Stargazing Train to Run During North Pennines Stargazing Festival

The Weardale Railway's stargazing train is one of almost thirty activities taking place during the North Pennines Stargazing Festival this autumn. The festival runs from Friday 23rd October until Sunday 1st November during the school half term holiday.

The tenth North Pennines Stargazing Festival for 2026 has a packed programme of events for more experienced stargazers alongside those aimed at children and families. Activities include dark sky astronomy and stargazing nights at Grassholme Observatory, stargazing suppers (and family stargazing) at High Force and the Lord Crewe Hotel, a guided dark skies run, as well as the stargazing train on the Weardale Railway, which will run on Wednesday 28th October.

The experience starts at Stanhope Station with exciting space-themed activities for all the family, followed by a train ride departing at 6pm. You will then disembark at a unique location and enjoy stargazing using telescopes, whilst listening to experts from the Bishop Auckland Astronomical Society.

The North Pennines National Landscape team will be sharing astronomy tips and blogs on social media throughout the week to provide people with handy stargazing ideas, advice and things to look out for in the night sky.

Shane Harris, Responsible Tourism Lead with the North Pennines National Landscape team, said "2026 marks the tenth anniversary of the North Pennines Stargazing Festival. This year we have a range of events across the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark, which we hope will appeal to both local people and visitors. The North Pennines is the darkest mainland National Landscape and is one of the best places in the UK to enjoy stargazing. Our annual festival is designed to make it easier for people to celebrate the area’s fabulous starry skies."

More information about the various activities taking place during the North Pennines Stargazing Festival can be found at https://northpennines.org.uk/what_we_do/dark-skies/north-pennines-stargazing-festival/.

Pre-booking is essential for the Stargazing train as there are limited places available and we expect it to sell out quickly. In the event of cloudy skies the event will still go ahead, however the telescope experience will be replaced with an alternative activity. For more details and to book tickets please click here.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Millard