UK Stargazing Holidays Under a Dark Sky

When is the weather good for stargazing?

The best thing to do is to check the Astronomy weather forecast for your chosen stargazing location. Metcheck provides you with a comprehensive report about the cloud cover forecasts for over 5,000 locations across the UK.

Stargazing for Beginners

Essential equipment for novice stargazers

When you look up at the night sky, many celestial objects can be viewed with your eyes unaided. You can actually see the Andromeda galaxy, even though it is 2½ million light-years away. However, it looks like an indistinct smudge, so using stargazing equipment can provide better clarity and help you see further into space. To begin your exploration of the cosmos, a good first step is to go outside and identify Polaris (the Pole Star), which sits due north. The Pole Star will help you work out the locations of other constellations. From there you, can discover the joy of navigating the dark sky.

What stargazing accessories do I need?

• Pick up a sky atlas or star chart. This will illustrate all the planets, stars and constellations that are visible from the northern hemisphere.
• A pair of anti-fogging stargazing binoculars that are fitted with glass lenses. A pair of these will magnify views of Earth’s moon and the planets of the Solar System.
• A portable and easy-to-use telescope to view deep-space objects.
• You might want to invest in a high-quality camera and tripod to take some dark sky photographs.

If you are really keen to dedicate some time to stargazing, you could even go on an astronomy holiday…

Where can I go stargazing in the UK?

You can find many stargazing locations in the UK, from clear dark skies in Scotland to remote areas in south west England. The best places for stargazing will be dark sky places. These are areas/sites which have been publicly recognised for having low levels of light pollution and good public access.

Top dark sky places for the best stargazing in the UK:

1. The Northumberland National Park, where you can find an array of visible sky phenomena. Gaze at the northern lights, airglow (atmospheric light), Milky Way, zodiacal light (sunlight scattered by space dust) and magical meteors. You will also find the darkest place in England here – Kielder Forest (home to Kielder Observatory), which covers 230 square miles of spectacular scenery.
2. Galloway Forest Park in Dumfries, Scotland. For a panoramic sky-viewing visit The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory within the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park. As you look up to the heavens, you’ll be able to see thousands of visible stars.
3. Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire. The county of Cambridgeshire is recognised as having some of the largest areas of dark sky in the UK and some of the best observatories.
4. Hamsterley Forest, Durham. Hamsterley is Durham’s largest forest, welcoming wildlife watchers and stargazers throughout the year. To avoid getting lost in the woods, pick a sensible, easy-to-follow route to your sky-viewing spot beforehand.
5. Whinlatter Forest in the Lake District. England’s only true mountain forest, this beautiful location provides you with an elevated position to see the stars, moon and the Milky Way.
6. North Yorkshire Moors National Park. Visit Dalby Forest to catch a glimpse of meteor showers, super-moons and even the northern lights! If you book a stargazing tour, you’ll be provided with telescopes and binoculars to view constellations and deep-sky objects.

You could also visit some of the top Dark Sky Reserves in the UK, which include:

• Snowdonia’s Dark Sky Reserve in North Wales. Here, you have the opportunity to see stars from five different locations within the national park! If you’re a fishing enthusiast, you could spend the day at Lake Llyn y Dywarchen before getting your binoculars out at nightfall.
• The Brecon Beacons Dark Sky Reserve and observatory in South Wales. One of the best locations for stargazing is in the Welsh valleys surrounding Usk Reservoir. Here, admire the Milky Way, major constellations, bright nebulas and even meteor showers.
• The Exmoor Dark Sky Reserve in Devon. Established as the first international dark sky reserve in November 2011, on a clear night you should be able to pick out around 3,000 stars, plus the Milky Way. As mentioned earlier the reserve also holds the Dark Skies Festival for you to explore the skies above.

Dark sky festivals and events

Some of the best star-watching locations host festivals and events that run throughout the year. However, most of them take place in the autumn and winter months.

Where are the UK’s star-gazing festivals?

• The Devon-based Dark Skies festival is held in Exmoor, – every October – where you can take part in photography and astrophotography competitions.
• On the North York Moors, visit the Dark Skies Fringe Festival, which takes place from 24th October to 2nd November this year. There will also be another similar festival there from 13th February to 1st March 2026. During the daytime, you can take up yoga and mindfulness experiences to give your Yorkshire trip even more peace and tranquillity, as well as a little variety.
• Across the South Downs, which covers the countries of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, you’ll find a Dark Skies Festival each February. Discover areas of the South Downs where it is possible to view the Milky Way, while also learning about the nocturnal wildlife that lives in the South Downs National Park.

Once you have chosen your location for an event or stargazing weekend, you just need to find some out-of-this-world accommodation.

Dark Sky Accommodation in the UK

Pick from one of our favourite stargazing accommodation ideas to enhance your sky-watching experience.

• Book a self-catering stargazing holiday cottage way up in the hills.
• Stay in a pub with a roaring fire, like the Jamaica Inn, on Bodmin Moor.
• Discover luxury en-suite B&B’s.
• Live in a roomy lodge and use it as your base on the Scottish borders.
• Try a historic manor house or cottage in the Brecon Beacons, near Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park.

Where are the best places to go stargazing near me?

The UK’s Dark Sky Map

For those with their eyes on the skies, there are plenty of dark sky national parks and events in the UK that you can visit. However, if you can’t venture far, go stargazing in a park near you. Alternatively, find your own dark sky discovery site outside of town away from well-lit surroundings. There are a growing number of stargazing spots across the UK, where more efficient controls on light pollution have been put in place. You may even be able to go stargazing in some locations in Greater London!

The UK Stargazing Map

Clouds or no clouds, if you look up the stargazing night map it will help you locate the planets that would be visible on a clear night in your area.

Using this interactive stargazing map, you can track the movements of the planets and moon across the night sky. You can also see the phrases of the moon, as well as solar and lunar eclipses.

Stargazing tips

• Go stargazing before the moon is at its fullest and the night is at its darkest and driest.
• Give your eyes 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness before seeking out those stars.
• Remember that the night sky constantly changes as the Earth moves through space on its year-long orbit around the sun. To spot each constellation, go stargazing during different seasons throughout the year.
• Take a compass and star-spotter guide with you to find and map out the constellations. Can you find Orion? Aquarius? The Big Dipper? Taurus (The Bull)?
• Grab your camera to capture the dark sky and the thousands of tiny stars above.