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!

Best Places for Dark Skies

£46

Cornish Horizons

South West England, Cornwall, Padstow

1000 Self-Catering Properties
Apartment
Cottage

£122

Forest Holidays Ardgartan Argyll

Highlands, Argyll & Bute

Cabin
Lodge

£202

Forest Holidays Brecon Beacons

South Wales, Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil

43 Cabins Sleeping 2–10
Cabin

£175

The Piggery at John Bulls House

South East England, West Sussex, Horsham

Sleeps 2
Cottage

£184

A Secret Garden

South East England, Kent, Canterbury

1 Cabin for 2

£119

John O'Groats Luxury Lodges and Apartments

Highlands, Caithness, Wick

Apartments/Lodges Sleeping 2–8
Cabin

£95

Hoe Grange Holidays

East Midlands, Derbyshire, Matlock

Log Cabins, Pods & Gypsy Caravan
Cabin

£54

The Roundhouse

South West England, Somerset, Bath

One self-contained Yurt

YHA Tintagel

South West England, Cornwall, St. Ives

YHA Hostel

£155

Dalnoid Cottages & Treehouses

Central Scotland, Perthshire, Blairgowrie

4 Cottages & 2 Treehouses
Cottage
Treehouses

£564

Elmley Cottage

South East England, Kent, Isle of Sheppey

Sleeps 8–10
Cottage

£842

Fair Oak Farm

South East England, East Sussex, Mayfield

Sleeps 32
Large Property

£271

Aikwood Tower

South Scotland, Scottish Borders, Selkirk

Sleeps 10
Large Property

£132

Greystones Chapel

North Wales, Gwynedd, Llanberis

Sleeps 8–10
Chapel

£308

New York Public Library

North East England, North Yorkshire, Richmond

Sleeps 8
Cottage

£165.70

Cholderton Estate

South East England, Hampshire, Andover

Sleeps 2–18
Cabin
Cottage

£107

Walcot Hall

West Midlands, Shropshire, Bishop's Castle

15 Cottages Sleeping 2–24
Apartment
Cottage
Lodge

£292

White Lady

South West England, Devon, Tavistock

Sleeps 12
Large Property

£214

Idle Waters

East Anglia, Essex, Colchester

Sleeps 4
Cottage

£625

Green Farm Kent: Spa, Retreats & Barn

South East England, Kent, Ashford

Sleeps 10–14
Large Property

£116

North Star Sanctum

North East England, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull

6 Lodges
Cabin
Lodge

£95

Blyth Rise Stays

East Anglia, Suffolk, Halesworth

6 Lodges and 6 Igluhuts
Cabin

£275

Hoots Treehouses

South East England, East Sussex, Mayfield

2 Treehouses each Sleeping 2
Treehouses

£130

Sanday Croft Cabin

Scottish Isles, Isle of Canna, Sanday

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£350

Rufus' Roost

North East England, North Yorkshire, Thirsk

Sleeps 6
Treehouses

£120

Breaks Fold Farm

North East England, North Yorkshire, Harrogate

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

£245

Dannah Farm

East Midlands, Derbyshire, Belper

4 Suites
Luxury B&B

£65

Top of the Woods Glamping

South Wales, Pembrokeshire, Crymych

Bell tents
Safari Lodges

£215

Spindrifter

North East England, North Yorkshire, Leyburn

Sleeps 2
Lodge

£250

Nymetwood Treehouses

South West England, Devon, Crediton

2 Treehouses
Cabin
Treehouses

£100

Ty Cwch Boathouse

Mid Wales, Ceredigion, New Quay

3 Cabins each Sleeping 4
Cabin

£180

The Brackenrigg Inn

North West England, Cumbria, Ullswater

Seven en-suite guest rooms
Pub with Rooms

£340

One Acre Wood

West Midlands, Herefordshire, Bromyard

2 Treehouses each sleeping 4–6
Cabin
Treehouses

£1342

Croftview

South West England, Somerset, Ilminster

Sleeps 26
Large Property

£177.50

The Gurnard's Head

South West England, Cornwall, St. Ives

8 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Pub with Rooms

£182.50

The Felin Fach Griffin

Mid Wales, Powys, Brecon

8 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Pub with Rooms

£629

The Lodges at Bovey Castle

South West England, Devon, Moretonhampstead

22 Lodges
Apartment
Cabin
Castle

£155

Old Downton Lodge

West Midlands, Shropshire, Ludlow

9 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Restaurant with Rooms

£185

The White Hart Inn

East Anglia, Essex, Mersea Island

6 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms

£299

Matfen Hall

North East England, Northumberland, Corbridge

65 Guest Rooms
Country House Hotel
Spa Hotel

£150

The Whittling House

North East England, Northumberland, Alnmouth

10 Guest Rooms
Restaurant with Rooms

£135

Bossington Hall

South West England, Somerset, Porlock

9 Guest Rooms
Boutique B&B
Luxury B&B

£115

Tapnell Farm

South East England, Isle Of Wight, Yarmouth

Self-Catering Cottages & Glamping
Cottage
Pods

£700

West Down Estate Country House

South West England, Devon, South Molton

Sleeps 18
Large Property

£32

Wales Cottage Holidays

Mid Wales, Powys, Newtown

1000+ Self-Catering Properties
Cottage

£350

Kingshill Farmhouse

South East England, Kent, Isle of Sheppey

Sleeps 12–14
Large Property

£156

A Corner of Eden

North West England, Cumbria, Kirkby Stephen

3 Cottages Sleeping 2–8 people
Cottage

£150

The White House

East Anglia, Norfolk, Burnham Market

11 Guest Rooms and One Suite
Boutique Hotel

Showing 97 - 144 of 327 sites

Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

Loading map

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.