Lookout for Cumbria’s Dark Skies during February with lots happening to help people celebrate and care for our precious night skies.
Cumbria’s fourth Dark Skies Festival runs between 12 – 26 February 2022, with a diverse range of online and outdoor events to experience and be wowed at the wonders of the night sky environment. From canoeing on Coniston, forest walks in Grizedale and Whinlatter, seeing sea life in rock pools on the west coast, to learning to draw the night sky with pastels, how to run your own dark sky events and online Astronomy talks, there’s something for everyone, (see events list below).
Friends of the Lake District, Cumbria Tourism, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, the National Trust and the Lake District National Park Partnership work together with businesses, astronomy groups and local communities to produce the two week Dark Skies events programme.
Heather Wolfenden, Path to Adventure Director, who is running the Dark Sky Canoeing events, said: “We are really pleased to support the Dark Sky Festival again. It is a fabulous opportunity for people to get out and explore the lake by night in a canoe and something not many will have experienced. Senses are very much heightened by darkness and there is something totally magical about being under a starry sky whilst quietly canoeing along the water!”
You can view all events and book via www.darkskiescumbria.org.uk orhttps://www.visitlakedistrict.com/explore/dark-sky-cumbria/cumbria-dark-skies-festival
The Big Switch Off – 8pm Saturday 26 February
Cumbria Dark Skies Festival ends on Saturday 26 February, with The Big Switch Off, when residents, community groups, businesses, and Cumbria Country Council are all uniting to switch off the lights in Ambleside and Grasmere to reveal an amazing starscape above, as well as raising awareness about saving electricity.
The Switch Off begins from 8pm onwards, and we’re encouraging as many residents and businesses as we can to join in and turn off their lights overnight to see what a difference it makes to our view of the stars.
Too many lights are left on overnight when not needed, wasting energy, adding to electricity bills and releasing more carbon into the atmosphere at a time when we must urgently bring down climate changing emissions. Artificial light at night is harmful to many species of wildlife, can cause sleeping problems for people, eroding immune systems and long-term health, and creates light pollution wrecking our view of the stars.
The many different groups taking part in the Big Switch Off include businesses across Ambleside and Grasmere, Cumbria County Council, St. Mary’s Church Ambleside, Ambleside C of E Primary School, the Lakes Chamber of Trade and the University of Cumbria, plus lots of residents who are supporters of Ambleside Action For A Future.
Gillian Kelly, Ambleside Action For A Future (AAFAF) Coordinator promoting the Switch Off(2), said:
“Here in the heart of the beautiful Lake District we should be leading action to reduce our carbon footprint as individuals, visitors and as a community. We can reduce the wasteful use of energy and ask ourselves, do we really need so many lights on all through the night?
“We’re hoping The Big Switch Off will also encourage more home and business owners to install timers so their lights go off overnight when not needed, and, when the lights need to be on, be well shielded so the light beam shines downwards and not up into the night sky. Less light pollution and better dark skies will support all of our hospitality and visitor accommodation businesses.”
Cumbria Dark Skies Festival list of events
6pm, Sat 12 February Dark Skies Forest Walk, guided walk, Whinlatter
6pm, Mon 14 Feb Alien Worlds: Exoplanets! Prof Carole Haswell, online
7pm, Tues 15 In Search of Dark Skies Richard Darn, astronomer, online
4.45pm Wed 16 Dark Sky Canoeing, Path to Adventure, Coniston
5pm, Wed 16 Dark Skies Sunset Rockpooling, Parton Beach, Whitehaven
6.30pm Wed 16 Forest Bathing with the Snow Moon and Stars Delyth Johnson, Grizedale Forest
10am, Thu 17 Cyanotype Workshop, Pictures from the Forest Chris Routledge, Grizedale Forest
7pm Thur 17 Galaxy Tour, LUniverse, online planetarium
Sat 19 Feb Shona Branigan: Prints from the forest (20 minute sessions bookable between 10.30am – 3pm) Grizedale Forest
6pm, Sat 19 Forest bathing Invitation to connect to the elements Delyth Johnson, Grizedale
7pm, Sat 19 How to run stargazing events (even if you know nothing about astronomy!) Gary Linton, online
Sun 20 Feb The Bay: Dark Skies UV Rockpooling, Earnse Bay Walney Island
1pm Mon 21 Starscape Pastel Art Workshop Emma Hunt, Cockermouth
4.45pm Wed 23 Dark Sky Canoeing, Path to Adventure, Coniston
7pm, Wed 23 Dinner and Stargazing experience at the Inn on the Lake, Ullswater with Astronomer Rob Ince
7pm, Thur 24 Standing in the Shadow of the Moon Dave Whalley, online
6pm, Fri 25 Dark skies forest walk, guided Walk, Whinlatter Forest
8.30pm, Fri 25 Astrophotography workshop with Ben Bush, Grizedale Forest
10am, Sat 26 Cyanotype Workshop, Forest Landscape Chris Routledge, Grizedale Forest
8.30pm, Sat 26 Astrophotography workshop with Ben Bush, Grizedale Forest
From 8pm, Sat 26 Ambleside and Grasmere Big Switch Off Voluntary community lighting switch-off in Ambleside and Grasmere
For more about Friends of the Lake District’s work, the Dark Skies Cumbria project, and Festival see:www.darkskiescumbria.org.uk
