Yorkshire stargazing stays are located within two International Dark Sky Reserves, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, and winter is the best time to book one because the nights are long and the air is crisp.
Most people book a Yorkshire cottage for the walk, the pub and the view from the window by day. They pack boots, not a red torch.
The better reason to book in winter is after dark. The North York Moors National Park Authority says the park was designated an International Dark Sky Reserve in December 2020 and that you can spy up to 2,000 stars at once in the darkest areas. The Yorkshire Dales were also designated a Dark Sky Reserve in 2020. Two reserves, and you do not need a telescope to use either.
The catch is where you sleep. A stay with a dark garden, no streetlights, and a field to stand in beats a town-centre hotel with a view of the same hills. These are the places that make sense, with what they cost, who they suit and what to know before you book.
Region: North Yorkshire, North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales Best for: Winter stargazing, dog-friendly breaks, budget stays Getting there: By car; dark sky sites are rural, with limited public transport after dark Time needed: A weekend, with two clear nights if you can manage it
Yorkshire Stargazing Stays: Two Reserves, One Winter Plan
The North York Moors is one of 27 International Dark Sky Reserves worldwide, according to the National Park Authority. Its own list of places to visit for dark skies is Danby Lodge National Park Centre, Sutton Bank National Park Centre, Dalby Forest and Ravenscar.
The Yorkshire Dales side has its own list. Go Stargazing names Malham Car Park as a Dark Sky Discovery Site, with Ribblehead Viaduct Car Park and the Hawes National Park Centre as Go Stargazing sites. Other listed sites include Buckden, Downholme Viewing Point, Druid’s Temple Car Park, Grimwith Reservoir, Kettlewell and the Tan Hill Inn.
Pick a base inside one reserve and keep your driving short.
Where to Stay: Town End Farm, Appleton-le-Moors. The Long Barn sleeps 14 in the North York Moors National Park.
Worth Knowing: The North York Moors Dark Skies Friendly scheme lists 49 businesses, and the park authority names Town End Farm Barn as a Champion with no lighting that could affect views of the stars.
Tan Hill Inn: Britain’s Highest Pub
Tan Hill sits at 1,732 feet (528 metres) above sea level, and its own site calls it Britain’s highest public house. It has 12 individually styled rooms and is very dog-friendly for well-behaved dogs. The address is Tan Hill, Reeth, Richmond, DL11 6ED.
Go Stargazing lists the inn as one of its stargazing sites in the Yorkshire Dales. The pub itself does not advertise stargazing, so treat it as a dark, high base with a bar to go back to rather than a star-party venue.
Book early for midwinter. There are only 12 rooms.
Where to Stay: Tan Hill Inn, Tan Hill, Reeth, DL11 6ED. Twelve rooms, a log-fire pub, and dogs welcome if they behave.
Worth Knowing: The Tan Hill site does not list room prices, so ask when you book.
Ashes Farm, Selside
For the budget end of the Dales, Ashes Farm at Selside near Settle is a 16th-century farmhouse bed and breakfast with three en-suite guest rooms, priced from £85 to £110 per night on its own site. It also lists self-catering lodges and a cottage.
Stargazing is part of the offer. The farm provides a Stargazing Hamper and Telescope Hire, and Go Stargazing lists it as a registered Dark Skies area with stargazing breaks timed to meteor showers. The 2026 Orionids meteor shower runs from 20 to 22 October.
It sits close to Ribblehead Viaduct and the Yorkshire Three Peaks, and the Settle to Carlisle Railway is nearby.
The B&B does not take dogs. The site says it is not suitable for them.
Where to Stay: Ashes Farm, Selside, Settle, BD24 0JB. Three en-suite B&B rooms, with telescope hire.
Worth Knowing: Ashes Farm also lists Perseids and Taurids stargazing breaks, so it plans its calendar around the sky.
YHA Grinton Lodge, Swaledale
YHA Grinton Lodge is the cheapest way into the Dales sky if you travel in a group. The hostel is a castle-like former hunting lodge built in 1817, on the southern slopes of Swaledale, about a 10-minute walk from Grinton village. It has 50 beds.
In winter, it is available for exclusive hire, with individual bookings available from late February, according to YHA. Exclusive hire is for groups of 16 to 77 on the YHA hostel page. Split the cost across a group, and it becomes a cheap base.
YHA says four of its hostels, Grinton Lodge among them, offer Dark Skies kits for hire, including monoculars, red-light torches, night sky guides and tarps. Dogs are not allowed, except in camping and cabin accommodations or on whole-building hire.
Where to Stay: YHA Grinton Lodge, Richmond, DL11 6HS. Private rooms, dormitories and a licensed bar.
Worth Knowing: YHA describes the Swaledale location as one of the best spots in the reserve for stargazing.
