Look Up: Where to Find the UK's Darkest Skies This Autumn

As the evenings draw in, more of us are planning trips around what happens after sunset. Interest in UK stargazing holidays has grown by around half over the last five years, according to Google Trends data analysed by kate & tom's, and the wider term 'astrotourism' has also hit 'breakout' status compared with the five years before it.

The biggest spike arrived with August's solar eclipse. Searches for stargazing holidays reached breakout at exactly that moment, climbing by more than 5,000%.

The timing could hardly be better. The National Parks Dark Skies Festival is back this October, inviting families to wrap up warm and celebrate Britain's darker landscapes through guided stargazing, astronomy, night walks, wildlife spotting and photography. To help plan an autumn escape, kate & tom's travel expert Andy Brooker has set the latest search figures against light-pollution data to show where the UK's best night skies really are.

Why we're all looking up

For Andy, the appeal is simple: we've had enough of our screens. Endless scrolling and carefully curated feeds leave little room for real connection with the world around us, and a clear night sky offers the opposite. "Looking up at the sky and truly observing something so much bigger than us can feel very freeing," he says, adding that it has a way of shrinking everyday worries down to size.

He believes the eclipse rekindled our curiosity for something mysterious and otherworldly, but that the data points to more than a passing moment. People are now actively seeking out holidays built around the night sky.

Interestingly, the places we search for most are not always the darkest. The Yorkshire Dales leads on search interest, while Exmoor wins on low light pollution. Andy's advice for the astrotourism-curious is to put darkness first and not overlook the quieter spots, such as Cranborne Chase and Bodmin Moor, which can deliver an equally memorable night under the stars with far fewer people around.

Exmoor National Park: the darkest of them all

According to LightPollution.org, nowhere in the UK has lower light pollution than Exmoor. It also ranks third for search interest in the Google Trends comparison, with an 18% share.

This autumn is an especially good moment to visit. The Exmoor Dark Skies Festival celebrates its tenth year from 16 October to 1 November 2026, with a programme that spans astronomy sessions and planetarium shows, e-bike rides after dark, bioluminescence walks, UV rock pooling and moonlit dips in the pool. There is something to suit every age, which makes it a natural pick for families.

Andy points out that Exmoor rewards daytime exploring just as much, from its dramatic coastal cliffs to open moorland and peaceful ancient woods. That balance means the darkness becomes part of the whole holiday rather than a one-off outing.

Yorkshire Dales: the nation's favourite

When it comes to what Britain is searching for, the Yorkshire Dales comes out on top with a 33% share of interest in the comparison. It also sits among the UK's destinations with low levels of light pollution, so popularity doesn't come at the cost of a good view.

The National Park's Dark Skies Fringe Festival runs from 23 October to 1 November, bringing stargazing, night photography and accommodation that suits dark-sky stays.

Andy rates the Dales as an easy introduction for beginners. His suggestion is to pair a countryside stay with at least one organised event, so there is an expert on hand to explain what you are seeing, rather than heading out alone and hoping the conditions play along.

Northumberland: the dedicated stargazer's secret

Northumberland ranks among the UK's least light-polluted places according to LightPollution.org, with the remote East Kielder Moors standing out in particular. It is also home to the country's largest Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park, where 572 square miles of night sky are protected and almost free of artificial light.

Despite those credentials, it barely registers in Google searches. That makes it one of the true unsung heroes of British stargazing, and a rewarding choice for anyone serious about seeing the sky at its very best.

North York Moors: an outdoor adventure after dark

With a 13% share of search interest and low light pollution to match, the North York Moors is set to be a popular choice this dark-sky season. Its strength lies in letting you shape an entire trip around time outdoors, rather than squeezing in a single astronomy session.

The Moors' own Dark Skies Fringe Festival also runs from 23 October to 1 November 2026, covering stargazing, night navigation, photography and more. Highlights this year include guided stargazing at Danby Lodge, night photography and walks where the stars themselves show the way. It is a properly immersive experience and a particularly good one for children.

Eryri: mountains by day, stars by night

Eryri National Park counts among the world's leading dark-sky destinations, thanks to a rugged landscape with so few people that light pollution stays exceptionally low. It is also one of the most searched-for places in the data, taking a 24% share of relative interest.

Eryri shows how stargazing breaks have grown into something bigger than astronomy alone. Days can be spent among dramatic mountain scenery, with spectacular skies waiting once the sun sets. For families after a stargazing trip that feels like a real adventure, rather than an evening at the end of a telescope, the peaks make the darkness feel all the more immersive.

Choosing your night sky

Whether you're drawn to the darkest skies in the country, a beginner-friendly break with expert guidance or a mountain adventure, there is a dark-sky destination to match. With several festivals overlapping across late October and the start of November, this half term could be the perfect time to switch off the screens, look up and see the stars together.

Ollēdi © 2026

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