Kielder Observatory opens a second window on the stars at Hadrian's Wall

On a clear night in Kielder Forest, the sky above Black Fell is so dark that the Milky Way seems close enough to touch. For nearly two decades, Kielder Observatory has been helping visitors make the most of it, and in 2026 it has added a second home.

The observatory was officially opened on 25 April 2008 by Sir Arnold Wolfendale, the 14th Astronomer Royal. The building, designed by London-based Charles Barclay Architects after a RIBA competition, sits high above Kielder Water near the Scottish border and is powered by solar panels and a wind turbine. It won a RIBA Award for architecture in 2009.

It has been a remarkable success. In its first year it welcomed about 1,200 guests, and since opening it has hosted more than 255,000 visitors. It sits within the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, which the observatory describes as Europe's largest Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park.

Visitors can look through some serious equipment, including a 16-inch reflector in the Sir Patrick Moore Observatory, a 16-inch telescope in the Caroline Herschel Observatory and, since 2021, the Tanlaw Radio Telescope, a five-metre radio antenna. Expert-led stargazing sessions and Late Night Discovery events run through the darker months.

The big news this year is Twice Brewed Observatory. Officially opened by actor Robson Green in May 2026, it offers an observatory and planetarium at the Twice Brewed Inn, "beside Hadrian's Wall in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park". Sessions are designed for first-time telescope users and experienced astronomers alike, and the planetarium means there is still plenty to see when clouds roll in.

The team behind it all is a registered charity whose work spans schools, arts, citizen science and community outreach. Staff and supporters even ran the Great North Run this year, raising £3,132.

Autumn is a perfect time to visit. The observatory's October guide to the night sky picks out Pegasus, the Andromeda Galaxy and Saturn as highlights.

Wrap up warm, book ahead and let the North East's darkest skies do the rest. Tickets for both Kielder and Twice Brewed are available on the Kielder Observatory website.