Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant near Hexham in Northumberland is opening a new on-site observatory this month – the first hotel in the UK to do so. Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant is located on the edge of Northumberland National Park which gained 'Dark Sky Park' status in December 2013.
The observatory sits in the hotel grounds, facing south and will accommodate up to 25 star-gazers. It is equipped a Celestron C11 OTA telescope on a EQ8 mount and also includes a set of 25 x 100 mounted binoculars to suit both beginners and experienced astronomers alike. In addition, Battlesteads will be running a series of courses targeted at all levels of star-gazer.
Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant has 17 en-suite bedrooms, each furnished with a flat screen television, DVD, Freeview, free wi-fi access, ironing board and a hairdryer. Battlesteads also has five newly constructed eco-lodges in its grounds. The restaurant sources prime local ingredients as much as possible; with herbs, salads, vegetables and many different fruit varieties grown in Battlesteads' kitchen garden.
Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant is located in the village of Wark-on-Tyne on the B6320 Bellingham road, 12 miles north of Hexham which is twenty miles west of Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Details: www.battlesteads.com
