Best UK Hotels, B&Bs, Cottages & Glamping for Stargazing - Dark Skies Places to Stay in the UK

Dark Skies

The UK's national parks, wild places and rural countryside are the best places to go stargazing and experience our fabulous Dark Skies – thousands of stars, distant planets, twinkling constellations and even the sheer sweep of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, can all be seen in areas where light pollution is low. In fact, if you're after a UK stargazing holiday, it's good to know that you can normally see at least ten times as many stars in the darkest areas of the country as in a town or city. Our handy Dark Skies accommodation guide picks out some amazing UK stargazing locations, from remote hostels and country B&Bs to deeply rural holiday cottages, hotels and forest lodges. Stay up late, look up and gaze in wonder at the UK's glorious night skies, then back to bed for a great night's sleep!

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Best Places to Stay in Dark Skies

The Nest Danehill, Haywards Heath, East Sussex i

The Nest

Haywards Heath, West Sussex, South East England
Gravel Farm Gravel Farm, Newmarket Road, Stretham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 3LJ i

Gravel Farm

Ely, Cambridgeshire, East Anglia
The Windmill Suffolk Lavenham Road, Cockfield, Near Lavenham, Suffolk IP30 0HX i

The Windmill Suffolk

Lavenham, Suffolk, East Anglia
Ysgubor Holiday Cottage Nant yr Onnen, Tregaron, Ceredigion SY25 6NH i

Ysgubor Holiday Cottage

Tregaron, Ceredigion, Mid Wales
Ivy Grange Farm Barn Butts Road, Westhall, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8RN i

Ivy Grange Farm Barn

Halesworth, Suffolk, East Anglia
Glanmedeni Betws Ifan, Newcastle Emlyn, SA38 9QJ i

Glanmedeni

Aberporth, Ceredigion, Mid Wales
Upper Barn High Titten, Amberley, West Sussex BN18 9LY i

Upper Barn

Amberley, West Sussex, South East England
The Neuadd Cottages The Neuadd, Llangattock, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1LE i

The Neuadd Cottages

Crickhowell, Powys, Mid Wales
Hen Ffermdy Llangloffan, Castlemorris, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 5ET i

Hen Ffermdy

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
Graig Wen Cottages Arthog, Dolgellau LL39 1YP i

Graig Wen Cottages

Dolgellau, Gwynedd, North Wales
thecabin@greensleeves Greensleeves, Harcombe, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3RN i

thecabin@greensleeves

Lyme Regis, Dorset, South West England
The Neuadd B&B Suites The Neuadd, Llangattock, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1LE i

The Neuadd B&B Suites

Crickhowell, Powys, Mid Wales
Half Moon Lane Cottage Redgrave, Suffolk IP22 1RU i

Half Moon Lane Cottage

Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, East Anglia
LazyDay Cottages West Fishwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1XQ i

LazyDay Cottages

Fishwick, Scottish Borders, South Scotland
The Mole Resort The Mole Resort, Chittlehamholt, Umberleigh, North Devon EX37 9HD i

The Mole Resort

Chulmleigh, Winkleigh & Umberleigh, Devon, South West England
Carradales Luxury Guest House Carradale, Campbeltown, Argyll & Bute PA28 6QG i

Carradales Luxury Guest House

Campbeltown, Argyll & Bute, Highlands
The Ship at Dunwich St James Street, Dunwich, Suffolk IP17 3DT i

The Ship at Dunwich

Dunwich, Suffolk, East Anglia
Ashford Mills Ashford Mill House, Ilton, Somerset TA19 9ED i

Ashford Mills

Ilminster, Somerset, South West England
Cider Mill Cottage Ayngstree Clifton Upon Teme Worcestershire WR6 6DS i

Cider Mill Cottage

Worcester, Worcestershire, West Midlands
Ecotone Cabins Leckmelm Wood, Ullapool, Ross & Cromarty IV23 2RH i

Ecotone Cabins

Ullapool, Ross-shire, Highlands
Spinks Nest Kings Street, Hunworth, Norfolk NR24 2EH i

Spinks Nest

Holt, Norfolk, East Anglia
Crynga Mawr Cottages Aberporth, Ceredigion SA43 2BQ i

Crynga Mawr Cottages

Aberporth, Ceredigion, Mid Wales
Middle Stone Farm Cottage & Cabin Middle Stone Farm, Brompton Ralph, Somerset TA4 2RT i

Middle Stone Farm Cottage & Cabin

Somerset, South West England
Retreat East Brick Kiln Farm, Sandy Lane, Hemingstone, Near Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 9QE i

Retreat East

Ipswich, Suffolk, East Anglia
Wiveton Bell Blakeney Road, Wiveton, Blakeney, Norfolk NR25 7TL i

Wiveton Bell

Blakeney, Norfolk, East Anglia
The Cabin-in-the-Vines at Valley Farm Vineyards Rumburgh Road, Wissett, Suffolk IP19 0JJ i

The Cabin-in-the-Vines at Valley Farm Vineyards

Halesworth, Suffolk, East Anglia
Cliff Cottage Sheringham Salt, NR26 8BJ i

Cliff Cottage

Sheringham & Cromer, Norfolk, East Anglia
Forest Holidays Forest of Dean Forest of Dean Bracelands Drive Christchurch Coleford Gloucestershire GL16 7NN i

