Reaching for the stars with the 2021 Dark Skies Festival

THE Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks’ newly awarded International Dark Sky Reserve status warrants a celestial celebration during February’s festival, not least because many people have taken to walking under the night skies to help boost their wellbeing.

The whisper of crisp air on your face. The smell of damp earth. A rustle in the undergrowth. Even if we notice these happenings whilst walking during the day, it is more likely to be part of a fleeting thought process, whereas at night each sound, smell or touch seems to take on a much sharper focus.

“This is because sight, our primary sense, takes a back seat at night and lets the other senses have their moment,” explains Alison Goodwin, who runs Adventures for the Soul. “It means the things we hardly notice during the day suddenly grab our attention and make us more aware of the environment we’re walking in. In other words we become more mindful. The brain’s focus changes and rather than being distracted by thoughts and anything troubling us, we’re more likely to tune into our senses, which leaves us feeling invigorated and alive.”

Alison began running Twilight and Night Awe Walks with AFS Mountaineering in the North York Moors National Park last year, including during the first Dark Skies Fringe Festival in October, tapping into the nation’s reawakening of the simple delights that can be found in nature.

“One of the best things about walking mindfully in a beautiful landscape at night, particularly under a dark sky that is packed with stars, is that we can easily be awestruck,” Alison says. “There’s now a body of science supporting the importance of this feeling, not just for making us feel more positive but also to help us regain perspective on things in life.

“In fact one scientist believes we can experience awe every three days in everyday life if only we take the time to look for it. For instance staring up at a star-studded night sky, listening to the shrill screech of a barn owl, or simply enjoying the crunch underfoot from fallen leaves while walking at night. These are all powerful ways of reconnecting with, and being ‘wowed’ by nature, which then creates positive awe-inspired feelings as we realise that each one of us is just a small part of life itself.”

For Dr Fabian Seymour, a mountain guide who works with Alison leading the twilight walking groups, there is also a more practical reason for getting out after dark. “Even if you know spots such as Sutton Bank during the daytime, where it’s relatively straightforward to find your way around provided there’s good visibility, that very same location can test every element of your navigation skills at night,” he says.

Night Sky by Polly A Baldwin

“Once you have mastered those skills though, it can open up a whole new world of adventure where you can have places that are busy during the day all to yourself at night. On a clear night it is wonderful to see the arc of the Milky Way running overhead, but even on a cloudy starless evening, there’s something thrilling and mysterious about being out after dark.”

For him, the huge skies above Sutton Bank are a particular favourite, especially when combined with a walk down through ancient woodland to Gormire Lake, where it is possible to see planets and stars reflected from the sky onto the surface of the water.

Gareth Williams of Large Outdoors also runs night navigation and social walks at night, and he echoes the thoughts of both Alison and Fabian, adding that the experience of being out in the countryside at night, simple as it is, feels like you are embarking on a mini adventure. “We take groups of people out onto the moorland from the village of Lastingham and it really does recharge the senses as we venture into the wilds,” he says.

“There’s something so raw and fundamental about being out in the elements at night that taps into our inner being in a way that going to the gym for an evening’s workout probably doesn’t do. All our walks end up with a good level of camaraderie within the group.”

This year’s Dark Skies Festival is themed around Nature at Night, and runs from February 12-28 and coincides with half term. Due to the current restrictions, it will be an online event, and the programme includes expert astronomers, photographers and a prominent wildlife artist.

Families can listen to Dean Waters of the University of York talk about the ingenious ways that animals have adapted to the darkness, whether it’s bats making echolocation calls or the asymmetric ears of owls. Similarly, Dr Callum MacGregor of the University of Hull will shed light on the important contribution moths make to the ecosystem by nocturnally pollinating plants.

Viewers can also tune into Yorkshire-based wildlife artist Robert Fuller’s live webcam footage of owls and stoats.

“We’ve designed the virtual programme to reflect the broad range of interests and age groups of visitors that would ordinarily come along to the actual Dark Skies Festival in our National Parks," says Emily Watson, visitor development for the North York Moors National Park. “Each speaker is passionate about their subject and so it could be an ideal opportunity for families to use some of the sessions as part of the home schooling activity.

“Alternatively, switch off the TV and be prepared to be mesmerised by the fascinating details about darkness and space that our experts share before stepping outside and looking up at the dark sky with a sense of new-found awe.”

Visit the Dark Skies festival website for programme information and event booking.

darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk

adventuresforthesoul.co.uk

largeoutdoors.com