Seeing the Northern Lights in the UK is easier than you think. From the Isle of Harris to Langdale Valley, you don't have to hop on a plane to countries like Iceland or Norway to soak up the spectacular light display.
Your best chance to see the Northern Lights in the UK is from September to April, with their long periods of darkness and frequency of clear nights. In general, the best chance of sighting an aurora is during the hours around midnight (23:00 — 02.00).
Being able to see the lights here in the UK does depend on the right conditions. Something known as Solar Maximum – a phenomenon that only happens every 11 to 15 years – means that the display of spectacular lights is becoming more frequent and intense.
With the sun's solar cycle gearing up towards peak activity in 2024, escorted tour specialists Newmarket Holidays have put together a list of the best places across the country to see the dazzling display.
Almost 30 locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been chosen based on everything from northerly outlook and dark skies, to where has the least light pollution and most previous aurora experiences. And these were the places to make the list:
The 29 best places to see the Northern Lights in the UK
- Isle of Lewis, Scotland
- Isle of Harris, Scotland
- Trotternish Peninsula, Scotland
- Uist, Scotland
- Barra, Scotland
- Dava Moor, Scotland
- Glenlivet Estate, Scotland
- Cairngorm Mountain, Scotland
- Glen Tanar Visitor Centre, Scotland
- Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre, Scotland
- Kirroughtree Visitor Centre, Scotland
- Harbottle, England
- Stonehaugh, England
- Cawfields, England
- Derwentwater, England
- Wasdale, England
- Langdale Valley, England
- Grizedale Forest, England
- Tan Hill Inn, England
- Hawes National Park Visitor Centre, England
- Buckden National Park Car Park, England
- Malham National Park Visitor Centre, England
- Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland
- Ballintoy, Northern Ireland
- Whitepark Bay Beach, Northern Ireland
- Dunluce, Northern Ireland
- Llyn Geirionydd, Wales
- Migneint Moorland, Wales
- LLyn y Dywarchen, Wales
"We’ve rounded up the locations where the auroras are most regularly seen in the UK, but a successful sighting requires preparation and good timing, just like a trip to the Arctic Circle, where the Northern Lights are most famously on show," says Mike Fleetwood, head of short-haul at Newmarket Holidays.
11 areas in Scotland scored highly on the list, such as Dava Moor nature reserve and Glen Tanar Visitor Centre, a Dark Sky Discovery Site in Aberdeenshire. While in England the one-street village of Harbottle in Northumberland, as well as Derwentwater in the Lake District and Britain's highest pub – the Tan Hill Inn – in the Yorkshire Dales made the list.
Snowdonia National Park in Wales and the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland were also highlighted as excellent locations.
"The next 18 months offer a rare chance to watch the awe-inspiring light show for free in the UK,” Mike explains. "Our advice is to remember the three p’s to make the most of Solar Maximum: prepare well, make plans and have plenty of provisions to get through cold nights."
Will you be making a trip to see if you can spot them in 2024?
