The Best Places to Stargaze in the UK
If you live in a city or a large town, looking up at the night sky from your garden probably won’t help you see many stars. But with a bit of planning and venturing further afield, the UK is a much better place for stargazing than you might think.
We’re blessed with such a diverse landscape in this country that there are countless parks, beaches, mountains and nature reserves, all of which can deliver dark skies and the best possible stargazing conditions. In this guide, we’ve picked out some of the best stargazing opportunities the UK has to offer, along with some hiking routes you can take in at the same time.
What makes for a great stargazing spot?
There are certain characteristics that make some places much better for stargazing than others. For the best stargazing experience, we recommend:
- Picking the clearest night. Cloud cover is the enemy of stargazing, so make sure you head out on a clear night.
- Aiming for the new moon. The sunlight reflecting off a full moon can make it difficult to see stars.
- Avoiding light pollution. Urban areas and major infrastructure generate significant light pollution.
- Looking for countryside or seaside locations where competing light sources are limited.
Stargazing in National Parks
The best places to find consistently dark skies are in the UK’s 15 National Parks, all of which are subject to development restrictions that limit urban sprawl and minimise light pollution.
Lake District
Stargazing in Cumbria naturally means the Lake District, with a combination of tranquil lakes and waterways, and some of England’s highest peaks and summits. Keswick makes for a good base camp in the middle of the national park, with some excellent stargazing sites and routes available at Thirlmere to the south and Whinlatter to the west.
Route: Whinlatter Forrest Park
Brecon Beacons
This National Park, just the other side of the Heads of the Valleys Road from south Wales’ biggest settlements, has several different stargazing sites to explore, from Usk Reservoir in the west, to Pen y Fan in the east. The Libanus Mountain Centre close to Brecon town is also a popular spot for stargazing by night and hiking by day.
Route: Fan Frynych, Powys
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a winter sports paradise during the winter months, but, if you can brave the cold, are excellent for stargazing too. The Aviemore area is a good place to start, as is the north of the park towards Grantown-on-Spey, Tomintoul and Glenlivet.
Route: Crombie Water and Whisky Hills
Finding the Darkest Skies
Some of the very darkest skies in the UK are found in some of its most remote locations. The good news is that these places often make for great hiking and exploration too. [stargazing…he uk.docx | Word]
West Penwith
At the very far end of Cornwall lies the West Penwith peninsula, one of two designated Dark Sky landscapes in Cornwall. As long as you avoid the light pollution of Penzance and Land’s End, the views are superb, with very little land mass or urban settlement in the way, just stars and ocean.
Route: Cornish Coast: Zennor
Outer Hebrides
All of the islands to the north west of Scotland offer seclusion and dark skies, but the Isle of Skye is perhaps one of the best. Head north and west for the best views, either towards Trumpan or the Waterstein headland.
Route: Waterstein Head
Northern Ireland
A trip over the Irish Sea to the north coast of Northern Ireland offers relaxed walking and first rate stargazing, especially if you get far away from the bright lights of Belfast. Night time access to the Giant’s Causeway can be restricted, so head west along the North Antrim coast and further towards Derry/Londonderry.
Route: Castlerock & Downhill, County Derry
Stargazing in and Around Major Cities
Bath Abbey
The 7th century abbey in the city of Bath sometimes holds stargazing events at the top of its tower. After Bath Abbey stargazing, you can head north to get away from the bright city lights, especially towards Lansdown to the north west.
Route: The Lansdown Battlefield
Herstmonceux
The former telescopes of the Royal Observatory Greenwich are now used by the Observatory Science Centre for stargazing at Herstmonceux in East Sussex. For your own stargazing route, head north and further away from the coast, up towards Brightling and Burwash.
Route: Burwash, East Sussex
Northumberland
Stargazing in Newcastle upon Tyne might be tricky, but you’ll be within easy reach of Northumberland Dark Sky Park, which claims to have the darkest skies in the whole of England. One of the closest locations to Newcastle is the Simonside Hills, south of Rothbury, but there are also fantastic stargazing sites close to the Scottish border at Kielder Water.
Route: Simonside Hills, Northumberland
Best Places for Stargazing in Wales
See the best spots for stargazing in Wales, including Eryri and Bannau Brycheiniog, in this OS guide. Find the best routes to see the Wales night sky here.
Best Spots for Stargazing in Scotland
Discover the best places to see the stars in Scotland and the routes that will take you there. Find night-hikes and more in the OS guide to stargazing in Scotland.
Best Stargazing Spots in and Around London
Find the best places to see the night sky in reach of London. Discover the best opportunities for stargazing near London in this OS Maps guide.
By OS Maps Discover Team
The OS Maps Discover content team creates and reviews practical, inspiring guides to walking, cycling, navigation and exploring the outdoors. Led by Editor Hilary Pullen, the team works with Ordnance Survey colleagues, outdoor experts and experienced contributors to ensure content is clear, useful and accurate. Have an outdoor story, expert advice or a route you would like to share? Find out how to submit an article idea and become a featured OS author.
