Photographer picks best North East and Cumbria picture spots

Northumberland, the largest protected dark sky area in Europe, is “perfect for astrophotography”, Humphreys says.

“You can see the Milky Way, Northern Lights and just a sky full of stars on a clear night, and with the right conditions.”

Bamburgh, Holy Island and Dunstanburgh Castle are among his “favourite spots”, he says, as he recalls lying on his back at them, taking in the stars.

You need luck and patience to get the shot, he says, but also a lot of planning.

This includes making sure you are in a “good location with a point of interest such as a castle or lighthouse”, he advises.