The North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales have joint forces to create the fourth annual Dark Skies Festival which celebrates the stunning night time skies around the area and Castle Howard has joined in with this celebration for the first time ever, hosting an astronomy talk, a photography workshop and a night time run.

Last night Castle Howard teamed up with Trail Running Yorkshire and LightUp U to take 100 runners on an off road trail run through parts of Castle Howard Estate that may not have been seen before.

'We've really enjoyed being part of the Dark Skies Festival for the first time this year. We programmed three events; a lecture, a photography workshop and the Dark Run. All three events have been hugely popular and have brought new audiences to Castle Howard and definitely allowed people to see the estate through a different lens. The Dark Run saw 100 runners complete a 7K trail run around the gardens and wider estate and it was fantastic to see groups of athletes adorned in brightly coloured flashing lights and head torches, with glow sticks, lighting up their way. The run was organised in partnership with Trail Running Yorkshire, a local club who have the expertise of route planning and all of the important health and safety and also in partnership with a company called LightUpU who produce really funky gear to help keep athletes safe when out in the dark. There's been a huge increase in the popularity of off road running and especially events that push the boundaries. The run allowed people access into parts of the grounds you definitely wouldn't normally see after dark and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere around the route. The runners were all welcomed back at the end with a cup of tea and a brownie made by our pastry chef, which was very welcome'. Abbi Ollive, Head of Marketing & Sales at Castle Howard.