The best stargazing spots in the UK

Last updated 4 November 2026

The best places to stargaze in the UK are its International Dark Sky Places, recognised by DarkSky International for exceptionally dark skies. They include Galloway Forest Park and Tomintoul and Glenlivet in the Cairngorms in Scotland; Exmoor, Northumberland, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors in England; Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) and Eryri (Snowdonia) in Wales; and the OM Dark Sky Park in Northern Ireland.

What makes a Dark Sky Place?

DarkSky International (formerly the International Dark-Sky Association) certifies places with unusually dark night skies that commit to keeping them dark, usually through careful lighting rules and public outreach. There are three main kinds:

• Dark Sky Reserves: a large core of very dark sky, ringed by a populated area that works to limit light pollution. Many UK national parks are reserves.
• Dark Sky Parks: public land, such as a forest park or estate, with exceptional night skies and visitor access.
• Dark Sky Communities: towns, villages and islands that have adopted good lighting practice.

Scotland

• Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway: the UK's first Dark Sky Park, in 2009. Its large, thinly populated forest has some of the darkest skies in mainland Britain, within reach of much of northern England and central Scotland.
• Tomintoul and Glenlivet, Cairngorms: made a Dark Sky Park in November 2018, mostly inside the Cairngorms National Park, and described at the time as the most northerly Dark Sky Park in the world. It has Dark Sky Discovery Sites with parking at the Field of Hope near Tomintoul, The Carrachs in the Braes of Glenlivet, and Blairfindy Moor.
• Moffat and Coll: the Dumfries and Galloway town of Moffat became a Dark Sky Community in 2016, and the Hebridean island of Coll is one too. With no streetlights and a far-north position, Coll is a fine place for winter skies and aurora watching.

England

• Exmoor National Park (Devon and Somerset): a Dark Sky Reserve since 2011, the first in Europe.
• Northumberland National Park and Kielder Water & Forest Park: together a Dark Sky Park covering a vast stretch of the north-east, and home to Kielder Observatory.
• The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks: both became Dark Sky Reserves in December 2020.
• The South Downs National Park: a Dark Sky Reserve on the doorstep of the crowded south-east, within reach of London and Brighton.
• Cranborne Chase (Dorset and Wiltshire): a protected landscape that is also a Dark Sky Reserve.

Wales

• Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (the Brecon Beacons): a Dark Sky Reserve since 2013.
• Eryri National Park (Snowdonia): a Dark Sky Reserve covering much of north-west Wales.
• Elan Valley Estate, mid-Wales: a Dark Sky Park among reservoirs and upland moor.

Northern Ireland

The OM Dark Sky Park in Davagh Forest, County Tyrone, became Northern Ireland's first International Dark Sky Park in 2020, with its own observatory and visitor centre. Nearby but outside the UK, the Channel Island of Sark (a Crown Dependency) is also a recognised Dark Sky Community.

New places are added regularly. DarkSky International's online map and the National Parks UK dark skies page have the latest list and visitor information.

Finding a dark sky near you

You don't have to reach a national park to see far more stars than you do at home. The UK also has a network of Dark Sky Discovery Sites: local spots, often car parks or picnic sites, that are easy to reach, safe and away from direct lighting. And:

1. Check a light pollution map. It shows the darkest areas within driving distance. Even half an hour out of town makes a dramatic difference.
2. Keep towns behind you. Every town has a dome of skyglow. Face away from it, ideally towards the part of the sky you want to see.
3. Climb a little. Hills and moors often sit above low mist and haze.
4. Choose the night. The week around new Moon is darkest; see our 2027 full and new Moon dates.
5. Choose the season. Around midsummer the UK never gets fully dark. Autumn, winter and early spring give the longest dark nights.

Staying safe in remote places

• Visit in daylight first, so you know the ground, the parking and any hazards.
• Tell someone where you are going, and don't rely on a phone signal.
• Dress for temperatures well below the daytime forecast. Standing still on a clear night is cold work, even in summer.
• Carry a red torch so you can see your footing without losing your night vision.
• Respect the place: keep to car parks and paths, and don't use bright white lights.

New to it all? Our beginner's guide covers what to take and what to look for, and if you are hoping for the aurora, see how to see the northern lights in the UK.

Common questions