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!

Main photo: Under Starry Skies, Llansadwrn, Wales

Best Places to stay for fabulous stargazing

£175

PilotHouse

Highlands, Argyll & Bute, Drimnin

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£145

Canvas & Campfires

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, Lampeter

5 Safari Tents & cottage sleeping 2-6
Cottage
Safari Lodges

£161

Skye Falls Chalet

Scottish Isles, Isle of Skye

Sleeps 2–4
Cabin

Eagle Lodge

Scottish Isles, Outer Hebrides, Lewis

Sleeps up to 10
Cabin
Large Property

£55

St Gwrhai Church

Mid Wales, Powys, Newtown

Sleeps up to 4
Church

£55

St Mary's Church

North East England, North Yorkshire, Reeth

Sleeps up to 10
Church

£85

Glamping at Hoe Grange Holidays

East Midlands, Derbyshire, Matlock

2 Pods, 1 Gypsy Caravan
Gypsy caravans
Pods

£232

Pound Farm Mirror House

East Anglia, Suffolk, Framlingham

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£169

Swandown, 14 Goldenhaye

South West England, Somerset, Chard

Sleeps 6
Cabin

£273

Copper Lodge

South West England, Devon, Chulmleigh, Winkleigh & Umberleigh

Sleeps 4–6
Cabin

£103

The Tri-Pod

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, Llanarth

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£76

Beech

South West England, Devon, Axminster

Sleeps up to 6
Safari Lodges

£359

Llety Cariad

Mid Wales, Powys, Montgomery

Sleeps 6
Cabin

£109

Hurdlemakers Hut

South West England, Dorset, Dorchester

Sleeps 2
Shepherd’s huts

£339

The Shippon

South West England, Devon, Dawlish

Sleeps 8
Barn
Cottage

£85

The Long Barn

South Wales, Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest

2 Cottages Sleeping 4–6
Barn
Cottage

£155

Finn Village

South Scotland, Lanarkshire, Glasgow

2 Cottages + a Glamping Pod
Cabin
Cottage
Large Property

£110

High Corner Inn

South East England, Hampshire, Ringwood

7 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms

£100

Ty Cwch Boathouse

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, New Quay

3 Cabins each Sleeping 4
Cabin
Shipping Container

£185

The White Hart Inn

East Anglia, Essex, Mersea Island

6 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms

£120

Breaks Fold Farm

North East England, North Yorkshire, Harrogate

2 Shepherd's Huts each Sleeping 2
Shepherd’s huts

£559

Godwick Hall

East Anglia, Norfolk, Fakenham

Sleeps 14
Large Property

£195

Oaklands Glamping

Mid Wales, Powys, Welshpool

2 Safari Tents
Safari Lodges

£245

Dannah Farm

East Midlands, Derbyshire, Belper

4 Suites
Luxury B&B

£225

Old Downton Lodge

West Midlands, Shropshire, Ludlow

9 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Restaurant with Rooms

£117

Clawford Lakes

South West England, Devon, Holsworthy

Cocoons, Lodges & Lake Pods
Cabin

£234

Bolton Abbey Cottages

North East England, North Yorkshire, Skipton

3 Cottages Sleeping 6–8
Chapel
Cottage

£139

The Oaksmere

East Anglia, Suffolk, Eye

14 Guest Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Restaurant with Rooms

£120

Hippersons Boatyard

East Anglia, Norfolk, Beccles

6 Pods & Houseboats
Boat
Cabin

£95

Hoe Grange Holidays

East Midlands, Derbyshire, Matlock

4 Log Cabins Sleeping 4–6
Cabin

£130

Sanday Croft Cabin

Scottish Isles, Isle of Canna, Sanday

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£180

Another Place, The Lake

North West England, Cumbria, Ullswater

47 Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Country House Hotel

£46.80

Ewe Two

North Wales, Flintshire, Oakenholt

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£160

Talland Bay Hotel

South West England, Cornwall, Looe

19 Guest Rooms & 4 Suites
Boutique Hotel

£125

Elmley Nature Reserve

South East England, Kent, Isle of Sheppey

Shepherds Huts, Cabins & Bell Tents
Bell tents
Shepherd’s huts

£107

Walcot Hall

West Midlands, Shropshire, Bishop's Castle

15 Cottages Sleeping 2–24
Apartment
Cabin
Cottage

£95

Blyth Rise Stays

East Anglia, Suffolk, Halesworth

6 Lodges and 6 Igluhuts
Cabin

£340

One Acre Wood

West Midlands, Herefordshire, Bromyard

2 Treehouses each sleeping 4–6
Cabin
Treehouses

£842

Fair Oak Farm

South East England, East Sussex, Mayfield

Sleeps 32
Large Property

£275

Hoots Treehouses

South East England, East Sussex, Mayfield

2 Treehouses each Sleeping 2
Treehouses

£143

Glynn Barton

South West England, Cornwall, Bodmin

4 Safari Tents Sleeping 5-6
Safari Lodges

£540

Shepherd Huts at Another Place, The Lake

North West England, Cumbria, Pooley Bridge

6 Shepherd Huts & One Treehouse
Shepherd’s huts

£250

Nymetwood Treehouses

South West England, Devon, Crediton

2 Treehouses
Cabin
Treehouses

£103

Accott Manor

South West England, Devon, Barnstaple

2 Cottages, a Hut and a Shepherds Hut

£292

White Lady

South West England, Devon, Tavistock

Sleeps 12
Large Property

£100

The Old Piggery

South West England, Devon, Barnstaple

Sleeps 6
Cottage

£156

A Corner of Eden

North West England, Cumbria, Kirkby Stephen

3 Cottages Sleeping 2–8 people
Cottage

£182.50

The Felin Fach Griffin

Mid Wales, Powys, Brecon

8 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Pub with Rooms

Showing 145 - 192 of 396 sites

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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.