The Long Barn at Town End Farm
For a dog-friendly cottage break, the Long Barn at Town End Farm in Appleton-le-Moors is the clearest fit. The barn sleeps 14 across seven en-suite bedrooms, and the farm says dogs are very welcome by arrangement, up to four, with a welcome hamper. The courtyard gate can be closed to fully enclose the garden for dogs.
The farm’s page says that on clear, moonless nights the stars can be truly spectacular and the Milky Way may be visible. The courtyard is a good place to watch the sky. A village pub is about a five-minute walk.
Dogs must bring their own beds, stay off the furniture and cannot be left alone in the barn. They must be on a lead in the village because of free-roaming sheep.
It is built for groups, so split it between families. Prices are not listed on this page; check the booking page.
Where to Stay: Town End Farm, Appleton-le-Moors. The Long Barn has seven en-suite bedrooms and takes up to four dogs.
Worth Knowing: The farm also posts a guide to dog-friendly holidays on the North York Moors, covering its dog policy.
North York Moors Sites After Dark
Once you have a base, use the park’s own sites. Danby Lodge is a visitor centre with easy paths and dark sky viewing areas, according to GoYorkshire. Sutton Bank suits families and has panoramic horizons. Bridestones and Blakey Topping are open moorland that suit astrophotography, and Rievaulx Terrace gives Milky Way views above the abbey ruins.
Rosedale Chimney Bank is remote with minimal light pollution. GoYorkshire also lists Dalby Forest, where the Scarborough and Ryedale Astronomical Society runs star parties and hosts an annual three-night star camp called Starfest.
The Dark Skies Fringe Festival runs 23 October to 1 November 2026 across both reserves, according to the national park authority. Our guide to the Dark Skies Fringe Festival 2026 covers the closing weekend.
Where to Stay: Town End Farm, Appleton-le-Moors. Within the North York Moors National Park.
Worth Knowing: The big Dark Skies Festival is held each February; the 2026 edition ran from 13 February to 1 March.
Dales Sites After Dark
In the Dales, the listed sites are Malham Car Park, Ribblehead Viaduct Car Park, and the Hawes National Park Centre. Go Stargazing lists Dark Skies Night Hikes from 6pm to 10pm on 4 December at Buckden and on 6 December at Malham Car Park.
The Reeth Informal Astronomy Group meets at Fremington Village Hall from 8pm to 10pm, with the next meeting on 12 November.
Go Stargazing also lists Buckden, Downholme Viewing Point, Druid’s Temple Car Park, Grimwith Reservoir and Kettlewell as Dales sites.
Where to Stay: Tan Hill Inn, Tan Hill, Reeth, DL11 6ED. Twelve rooms at 1,732 feet.
Worth Knowing: The night hikes are listed for 4 and 6 December, so they fit a winter weekend.
Practical Tips
- Check the moon phase and the weather before you book. A new moon with a clear forecast beats any amount of luck.
- Bring a red-light torch, warm layers and a chair or blanket, as GoYorkshire advises. White light ruins your night vision.
- Use the AllTrails app to navigate to the car parks in daylight before you try them in the dark.
- Download a sky app such as SkySafari or Star Walk, both named by GoYorkshire.
- Winter is the crispest season, according to GoYorkshire, and long nights mean you do not have to stay up late.
Responsible Visiting
Keep lights low and torches red so you do not spoil other people’s night vision. Close gates, keep dogs on leads near sheep and leave no litter in the car parks.
Reader Q&A
Which Yorkshire Dark Sky Reserve is better, the Moors or the Dales?
Neither wins. Both are International Dark Sky Reserves, so choose by where you can get a room.
What is the cheapest stargazing stay?
Ashes Farm B&B is priced from £85 to £110 per night, and YHA Grinton Lodge is cheaper per head on group hire.
Which stays take dogs?
Tan Hill Inn takes well-behaved dogs, and the Long Barn at Town End Farm takes up to four by arrangement. Ashes Farm B&B and YHA Grinton Lodge, outside camping and cabins, do not.
How many stars can you see?
Up to 2,000 at once in the darkest areas of the North York Moors, according to the National Park Authority.
When is the Dark Skies Festival?
Each February. The 2026 edition ran from 13 February to 1 March, and the autumn Fringe runs from 23 October to 1 November.
Do I need a telescope?
No. The Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye on clear, moonless nights, according to Town End Farm.
Where to Stay
Tan Hill Inn, Reeth. Britain’s highest pub at 1,732 feet, with 12 rooms and dogs welcome.
Ashes Farm, Selside. Three en-suite B&B rooms from £85 to £110, with telescope hire.
YHA Grinton Lodge, Swaledale. A former hunting lodge, built in 1817, available for exclusive hire in winter.
Town End Farm, Appleton-le-Moors. The Long Barn sleeps 14 and can take up to 4 dogs.
Turn the torch off, give your eyes ten minutes, and the moor fills in.
More Yorkshire in the dark: Dark Skies Fringe Festival 2026 | Historic Yorkshire Villages
