Peace, tranquility and solitude – three words that make our Northumbrian stable suites so special. Tucked away in the heart of England’s least populated region, your cottage door opens to mile upon mile of quiet, unspoilt countryside.
This unique sense of space and stillness is also what makes our region particularly perfect for a stargazing stay. Set at the gateway of an International Dark Sky Park, the skies above Chesters Stables offer an amazingly clear view of the cosmos and Kielder Observatory is just a short journey away, providing guided events for budding astronomers.
And, according to astronomers, 2025 is an exciting year for stargazing with something to see every month. So, take a few moments to step out, look up and experience the magic of the night sky during your stay.
January & February
The year starts with a gathering as six planets appear together. Between the 18th and 21st of January, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will be visible together shortly after sunset – with some of the more distant planets requiring a telescope to see.
February has been titled ‘galaxy season’ by astronomers this year. Swirling, glittering and made up of trillions of stars, our closet neighbour, Andromeda can be found near the Cassiopeia constellation. And thanks to a new moon on the 28th, it will be visible by binocular (or even by the naked eye) in particularly dark skies such as ours.
March
The 20th of March heralds the Vernal Equinox, the beginning of astronomical spring and a time of equal daylight and darkness. Just days later, on the 23rd of March, a unique celestial event takes place. Saturn’s famous rings will disappear from view, obscured by the Earth as our orbit crosses their plane – something that only happens once every 15 years. And on the morning of the 29th of March a partial solar eclipse will see around 40% of the sun obscured by the moon.
April
April showers are in store as the Lyrid meteor shower arrives from the 16th to the 25th of the month. Beautiful to behold, leaving glittering dust trails in their wake, the meteor shower will peak on the 22nd April as the moon sits below the horizon until 4am – preventing light pollution and making it easier to see.
May
May brings more meteors as the Eta Aquariid meteor shower rains down throughout the month, visible until the 28th. Coming from the famous Halley’s Comet and with a predicted rate of up to 40 meteors per hour, this will be a spectacular display. The meteors will appear low in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere in the very early morning, before dawn.
Whether you wrap up warm and head out, binoculars and hot chocolate in hand, to spend an hour or two stargazing into the early hours. Or simply take a moment to look up and immerse yourself in the infinite wonder of the stars above – our stable suites are perfectly placed to see the night sky as never before.
And with warming log fires, king size en-suite bedrooms and access to a luxurious spa – you can enjoy everything Northumberland has to offer in 5 star comfort.
