With the sun's solar cycle heading towards peak activity in 2024, Newmarket Holidays, an escorted tour specialist with trips to Northern Lights' hotspots Iceland and Norway in the Arctic Circle, has created a free guide to showcase the best places to see the stunning lightshow in the UK.

This phenomenon, known as Solar Maximum, only happens every 11 to 15 years, and means that the dazzling Northern Lights are becoming more intense and more frequent, increasing the chances of seeing them from the UK.

Almost 30 locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been selected thanks to attributes that include a northerly outlook, dark skies, little light pollution and past aurora experiences.

A free map pinpoints sights including the Isle of Lewis, Britain's highest pub and castle ruins on the Antrim coast, with beaches and rural areas in remote destinations such as the Outer Hebrides in Scotland; Northumberland, the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales in England, and Snowdonia National Park in Wales, featuring heavily.

The guide also features top tips for seeing the lights in the UK from Newmarket Holidays' tour leaders, with recommendations including to sign up to Aurora Watch UK for alerts when the lights are visible, check the weather to avoid cloudy nights, have back-up sites in case of adverse conditions, bring plenty of supplies, and to prepare well for long, cold nights as sightings could take hours.

Whilst the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights is on a specialist tour, the guide is intended to help customers catch a glimpse of the spectacle closer to home before embarking on a trip. 

Based on past sightings, Scottish locations that are most likely to provide a successful viewing experience include Dava Moor in the heart of Scotland and Glen Tanar Visitor Centre, a Dark Sky Discovery Site in Aberdeenshire. 

In England, the one-street village of Harbottle in Northumberland, Derwentwater in the Lake District, Tan Hill Inn - Britain's highest pub - in the Yorkshire Dales, and the Buckden National Park car park, in North Yorkshire all have dark skies that are needed for aurora views.

In Wales, Snowdonia National Park is highlighted as a perfect spot, with the lakes of Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn y Dywarchen reflecting the dazzling beauty of the lights. In Northern Ireland the Antrim coast is highlighted with Ballintoy harbour, Whitepark Bay Beach and the medieval ruins of Dunluce Castle highlighted as excellent locations for previous displays.

Mike Fleetwood, head of short haul at Newmarket Holidays, says: "Northern Lights watchers are getting excited about Solar Maximum, which is the most active part of the sun's 11-year solar cycle, when a build-up of activity increases the frequency and intensity of the incredible Northern Lights. The next 18 months offer a rare chance to watch the awe-inspiring light show for free in the UK – something we hope will inspire travellers to plan a future trip to see them again on one of our Northern Lights tours to Iceland or Norway.

“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. 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 – our free guide will help.”

See the free guide here: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/blog/uk-northern-lights

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About Newmarket Holidays

Newmarket Holidays is a multi-award winning, independently owned British tour operator, providing a portfolio of escorted trips, resort-centred stays, and event-focused tours throughout the world. Founded in 1983, Newmarket Holidays has steadily grown and expanded to become one of the UK's leading and most respected travel companies. High standards of customer care and value are integral to Newmarket Holidays' operations and this is reflected in the meticulously-designed tours, from accommodation to on-the-ground experiences. 

Offering a vast selection of escorted, air-inclusive tours within the UK, Europe, Americas, India and South-east Asia, Newmarket Holidays also presents a range of ocean and river cruises. Additionally the tour operator is a popular provider of concert and event experiences such as Lapland Santa Experience, the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships and performances by classical violinist and orchestra leader André Rieu.

For more details, please contact:

E: Dan@humewhitehead.co.uk T: +44 (0)7429 256 670

E: Rebecca@humewhitehead.co.uk T: +44 (0) 20 3375 4054