Forest Holidays Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire, South West England
Tree Top View 34a Brook Road, Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8QE i

Tree Top View

Sheringham & Cromer, Norfolk, East Anglia
The Boathouse Ormesby Broad Eels Foot Road Ormesby St Michael Norfolk NR29 3LP i

The Boathouse

Norfolk, East Anglia
Cruckbarn Wigmore Herefordshire HR6 9UG i

Cruckbarn

Herefordshire, West Midlands
Den by the Stream Garden Cottage, Llangoedmor, Cardigan, Ceredigion SA43 2LB i

Den by the Stream

Cardigan, Ceredigion, Mid Wales
Dittisham Hideaway Dittisham, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0JB i

Dittisham Hideaway

Dartmouth, Devon, South West England
Forest Holidays Sherwood Forest Sherwood Pines Forest Park Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire NG21 9JH i

Forest Holidays Sherwood Forest

Nottinghamshire, East Midlands
Forest Holidays Thorpe Forest Shadwell Thetford Norfolk IP24 2RX i

Forest Holidays Thorpe Forest

Norfolk, East Anglia
Heath Farm Holiday Cottages Swerford, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX74BN i

Heath Farm Holiday Cottages

Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, South East England
Pheasants Retreat Galltfaenan Lodge, Trefnant , Denbighshire LL16 5AG i

Pheasants Retreat

St Asaph, Denbighshire, North Wales
YHA St Davids Llaethdy Whitesands Pembrokeshire SA62 6PR i

YHA St Davids

St Davids, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
The West Arms Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham LL20 7LD i

The West Arms

Wrexham, North Wales
Blackbird Blagdon Water, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6NX i

Blackbird

Holsworthy, Devon, South West England
Crispie Estate Crispie Estate, Kilfinan, Tighnabruaich, Argyll PA21 2ER i

Crispie Estate

Argyll & Bute, Highlands
Leskernick Cottage Bolventor Near Launceston Cornwall PL15 7TJ i

Leskernick Cottage

Launceston, Cornwall, South West England
Peanmeanach Bothy Ardnish Peninsula i

Peanmeanach Bothy

Highlands
Tregulland Cottage & Barn Tregulland Farm St Clether Launceston Cornwall PL15 8QW i

Tregulland Cottage & Barn

Launceston, Cornwall, South West England
Chillingham Manor Chillingham, Northumberland, NE66 5NP i

Chillingham Manor

Alnwick, Northumberland, North East England
The Cob at Montpelier Brilley, Whitney-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR3 6HF i

The Cob at Montpelier

Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire, West Midlands
Randy Pike Low Wray, Cumbria LA22 0JP i

Randy Pike

Ambleside, Cumbria, North West England
Ardeonaig Hotel & Restaurant South Loch Tay Side Ardeonaig Near Killin FK21 8SU i

Ardeonaig Hotel & Restaurant

Perthshire, Central Scotland

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Dark Skies Destinations


Where is the best place to stargaze in the UK?

The far-flung rural areas of the British Isles’ national parks provide the best locations for stargazing, with Wales, the Scottish Highlands, Northumberland, Cornwall and Norfolk giving some of the best views. The best places are those with little or no light pollution, and you can’t get more remote than the middle of Bodmin Moor in Devon. If you’re feeling adventurous, the Grade II listed miner’s cottage of Leskernick could be one of the best. And don’t worry, it’s near enough to the A30 not to be completely “Withnail and I”. Other great spots for stargazing are the cottages at Graig Wen in Snowdonia, Neudadd Cottages in the Brecon Beacons, Ysgubor Cottage in Ceredigion or Caingorm Lodges in The Cairngorms National Park.

Are there accommodations specifically designed for stargazing or astronomy enthusiasts?

Astronomy and stargazing as a pastime and profession has become increasingly popular, and some rural retreats in light pollution-free areas provide telescopes for their guests. The unique and award-winning Windmill in Suffolk is a fantastic stargazing spot- perfect with its rural location and 360-degree views and complete with two double bedrooms and a terrace out front.

How far are the dark skies destinations from light-polluted areas?

This can vary depending on the position of the place- a good 20 to 30 miles from any major city should be enough to provide a dark enough sky to see stars- but it also depends if you’re on top of a hill or down in a valley. The further away from civilisation you are the more of the sky you can see, but the good news is that there are a number of easily accessible places where you can experience fabulous night skies – for example at Gravel Farm in Cambridgeshire, Clawford Lakes and  Blackbird in Devon, the romantic Bothy in Northumberland and the spectacular Dalnoid Cottages and Treehouse in Perthshire.

What time of year is best to stargaze in UK?

The best time to see the Milky Way is probably February and March, before the clocks change, but the autumn months can be good for stargazing too. Keep an eye on the phases of the moon, and try and time your trip when it isn’t full and lighting up the sky. Many national park and moorland areas of the UK now host dark sky festivals, and Wales’ Brecon Beacons is now home to the first International Dark Sky Reserve, which you could witness while based at the welcoming Felin Fach Griffin Inn.

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