THE Cumbrian Dark Skies Festival dates have been announced for February 2022.

The festival will return on February 12 and run until February 26.

The event promises a stellar program that brings art, outdoor adventure, and astronomy experts together to reveal the county’s famously dark skies, both in person and online.

The two-week festival will celebrate its fourth instalment this year and will bring a wide array of starlit events held across the county, allowing people of all ages to celebrate Cumbria’s magical stargazing opportunities and connect with the landscape after dark.

Cumbria Tourism, Forestry England, Friends of the Lake District, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and the Lake District National Park Partnership work in collaboration to bring the busy festival line-up to life, and they have some exciting new additions for 2022 including UV rockpooling on the West Coast, where starry-eyed adventurers can discover the weird and wonderful marine-life that sparkle after dark.

Gill Haigh, Managing Director, Cumbria Tourism says, "Cumbria easily outshines the city-lights for a winter break, with thousands of stars visible on a clear night and the milky way stretching majestically above. February’s festival programme is bigger than ever, and visitors will be spoilt for choice with such a fabulous array of events hosted right across the county.”

Astrophotography workshops, divine starlit dinners, and online planetarium shows will also be part of the programme, plus ‘The Big Switch Off’ held in Ambleside and Grasmere where residents, businesses, community groups and Cumbria County Council are joining forces to switch off the lights to better showcase the vast galaxy above.

Night-time canoeing with Path to Adventure will also be on offer this year due to its incredibly high popular demand, offering a unique opportunity to enjoy a tranquil guided paddle across Coniston Water at sunset – discovering hidden coves and remote islands along the way and identifying the constellations that stretch majestically above as the night draws in.

Stargazers can tour the galaxy at one of the many engaging online events hosted by expert astronomers, including ‘Alien Worlds’ and ‘Standing in the Shadow of the Moon’.

Visitors to Cumbria can find a selection of accredited ‘dark sky friendly’ accommodation providers that provide unrivalled dark sky viewing and unique stargazing break packages.

Many local businesses are also offering bookable stargazing packages throughout the winter, such as the use of high-quality telescopes, night-sky maps, waterproof rugs and hot chocolate, for the ultimate stargazing experience.

For information on the festival visit https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/explore/dark-sky-cumbria/cumbria-dark-skies-festival.