Skies page containing lots more information about making the most of Cumbria's fabulous dark skies and find out more about events taking place over the coming months.
Find out more about Dark Skies Cumbria
Cumbria Dark Skies Festival is a collaboration of partners including Friends of the Lake District, Cumbria Tourism, Forestry England, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Lake District National Park. See the full programme below and make sure to check back here for the updated line up.
You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.
Number of results: 27
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Address
Carlisle Cathedral, Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TZTelephone
+441228548151The Abbey, Carlisle
Museum of the Moon is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit…
Address
Go Ape Whinlatter, Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
01603 895500Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite
Looking for unique things to do in the Lake District this October? Back by popular demand, Go Ape Whinlatter's Sundown Adventures offer a new level of forest fun in the evenings after dark. Experience the usual Go Ape thrills taken up a level as you…
Address
Grizedale Observatory, Grizedale Forest, Grizedale, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJGrizedale, Ambleside
Join us for an inspiring planetarium show guaranteed to leave you excited and hopeful for the future of spaceflight. We begin with a presentation in the lounge, before moving to our planetarium for a viewing of the movie “Back to the Moon for…
Address
Grizedale Observatory, Grizedale Forest, Grizedale, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJGrizedale, Ambleside
Join us for our planetarium show about one of the most fascinating and topical subjects in modern astronomy – dark matter. We start with a presentation in the lounge then move to the planetarium for a viewing of the movie “The Dark Matter Mystery”…
Address
Grizedale Observatory, Grizedale Forest, Grizedale, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJGrizedale, Ambleside
Our “Dark Sky Astronomy” events take place on moonless nights, providing the ideal conditions to explore the darkest skies. As your eyes adapt you’ll see the universe as you’ve never seen it before – a glittering tapestry of stars, galaxies,…
Address
Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TZTelephone
+441228548151Carlisle
Experience Museum of the Moon after hours and see Carlisle Cathedral in a whole new light. Atmospheric lighting and immersive soundscapes create a magical setting beneath the stunning lunar installation, making this a truly memorable evening.
At…
Address
Brown Howe Car Park, A5084, Coniston, Cumbria, LA12 8DWTelephone
01229 889183Coniston
Discover the Lake District after dark on an unforgettable canoe journey across beautiful Coniston Water. As daylight fades, paddle across the peaceful lake surrounded by the dramatic Coniston mountains and some of the Lake District's most…
Address
Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TZTelephone
+441228548151Carlisle
Join us for an enchanting evening of music, sung by the Carlisle Cathedral Cantate Children's Choir, beneath the glow of Museum of the Moon.
Tickets £15 Adults, £7.50 Children are available from www.carlislecathedral.org.uk/tickets
All profits…
Address
Brown Howe Car Park, A5084, Coniston, Cumbria, LA12 8DWTelephone
01229 889183Coniston
Discover the Lake District after dark on an unforgettable canoe journey across beautiful Coniston Water. As daylight fades, paddle across the peaceful lake surrounded by the dramatic Coniston mountains and some of the Lake District's most…
Address
Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TZTelephone
+441228548151Carlisle
Experience Museum of the Moon after hours and see Carlisle Cathedral in a whole new light. Atmospheric lighting and immersive soundscapes create a magical setting beneath the stunning lunar installation, making this a truly memorable evening.
For…
Address
Grizedale Observatory, Grizedale Forest, Grizedale, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJGrizedale, Ambleside
Join us for our planetarium show about a fascinating topic in astronomy. We begin with a presentation in the lounge, then moving to the planetarium for a viewing of the movie “Messengers of Space and Time”.
Messengers of Time and Space is a…
Penrith
Eden Valley and Penrith Astronomy Group have created an exhibition of Astrophotography for Rheged's Community Gallery Space, to coincide and celebrate Cumbria's Dark Skies Festival. This interactive exhibition will take you on a cosmic journey from…
Address
Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TZTelephone
+441228548151Carlisle
During Museum of the Moon, we are delighted to welcome Stuart Atkinson to the Cathedral for a series of fascinating space-themed talks and guided tours of the Moon. Stuart is a nationally recognised astronomy writer, outreach educator, amateur…
Penrith
Featuring the Cosmic Cumbria Astrophotography Exhibition launch, Film Premiere of Cumbria Night Skies and a talk by Professor Roger William Lewis Jones. This has been programmed to coincide with Cumbria Dark Skies Festival and the North Pennines…
Address
Another Place, The Lake, Another Place, The Lake, Lake District National Park, Another Place The Lake, Ullswater, Watermillock, Cumbria, CA11 0LPTelephone
01768 486442Another Place The Lake, Ullswater, Watermillock
Swim in the lake at night under The Milky Way, the glow of your light-up tow float keeping you company under the stars. Open water swimming specialist, Colin Hill, will be your guide in the water with you. Experience 20 – 40 mins in the water. The…
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
+447810890528Braithwaite, Keswick
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District
The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection, release, and renewal. At our special forest site in the Lake District, we gather in circle as women to honour the peak of the Moon's cycle and reconnect…
Address
Grizedale Forest, Grizedale, Hawkshead, Cumbria, LA22 0QJTelephone
03000674495Hawkshead
Join us for a magical guided evening walk through the forest.
Listen out for owls, learn about the wildlife in the forest and experience the wonders of the night sky. Finish with hot chocolate & marshmallows around a campfire.
Please bring…
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
01768778469Braithwaite, Keswick
Join us for a magical guided evening walk through the forest.
Listen out for owls, learn about the wildlife in the forest and experience the wonders of the night sky. Finish with hot chocolate & marshmallows around a campfire.
Please bring a…
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
07932 015383Braithwaite, Keswick
Join Jo from JAG Outdoors at Whinlatter for a walk around the forest at night.
The walk will cover 3-4 miles of trails enjoying the magic of the forest in the growing darkness using all our senses to explore the world after the sun sets. Weather…Address
Alston Moor Golf Club, The Hermitage, Middleton Road, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3DBTelephone
01388 528801Middleton Road, Alston
Join astronomers up at the Alston Moor Golf Club and Observatory for an exciting evening under the dark skies of the upper South Tyne Valley. This event is on Friday 30 October 2026.
Presentation: 'From an inch to forty meters the largest telescope…
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