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Spiritual Carlisle
If you live in or near Carlisle, this page brings the night sky, the old sites and the seasons together in one place. It covers where to find properly dark skies, what the sun and moon are doing across the year at Carlisle's latitude (54.9°N), the heritage and folklore places nearby, and when to order so your crystals, tarot or candles arrive in time.
Carlisle Castle. Photo: Euan Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Region Cumbria
- Dark skies Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder
- Delivery UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days
Places to visit
Real photographs, with directions. Tap a map link to open the exact spot.
History, folklore and tips
The history
Carlisle Castle has stood for over 900 years, and Mary, Queen of Scots was held there in 1568. Long Meg and Her Daughters, near Penrith, is one of the largest stone circles in England.
Folklore and tradition
Carlisle's Cursing Stone, a granite boulder carved in 2001 with part of a 16th-century curse against the Border Reivers, stands in Tullie House. Some have blamed it for the city's bad luck, a modern piece of folklore.
Visiting tips
- Carlisle Castle is run by English Heritage and needs a ticket.
- The Cursing Stone is in the underpass beside Tullie House.
- Long Meg is about 40 minutes' drive south.
Stone connection
Cumbrian hematite
West Cumbria was once famous for 'kidney ore', a rounded, shiny form of hematite mined around Egremont and Cleator Moor.
Read about hematite →From the shop
Shop for Carlisle
Hematite and grounding stones, delivered across Cumbria. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days.
Sky almanac for Carlisle
Dark skies and stargazing near Carlisle
Dark skies and stargazing near Carlisle
The nearest certified dark-sky place to Carlisle is Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder, about 45 km (28 miles) away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve, about 89 km (55 miles) away. The best nights are clear, moonless ones around a new moon. The next new moons are on 9 November, 9 December, 7 January, 6 February. Find event dates on the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder website.
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Carlisle
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Carlisle
At the June solstice on 21 June 2027, the sun rises in Carlisle at about 04:33 and sets at about 21:54 (BST), giving 17h 21m of daylight, 43 minutes more than in London. At the December solstice on 21 December 2026 it rises at about 08:34 and sets at about 15:45 (GMT), giving only 7h 11m. Around the March equinox (20 March 2027), sunrise is about 06:17 and sunset about 18:23. Between roughly 9 May and 5 August, the sun never sinks far enough below the horizon for full astronomical darkness, so the faintest stars and the Milky Way are hard to see. At Carlisle's latitude, even nautical twilight lasts all night from about 12 June to 2 July. That gives the long, blue midsummer nights of the north, and is a good time to look for noctilucent clouds low in the northern sky. In folk tradition the full moon marks the month. The next full moons fall on 24 November, 24 December, 22 January, 20 February, 22 March. Times are calculated (NOAA formulas) and approximate.
Best times of year
Best times of year
For stargazing from Carlisle, the long nights from October to March are the most rewarding.
For the Perseids in August 2027 the moon is 84% lit and sets over Carlisle at about 00:57, so the best watching is after moonset and before dawn. Full darkness on 12 August starts around 23:51 at 54.9°N.
The Quadrantids peak on the night of 3–4 January 2027 with the moon 12% lit. They are short and sharp, best after midnight, and the January cold means layers and a flask are essential.
Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder is about 45 km away if you want truly dark skies; otherwise a park or field away from streetlights will still show the brighter meteors.
On 2 August 2027 a partial solar eclipse is visible across the UK, weather permitting. Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.
Carlisle: local questions
Where is the nearest dark sky reserve to Carlisle?
The nearest certified dark-sky place is Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder, roughly 45 km away in a straight line.
What time is sunrise in Carlisle on the summer solstice?
About 04:33 BST on 21 June 2027, with sunset about 21:54.
Are there ancient or sacred sites near Carlisle?
Yes. Nearby places include The Cursing Stone, Long Meg and Her Daughters. See the heritage section for details.
How much is delivery to Carlisle?
UK delivery to Carlisle is £3.95 and free on orders over £40. Most orders arrive within 2–5 working days.
Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown, resized and converted for the web. Folklore is described as tradition. Starseed UK makes no health claims for any product.