Cumbria's dark skies allow us to see the natural wonder of the stars, but are also critical for the health wildlife and our own natural well-being. Sadly light pollution in Cumbria is increasing each year, threatening to obscure our view of the stars and blinding and confusing animals so they can’t feed or find a mate. We need urgent action now to stop light pollution. Stargazers, photographers, wildlife lovers and local communities… please help.
Or you can give by text to 70085. Just message DARKSKIES along with your chosen donation amount (eg DARKSKIES 5 to donate £5). Standard message rates apply.
The Lake District and Cumbria offers some of the most spectacular and precious skyscapes in England and we want you to join us on an interstellar adventure. Download our Dark Sky Discovery Pack and get started today!
Community groups, residents, businesses and Cumbria Highways are taking part in the first lighting ‘Big Switch Off’ in Ambleside on Saturday 10 April, from 9.30pm onwards overnight. Read more
Work is nearing completion on Cumbria County Council’s exciting street light replacement and improvement programme, a major countywide project to replace over 45,000 street lights with more efficient and cost effective LED technology. Read more
A landscape pastel artist living in Egremont, with an incurable and painful disability. The beautiful dark skies in our county helped me to discover the benefit of creativity when coping with chronic pain and improving mental health. It forged a career and many charitable ventures in 18 short months. Read more
The Dark Skies Cumbria Festival, entertained, educated and wowed participants with amazing night sky images and mind-blowing space facts. Read more
Two-thirds of bird migration takes place during darkness, mainly to avoid predation. It has long been known that artificial light sources can cause migratory birds to lose their ability to orientate and navigate. Read more
Participants from Cumbria needed to help map the night sky. From 6-14 February, we are asking people to count stars from their garden or window as part of the annual nationwide star count. Read more
A terror of the dark when I was four Brought crawling creatures all around my bed; I’d lie awake, await the tiger’s tread, Smell spiders crammed behind the wardrobe door. Read more
The Cumbria Dark Skies Festival promises to light up our February evenings with a spectacular array of online events celebrating the wonders of the night sky. Read more
If you have attended one of our Dark Skies presentations, please tell us what you thought here. Read more
Covid has impacted on all our lives. Cancelled holidays and freedom of movement restrictions have had a devastating impact on our tourism businesses. We think Dark Skies Tourism could help. Read more
Cumbria Wildlife Trust Wildlife Watch leaders took some young detectives along the River Kent in Kendal to track down bats feeding themselves up before their winter hibernation. Watch the film. Read more
Autumn has crept up on us and nights are drawing in. Yet getting outside is even more crucial for mental well-being in anxious times. Night time photography using digital cameras and affordable telescopes is a great excuse to venture out. Read more