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

Torridon Youth Hostel

Highlands, Ross-shire

11 Guest Rooms

Gairloch Sands Youth Hostel

Highlands, Ross-shire

6 Rooms, 31 Beds

Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel

Central Scotland

15 Rooms, 58 Beds

£86

Hafotty Fach

Mid Wales, Powys, Llanfyllin

Sleeps 2
Cottage

£197.50

Ysgubor Holiday Cottage ★★★★★

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, Tregaron

Sleeps 6
Cabin
Cottage

£15

Denmark Farm ★★★★★

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, Lampeter

Sleeps up to 16

£130

Ivy Grange Farm Barn ★★★★★

East Anglia, Suffolk, Halesworth

Sleeps 7+
Cottage

£58

Tree Top View ★★★★★

East Anglia, Norfolk, Sheringham & Cromer

Sleeps 4
Cottage

£112

Cider Mill Cottage ★★★★★

West Midlands, Worcestershire, Worcester

Sleeps 2–3

£95

Middle Stone Farm Cottage & Cabin ★★★★★

South West England, Somerset, Taunton

Cabin & Cottage, Sleeping 2–4
Cabin
Cottage

£121

Cliff Cottage, Sheringham ★★★★★

East Anglia, Norfolk, Sheringham & Cromer

Sleeps 4
Cottage

£58.50

Balgedie House & Lodge ★★★★★

Central Scotland, Perthshire, Kinross

£150

Greenhill Glamping ★★★★★

South East England, Kent, Dover

1 Shepherds Hut, 1 Wagon
Shepherd’s huts

£130

The Cob at Montpelier ★★★★★

West Midlands, Herefordshire, Whitney-on-Wye

One Guest Suite
Boutique B&B

£89.30

Leskernick Cottage ★★★★★

South West England, Cornwall, Launceston

Sleeps 6

£114.30

Strathtay Lodges ★★★★★

Central Scotland, Perthshire, Aberfeldy

2 3-bedroom Lodges
Cabin

£40

Peanmeanach Bothy ★★★★★

Highlands, Inverness-shire, Mallaig

1 Off-Grid Bothy
Cabin

£165

The West Arms ★★★★★

North Wales, Wrexham, Wrexham

16 Rooms & Suites
Pub with Rooms

£96.66

Hedgerow Luxury Glamping ★★★★★

North West England, Lancashire, Clitheroe

3 Pods

£64

Snowdonia Glamping Holidays ★★★★☆

North Wales, Conwy, Betws y Coed

Shepherds Huts & Barns
Shepherd’s huts

£140

The Yan Glamping ★★★★☆

North West England, Cumbria, Grasmere

Two pods, each sleeping 2
Pods

Great Langdale Campsite ★★★★☆

North West England, Cumbria

Fforest Fields Glamping ★★★★☆

Mid Wales, Powys, Llandrindod Wells

Yurts

£60

Walcot Hall Glamping ★★★★☆

West Midlands, Shropshire, Bishop's Castle

Yurts, Shepherds Huts, Gypsy Caravans

£70

West Stow Pods ★★★★☆

East Anglia, Suffolk, Bury St. Edmunds

4 MegaPods, 2 Lodges & 'Pod Hollow'
Pods

Dolphinholme House Farm ★★★★☆

North West England, Lancashire, Lancaster

Safari Lodges

£92

Up Sticks Glamping ★★★★☆

West Midlands, Worcestershire, Upton-Upon-Severn

3 Safari Lodges
Safari Lodges

£80

Pinewood Park ★★★★☆

North East England, North Yorkshire, Scarborough

12 Tipis & Wagons, 8 Lodges

£120

Copy House Hideaway ★★★★☆

North West England, Lancashire, Clitheroe

2 Shepherds Huts

The Yurt Farm ★★★★☆

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, Aberaeron

One Railway Carriage
Shepherd’s huts
Yurts

£99.66

Amber's Bell Tent Camping Little Massingham Estate ★★★★☆

East Anglia, Norfolk, King's Lynn

7 Bell Tents & a Railway Carriage
Bell tents

£57.50

Bryn Dinas Glamping Pods ★★★★☆

North Wales, Gwynedd, Beddgelert

8 Pods, 3 Lodges, 4 Cottages
Pods

Wheems Organic Farm ★★★★☆

Scottish Isles

Bell Tents, Pods & A Yurt
Bell tents
Pods
Yurts

£110

Cotswold Farm Park Holidays ★★★★☆

South West England, Gloucestershire, Stow-on-the-Wold

6 lodges, 7 safari tents & 3 pods
Pods
Safari Lodges

£108

Lazy Duck ★★★★☆

Highlands, Inverness-shire, Aviemore

Cabin

£88

Comrie Croft ★★★★☆

Central Scotland, Perthshire, Perth

7 Katas Tents plus Hostels

£96

Devon Yurt ★★★★☆

South West England, Devon, Tavistock

Yurts

£70

Baleshare Bothies ★★★★☆

Scottish Isles

£175

Tiny Wooden House ★★★★☆

West Midlands, Warwickshire, Leamington Spa

2 Cabins

£140

Kelker Well Roundhouse

North West England, Cumbria, Kirkby Lonsdale

Sleeps 4
Roundhouses

£200

Field House Cottage

East Anglia, Norfolk, Fakenham

Sleeps 4–5
Cottage

£24

Secret Campsite

South East England, East Sussex, Lewes

Tree Tent, Okra, Gridshell

£78.50

Martha's Orchard

South West England, Cornwall, Padstow

7 Lodges & 2 Cottages
Cabin
Cottage

£60

Berry Farm

East Anglia, Suffolk, Beccles

Shepherds Hut sleeping 2
Shepherd’s huts

£94

Craig Cottage

Highlands, Argyll & Bute, Oban

Sleeps 4

£75

Lower Polnish

Highlands, Inverness-shire, Mallaig

Sleeps 2

£135

Laggan

Highlands, Inverness-shire

Sleeps 5

£94

Henfaes Isaf

North Wales, Denbighshire, Corwen

Sleeps 6
Cottage

Showing 289 - 336 of 369 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.