Dark Skies Holidays

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

£155

Old Downton Lodge

West Midlands, Shropshire, Ludlow

9 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel
Restaurant with Rooms

£65

Top of the Woods Glamping

South Wales, Pembrokeshire, Crymych

Pods
Safari Lodges
Yurts

£120

Breaks Fold Farm

North East England, North Yorkshire, Harrogate

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

£271

Aikwood Tower

South Scotland, Scottish Borders, Selkirk

Sleeps 10
Large Property

£103

Accott Manor

South West England, Devon, Barnstaple

2 Cottages, a Hut and a Shepherds Hut

£39

FBM Holidays

South Wales, Pembrokeshire, Tenby

Over 500 Properties Sleeping up to 24

£46

Cornish Horizons

South West England, Cornwall, Padstow

1000 Self-Catering Properties
Apartment
Cottage

£32

Wales Cottage Holidays

Mid Wales, Powys, Newtown

1000+ Self-Catering Properties
Cottage

£67

Lakeland Cottage Company

North West England, Cumbria, Cartmel

Cottages Sleeping 2–14

£27.80

Marsdens Devon Cottages

South West England, Devon, Braunton

2000 Self-Catering Properties

£86

Nant yr Esgair

Mid Wales, Powys, Machynlleth

Sleeps 2–4
Cabin

£110

Sculthorpe Mill

East Anglia, Norfolk, Fakenham

7 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms
Restaurant with Rooms
Watermill

£143

Glynn Barton

South West England, Cornwall, Bodmin

4 Safari Tents Sleeping 5-6
Safari Lodges

£180

Another Place, The Lake

North West England, Cumbria, Ullswater

47 Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Country House Hotel

£110

Valley View Farm

North East England, North Yorkshire, Helmsley

6 cottages sleeping 2-22
Cottage

£299

Calcot & Spa

South West England, Gloucestershire, Tetbury

35 Guest Rooms & Suites
Country House Hotel

£185

The White Hart Inn

East Anglia, Essex, Mersea Island

6 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms

£116

North Star Sanctum

North East England, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull

6 Lodges
Cabin

£75

Plas Weunydd

North Wales, Gwynedd, Blaenau Ffestiniog

24 Guest Rooms
Boutique Hotel

£150

Barlwyd Shepherd's Huts

North Wales, Gwynedd, Blaenau Ffestiniog

5 Huts Each Sleeping 2
Shepherd’s huts

£250

Nymetwood Treehouses

South West England, Devon, Crediton

2 Treehouses
Cabin
Treehouses

£350

Rufus' Roost

North East England, North Yorkshire, Thirsk

Sleeps 6
Treehouses

£540

Shepherd Huts at Another Place, The Lake

North West England, Cumbria, Pooley Bridge

6 Shepherd Huts & One Treehouse
Shepherd’s huts

£165

Catgill Farm Glamping

North East England, North Yorkshire, Bolton Abbey

10 Pods, 2 Bell Tents
Bell tents
Pods

£160

Mill End Hotel

South West England, Devon, Newton Abbot

21 Guest Rooms
Country House Hotel

£166

Forest Holidays Blackwood Forest

South East England, Hampshire, Winchester

60 Lodges Sleeping 2–10
Cabin

£132

Forest Holidays Cropton

North East England, North Yorkshire, Pickering

57 lodges
Cabin

£131

Forest Holidays Strathyre

Central Scotland, Perthshire

Cabin

£122

Forest Holidays Ardgartan Argyll

Highlands, Argyll & Bute

Cabin

£137

Forest Holidays Keldy

North East England, North Yorkshire, Pickering

Cabin

£202

Forest Holidays Brecon Beacons

South Wales, Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil

43 Cabins Sleeping 2–10
Cabin

£842

Fair Oak Farm

South East England, East Sussex, Mayfield

Sleeps 32
Large Property

£105

Cabin by the Castle

East Scotland, Moray, Elgin

Sleeps 2
Cabin

£625

Green Farm Kent: Spa, Retreats & Barn

South East England, Kent, Ashford

Sleeps 10–14
Large Property

£100

Brynkir Tower

North Wales, Gwynedd, Porthmadog

Sleeps 4
Castle

£132

Greystones Chapel

North Wales, Gwynedd, Llanberis

Sleeps 8–10
Chapel

£54

The Roundhouse

South West England, Somerset, Bath

One self-contained Yurt

£159

Soar Mill Cove Hotel

South West England, Devon, Salcombe

Guest Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Spa Hotel

£190

Hotel Endsleigh

South West England, Devon, Tavistock

18 Guest Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Country House Hotel

£160

Talland Bay Hotel

South West England, Cornwall, Looe

19 Guest Rooms & 4 Suites
Boutique Hotel

£100

The Boatside Inn

North East England, Northumberland, Hexham

3 Guest Rooms + 2 Cottages
Cottage
Pub with Rooms

£234

Bolton Abbey Cottages

North East England, North Yorkshire, Skipton

3 Cottages Sleeping 6–8
Chapel
Cottage

£180

The Five Alls

South West England, Gloucestershire, Lechlade

9 Guest Rooms
Pub with Rooms

£150

Kenny's Hut and Cleo's Hut

South East England, West Sussex, Horsham

2 Shepherds Huts
Shepherd’s huts

£629

The Lodges at Bovey Castle

South West England, Devon, Moretonhampstead

22 Lodges
Apartment
Cabin
Castle

£184

A Secret Garden

South East England, Kent, Canterbury

1 Cabin for 2

£200

The Piggery at John Bulls House

South East England, West Sussex, Horsham

Sleeps 2
Cottage

£340

One Acre Wood

West Midlands, Herefordshire, Bromyard

2 Treehouses each sleeping 4–6
Cabin
Treehouses

Showing 145 - 192 of 356 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.