Top places in the UK to see the northern lights

The northern lights graced UK shores with their presence last week, with disco-coloured displays spotted everywhere from Scotland to Stonehenge. Thanks to a phenomenon known as solar maximum, the aurora borealis is set to be at its most spectacular from January to October 2024, with experts saying northern Europe could see the most vivid displays in 20 years. Here are some of the best places to catch the show.

1. Shetland Islands

This far-flung Scottish archipelago is renowned for being the best place in Britain to see the northern lights (or “Mirrie Dancers”, as the locals call them). They’re most visible between mid-October and March, and Shetland has plenty of curious pastimes to keep you busy, from coast walks past sweeping beaches to Viking settlements and steaming bowls of local mussels. To up your aurora-spotting odds, avoid full moons and don’t stay in Lerwick (the only town). Instead, head for the rural, 16th-century Busta House hotel in Brae.
Details B&B doubles from £145 (bustahouse.com)

2. Eryri, Conwy

North Wales’s national park Eryri (Snowdonia) became a dark sky reserve in 2015, and it’s a magical place to spot the lights — Ffagl yr Arth (the bear’s firebrand) in Welsh. Forest-wrapped Llyn Geirionydd lake, close to the town of Betws-y-Coed, is a favourite viewing spot, though you also have sight of snow-capped peaks from many low-lying winter walks in the area. Stay at the Gwydyr Hotel for its modern rooms and cosy cocktail lounge, taking walks in Gwydyr Forest and visiting the quirky Conwy Valley Railway Museum and dazzling Dolbadarn Castle.
Details Room-only doubles from £110 (gwydyrhotel.co.uk)

3. Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk

The north Norfolk coast has been blessed with bright aurora lights this year, with fantastic photos captured in seaside towns Brancaster Staithe and Happisburgh. A blustery winter break here should also take in the 18th-century estate Holkham Hall (Christmas lights and decorations run through December); wild coast walks at Brancaster and Wells-next-the-Sea; and a ride on the Norfolk Lights Express, a festive steam train. Stay at the White Horse for untamed views over the tidal marsh and an award-winning seafood restaurant — the “Room at the Top” even comes with a telescope.
Details B&B doubles from £150 (whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk)

4. Whitby, North Yorkshire

Low light pollution and dramatic scenery make Yorkshire a fantastic place to catch the lights. Though they’ve been spotted in the Dales, they’re most commonly seen around the coast: try Whitby for other quaint diversions, from the clifftop Whitby Abbey to windswept walks along nearby Robin Hood’s Bay, and the tiny Captain Cook Memorial Museum, in the 17th-century house where he did his apprenticeship. A ten-minute drive from the pretty harbour, Raithwaite Sandsend hotel has tranquil gardens and a spa with an indoor pool.
Details Room-only doubles from £111 (raithwaitesandsend.co.uk)

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5. Ballycastle, Co Antrim

Northern Ireland isn’t as failsafe an option as Scotland and its islands, but the Antrim coast does enjoy the occasional light show. The historic coastal town of Ballycastle is less than an hour’s drive from Belfast airport and a great base for exploring the rugged Causeway Coast. Stay at the Salthouse, an eco-luxe hotel with a roaring fire in the lounge and outdoor hot tubs overlooking unspoilt coastline. In daylight, pick a walking trail at the Giant’s Causeway (25 minutes away) or have a warming tasting at Bushmills, the world’s oldest licensed distillery.
Details B&B doubles from £160 (thesalthousehotel.com)

6. Keswick, Cumbria

The Lake District is an under-the-radar spot for aurora hunters; in-the-know locals take to Derwentwater, the serene lake next to Keswick, to photograph the phenomenon. Classic walks nearby include the two-hour loop to the Castlerigg Stone Circle, but when it’s too frosty for rambles, Keswick will furnish you with brewery tours, art exhibitions at the Rheged Centre and pub classics at olde-worlde inns. Stay at the Hazeldene for fells views and friendly hosts.
Details B&B doubles from £100 (thehazeldene.co.uk)

7. Salisbury, Wiltshire

Northern lights sightings become rarer the further south you go, but last week vibrant purples and pinks hovered over Stonehenge in Wiltshire — with glimpses this year as far south as Devon and Cornwall. In laid-back Wiltshire, just outside Warminster, the Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa is a 20-minute drive from Stonehenge. Soak in the hotel’s swish spa, then book tickets for Longleat Safari Park (a Festival of Light counts down to Christmas) and explore Salisbury’s medieval old town and magnificent cathedral, home to Magna Carta.
Details B&B doubles from £169 (bishopstrowhotel.com)

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