North East spot ranked among best areas to see North Lights

With the sun's solar cycle heading towards peak activity in 2024, the Northern Lights will be more prominent than ever.

Newmarket Holidays, an escorted tour specialist with trips to Northern Lights’ hotspots Iceland and Norway, has created a free guide to showcase the best places to see the stunning lightshow in the UK - with one spot in the North East getting special recognition.

The solar trend which results in peak activity is known as Solar Maximum. It 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.

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The Northumberland village of Harbottle is listed as one of the top spots to stay in the UK to see the northern lights.

Consisting of just one road, the village is found within Northumberland National Park, well known for its clear skies thanks to the 2016 CPRE Night Blight Report, which claimed it has the most "pristine clear skies in England."

Elsewhere across the country, SNowdonia National Park gets a special mention in the guide, as does Derwentwater in the Lake District and North Yorkshire's Buckden National Park.