“The stars are a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always something bigger and more beautiful to strive for.”
― Ajaz Ahmad Khawaja

Living in Northumberland, with its pristine dark skies, is a privilege and not one that we ever take for granted. Having been born and raised in a city, I have always been astounded by the huge difference of the night sky in the darkness of the countryside, compared to the city.

Stargazing is just another part of living in the countryside, along with fresh air, a slower pace of life and incredible views.

When I designed the Hiddle Hut, I knew that stargazing was something that our guests would also love to do and so a stargazing roof above the bed, picture windows upstairs and a covered deck for viewing the sky in all weathers were all on my essentials list.

Within the hut there is a comprehensive stargazing pack with guides, links to websites and apps, star charts, binoculars and a red-light torch as well as cushions and blankets to use outside. We also provide our guests with information on stargazing events and sites to visit and can provide guests with a checklist of what to bring to enjoy the night skies.

Stargazing at the Hiddle Hut means that you have all of the essential facilities that you need and if you get cold you can nip back in to the cabin for a hot drink and warm up by the log burner before going out to explore again.

There are also lots of outdoor stargazing events in our local area as well as observatories where you can book events and use specialised equipment under the guidance of experts.

Only three miles from the Hiddle Hut is the Twice Brewed Inn which hosts outdoor stargazing events and a newly built interactive indoor Planetarium where there are almost daily events.   

Walltown Country park and Cawfields Quarry, which are both a short drive from the Hiddle Hut are just two of the Dark Sky Discovery Sites within the Northumberland National Park. Here you will be away from any local light pollution, they provide good sightlines of the sky and have good public access. The sites are generally freely accessible at all times. They are easy to find and some of them have star maps in place to help you to find key stars and constellations. A number of others have 24-hour toilets and host public events throughout the year.

Kielder Observatory is only an hour’s drive from the Hiddle Hut. Open all year round, weather permitting and located in the heart of Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and in the largest gold-tier dark sky park in Europe, thanks to minimal light pollution. They run events all year round for people from all backgrounds; winter nights are darkest and best for viewing deep sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae, while in summer you can view star clusters, shooting stars and the moon and the sun’s surface.

Drop us a comment if you have any further questions about stargazing at the Hiddle Hut!