AnnualPublicinterestinNorthumberland’sdarkskiesshowsnosignofslowingdown.Thisyear,wehaveheardexcitingnewplansbyKielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietytodeveloptheirfacility,andseentheopeningoftheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentreonHadrian’sWall,whichwillalsohostmanymorestargazingandbusinesstrainingeventsinfuture.NorthumberlandCountyCouncilhavecontinuedwiththeirreplacementstreetlightingscheme,andatamorelocallevel,plansareafoottoengagewithlandownersandresidentsintheDarkSkyParktopromotebestpracticeinthedesignandinstallationofdark-skyfriendlyoutsidelighting.

1.ENJOYTHEDARKNESS

InthedarkabouttheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentre

Aftermanyyearsofplanning,consultationandconstruction,theSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentreopenedtothepublicon29July2017.

Sinceitopened,TheSillhaswelcomedmorethan30,000visitorsthroughitsdoors.BuiltbytheNationalParkAuthority,thisiconicbuilding,islocatedrightontheboundaryofHadrian’sWallWorldHeritageSite,andhostsapermanentexhibitionthatcelebratesournaturalandculturallandscapes(includingasectionaboutourdarkskies),acafe,alearningcentre,aruralbusinesshub,ashop,awalk-ongrassroofthatleadstoaviewingplatform(day&night),aswellasan86-bedyouthhostel,runbytheYouthHostelAssociation(England&Wales).FundedgenerouslybytheHeritageLotteryFund,itaimstowelcome,accommodateandinspirethenextgenerationofvisitorstobecomeawareofandcareourheritage,includingtheneedtoconserveourbeautifuldarkskies.Thiswinter,itwillhostourstargazingprogrammeincludingastro-photographyworkshopsandtourismbusinesstrainingseminars.Lookoutforoureventsat:www.thesill.org.uk

Annual Report 2017

(c)WilCheung

KielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietyReport

KielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietyisverypleasedtoannouncethatoverthepastyearithasseen96.8%occupancy;aclearindicationofthepopularityofthefacility,andcontinuingatrendthatisincreasingyear-on-year.Whatisperhapsmoresignificantandsatisfyingthough,arethemanypositivetripadvisorreviewsreceivedbytheObservatoryanditsteamofdedicatedstaffandvolunteers,whichpaintsahealthypictureforthefuture.Asnapshotofkeysuccesses,KOAS:• nowemploys9full-timestaff• deliversmorethan650eventseveryyear• hasraised£250,000tobuildanewastro

imaging/researchfacility(currentlyunderconstruction)

• isdevelopingascienceinitiativewithlocaleducatorstoassistintheteachingofastronomy

• hasthemostadvancedsuiteofinstrumentsandobservatoryoutsideofacademiaintheUK

• welcomedmorethan20,000visitorslastyear• has5astrophysicistsonitsacademicstaffFormoreinformationabouteventsattheKielderObservatory,goto:https://www.kielderobservatory.org

MakingastarappearanceThroughouttheyear,wehavetakenourLunt80mmsolarscopetoanumberoflocaleventsandfestivals,mainlytoshowvisitorssomethingtrulymemorable,butalsotoengagethemabouttheDarkSkyPark,ontheirdoorstep.

ThesehaverangedfromaFarmersMarketinthecentreofHexhamonaSaturdaymorning,toaRomanCavalryre-enactmentintheCityofCarlisle,whichliestothewestoftheDarkSkyParkboundary,seebelow.

ManyattendinganumberofsportingeventsintheDarkSkyParkhavealsoseenthebeautyofthenightskiesabovethem.ThisSeptember,wepackeda10”dobintothebackofthevan,andcampedoutwith400MTBriderstakingpartintheNaughtyNorthumbrianMTBEnduroevent.Allwholookedthroughthetelescopewerecaptivatedbytheclarityofthedarkskiesabove,manyhavingtravelledfromlight-pollutedcitiestoattendtheevent,nowpromisingtoreturn.

IncreasingstarappealNorthumberlandTourismLtd,oneofthekeymembersoftheNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkySteeringGrouphascontinuedtopromoteNorthumberland’s“darkside”initsautumn/wintermarketingcampaignfor2016/17.Thefindingsfromtheevaluationresearchhighlightedsomeinterestingresults,includingaKloutscoreof72%,showingahighlevelofengagementwithouraudiencesonthethemeofdarkskiesandstargazing.78%ofrespondentstothesurveywhohadvisitedNorthumberlandcamebetweenSeptemberandMarchandtheaveragetotalspendpervisitwas£730,showingthatdarkskiestourismiscontributingtothelocaleconomyandhelpingtoreduceseasonality.

