Dark Skies Festival Night Walk – Sutton Bank
Enjoy the very special experience of walking at night through the Sutton Bank landscape, under the North York Moor’s dark skies.
Experience Type: Day Experience
Distance: Approx. 4.7 miles (7.5km)
Duration: Up to 3 hours
Level: Leisurely
Age: 10+ (under 18s must be accompanied by parent/guardian throughout)
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Wander in awe as you walk under a truly dark sky in the North York Moors National Park - an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Switch off from everyday life as we absorb the feeling of remoteness from the towns and villages beyond.
Enjoy walking with an experienced Large Outdoors guide and a group of fellow star chasers.
Please note: this walk will go ahead regardless of the weather forecast, as long as the weather conditions are safe. If it’s cloudy or raining we will still walk (and cross our fingers for some clear skies during the evening!).
How do we grade our walks?
Discover Sutton Bank - ‘England’s Finest View’- transformed during the Dark Skies Festival!
James Herriot, vet and author of All Creatures Great and Small fame, once described Sutton Bank in the North York Moors National Park as ‘England’s Finest View’. We’ll head towards this incredible viewpoint during this special Dark Skies Festival night walk.
The route is approximately 4.7 miles (7.5km) and this guided group walk will be hosted by a Large Outdoors leader.
Suggested Itinerary
Your Large Outdoors guide will welcome you and the other participants at Sutton Bank - not far from Thirsk - for this guided night walk. There’ll be time for a safety briefing and to check everyone’s head torch is working properly (please see the Compulsory Kit List section below) before we begin.
Just feet from our meeting place, we’ll be plunged into darkness as we make our way along trails to the edge of the escarpment at Sutton Bank. From our viewpoint we’ll be able to see the twinkling lights of distant towns and villages below us. The real stars of tonight, however, are above us.
Once your eyes become accustomed to the darkness, you can appreciate a sky jam-packed with stars. As the North York Moors National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Reserve, this is one of the world’s finest places for stargazing. It’s one of those humbling experiences that you can really lose yourself in. Our guides will help you spot constellations and other celestial bodies - be they planets, satellites, or shooting stars!
We’ll be out walking for up to 3 hours, depending on the pace of the group, weather conditions and stops en route for stargazing.
After-dark walking is also a great opportunity to pick up a few night navigation techniques from our guides. If you’d like to know more about finding your way on the trails after dark, we’re also running special Night Navigation Experience evenings during the Dark Skies Festival.
Good to Know
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Meeting Time: Please meet your guide at 6:45pm, for a prompt 7pm start.
Meeting Location:
Car Park at Sutton Bank National Park Centre - we’ll meet you by the bus stop, outside the centre.
Sutton Bank
Thirsk
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Parking: The meeting location is a large pay-and-display car park. You can pay by card, or using the PayByPhone app (we recommend downloading the app before your visit as mobile coverage can be limited).
Public Transport: Unfortunately, the meeting location and timings for this Large Outdoors experience mean it is not accessible via public transport.
Finish Time: We aim to finish around 10pm.
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Included:
A Large Outdoors guide to lead you on your Dark Skies Festival Night Walk at Sutton Bank.
The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not included:
Travel to and from the meeting location.
Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our General (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
DON’T FORGET: To bring your head torch - you will not be allowed to start the walk if you don’t have a working head torch with you. We insist on a head torch for your safety - a handheld torch or the torch on your phone is NOT suitable.
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This experience is rated as Leisurely. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.• Will the walk be cancelled if it’s cloudy or raining?
No, this walk will go ahead regardless of the weather forecast, as long as the weather conditions are safe. If it’s cloudy or raining we will still walk (and cross our fingers for some clear skies during the evening!).• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• What transport is provided during this trip?
We do not provide any transport for this experience.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
Book your Dark Skies Festival Night Walk - Sutton Bank
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.