Tourismbusinessescontinuetoseethelight!TheDark-SkyfriendlyschemeinitiatedbyNorthumberlandTourismLtdisstillbeingpromotedtoruralaccommodationproviders.AsnapshotsurveyundertakenbytheNationalParkAuthorityofaccreditedbusinesseshashighlightedaneedformorestargazingeventstobehostedinthenorthandeastoftheDarkSkyPark,andadditionalbusinesstrainingworkshops.Withthatinmind,theAuthoritywillbeorganisingtwomore‘StarTipsforProfit’workshopswithastronomer,RichardDarnonthe18thNovemberand12thFebruary2018.Moredetailswillbepostedonourwebsite:https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on

2)KEEPTHEDARKNESS

PlannersshineinthedarkTheNationalParkAuthorityplanningteamhascontinueditsvigilanceondevelopmentintheNationalPark,usingtheopportunitywhenofferingpre-applicationadvicetodevelopers,tobeawareoftheDarkSkyParkconditionsandadvisingthemontheirneedforanduseofappropriateoutsidelightingintheirproposals.AnexamplebeingtheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentre,asignificantdevelopment,whichfollowingplanningguidance,onlyrequiredafewfully-shieldeddown-litbollardstolightthefootpathstothefrontofthebuilding.Nootherexternallightingwasnecessary.Otherdevelopmentreceivingadviceincludedanewmicro-brewery,whereonlyfully-shieldedlightingwasallowed,andalodgedevelopmentinBellingham,wherecar-parklightingwasreducedinheightandalowerlumenoutputagreedupon.AdvicewasalsogiventodevelopersofnewholidaylodgesinKieldertoensurethattheiroutsidelightswerecompliant.

InvitingotherstothedarksideTheLocalPlanformsthebasisfordeterminingplanningapplicationswithintheNationalPark.TheAuthorityiscurrentlyreviewingtheexistingLocalPlanandisrunningsixcommunityconsultationeventsinOctober.AswellaspromotingourGoodPracticeGuideForOutsideLightinginNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkyParktothoseattending,wewillalsobedisplayingdifferentlightingfixturestopromotebestpractice.

EuropeanDarkSkiesConferenceGallowayandSouthernAyrshireBiosphere,inpartnershipwithGallowayForestDarkSkyParkandwiththesupportoftheIDA,heldthefirstEuropeanDarkSkiesConferenceonthe20th–22ndSeptemberatGatehouseofFleet.Delegatesfromallovertheworldwereinvitedtohearspeakersontopicsthatrangedfromtheculturalassociationswiththedark,tothehealthimplicationsoflightpollution.DuncanWise,representingNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkyParkgaveatalkonthesuccessofastro-

tourisminNorthumberlandsincereceivingitsdesignationin2013,andhighlightedtheneedtoeducatevisitorsabouttheeffectsoflightpollutionateveryopportunityusingsomelightsandaballoon!

StreetlightingimprovementsTheCountyCouncil’s£25millionprojecttomoderniseallthestreetlightsinthecountywithbetterdesigned(fullyshielded)LEDtechnologyisnowenteringitsfinalphase.WithintheDarkSkyPark,atotalof107lanternswillbereplacedinthevillagesofHarbottle,Rochester,Byrness,Elsdon,Kielder,Lanehead,Greenhaugh,FalstoneandStonehaugh.TheAuthorityisalsoworkingcloselywiththeMinistryofDefencetodraftnewpolicyguidelinesonminimisinglightpollutionintherevisionofthejointlandscapemanagementplanfortheOtterburnTrainingArea.

BeyondtheDarkSkyParkTheNorthPenninesAONBPartnershiphasbeenactiveoverthelastyearindarkskyconservation.Publicandeducationaleventswereheldaspartofthethree-year‘DiscoveringNorthernDarkSkies’programme–fundedbytheScience&TechnologyFacilitiesCouncil.DevelopmentofthenewNorthPenninesObservatoryhascontinuedapace–thenewfacilityintheAllenValleyswasofficiallyopenedinOctober2017andisnowthehomeofthefledglingNorthPenninesAstronomySociety.AttheendoftheyearthePartnershipdevelopedthefirstNorthPennines-wideStargazingFestival–fundedbyVisitCountyDurham.

MainContactsNorthumberlandNationalParkAuthority:DuncanWise,VisitorDevelopmentandMarketingManager,Tel:+44(0)1434611521duncan.wise@nnpa.org.ukKielderWater&ForestParkDevelopmentTrust:LynnTurner,Director,Tel:+44(0)1661855536lynn.turner@visitkielder.comForestryCommission:AlexMacLennan,Recreation&PublicAffairsManager(NorthEast),Tel:+44(0)03000674205Alex.MacLennan@forestry.gsi.gov.ukTwitter:@VisitNland@NlandNP@VisitKielder@kielder_obs@NorthPennAONBFacebook:VisitNorthumberlandNorthumberlandNPVisitKielderKielderObservatoryNorthPenninesAONBWeusethesehashtagsfortheNIDSP:#NlandDarkSkyPark#Nlandstars#npenndarkskies