Starry Eyed: Best Stargazing Escapes In The UK

6 months ago

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One of the (many) wonderful things about holing up in the country is the lack of pollution: air, sound and, most crucially, light. Suddenly, all of nature’s twinkling lights peep out from the darkness, and you can spot whole constellations – even planets sometimes. Chile’s Atacama Desert, with its high altitude, dry climate and lack of pollution, is widely considered the world’s best stargazing destination, with the Canary Islands, Namibia and Iceland all hot on Chile’s heels, as well as the Arctic Circle where the Northern Lights are a common sight. But where to go stargazing in the UK?

Whether you missed the dazzling display of Northern Lights across the UK recently, or the whole experience got you itching for more, here are 10 stargazing holiday ideas in the UK.

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Stargazing Holidays In The UK

Milovaig House, Isle of Skye

Perched on the cliffs of Isle of Skye, Milovaig House is a lovingly restored 19th century crofters house featuring breathtaking sea loch views. Minimalist Nordic interiors make the building’s heritage shine, but your attention with be on the windows peering at Loch Pooltiel from every room. At night, stick with the water theme and stargaze from the Swedish-style hot tub. Divine.

BOOK: sandandstoneescapes.com

Silverlake, Dorset

Head to Habitat Escapes’ Dorset estate, Silverlake, for contemporary privacy on the shoreline of Beaumont Lake. Stay in Driftwood to watch the twinkling stars from the chic roof terrace, or venture down to your private canoe launch platform to watch them glisten and shimmer in the mirror-like lake surface.

BOOK: habitatescapes.com

Gleneagles, Perthshire

Gleneagles – the iconic Perthshire hotel and estate – has introduced its ‘By The Lochan’ experience, allowing guests to soak up the incredible stars from a bespoke glass pod nestled into the countryside, following a self-guided walk through a winding nature trail. Enjoy dinner, whisky tastings, board games or simply a lie down as you gaze at the view.

BOOK: gleneagles.com

Finn Lough, County Fermanagh

Finn Lough Resort in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh – only two hours from Belfast by car – plays host to bespoke, adults-only Stargazing Forest Domes. Featuring a four-poster bed, waterfall shower, vintage record player, underfloor heating and telescope inside, the domes resemble giant bubbles from the outside, with plenty of vantage points from which to gaze at the brilliant stars above.

BOOK: finnlough.com

The Pierhouse, Argyll

The Pierhouse offers a secluded beachfront retreat, situated close to the quaint fishing village of Port Appin. The remoteness reveals constellations, planets and galaxies in the night sky, with the added benefit of the dark waters of the loch reflecting the magnificence. Guests can take a kayak onto the water after sunset; you’ll feel like you’re scooping through the shimmering universe with each paddle.

BOOK: pierhousehotel.co.uk

Blyth Rise Stays, Suffolk

Situated in the heart of Suffolk, Blyth Rise is a collection of 12 adult-only, lakeside lodges and ‘igluhuts’, set across ten acres of replanted land, thriving with trees, shrubs and flora, providing an immersive countryside retreat ideal for stargazing. Much of the East Anglian countryside and Suffolk’s pretty towns are within reach – but you’ll want to make sure you’re back by nightfall to watch the stars emerge from your private terrace, wrapped in a cosy, recycled-wool blanket.

BOOK: blythrisestays.co.uk

The Tawny Hotel, Staffordshire

At The Tawny, bedrooms are sprawled across the 70 acre rewilded estate in the form of boathouses, treehouses and shepherd’s huts, surrounded by lakes, woodlands and follies which spring to life at the months warm up a bit. With minimal light pollution across the estate, it’s the perfect place to try stargazing in the UK. Pick up blankets and a pair of binoculars from reception and settle in to wonder at the night sky.

BOOK: thetawny.co.uk

Sperrinview, County Tyrone

Situated in the foothills of County Tyrone’s Sperrin Mountains, Sperrinview is a glamp-site situated in one of Northern Ireland’s first Dark Sky sites. Each pod, sleeping up to five, is kitted out with a full equipped kitchenette and private bathroom, as well as its own private ‘window to the stars’. By day, explore the nearby Beaghmore Stone Circles and local walking and cycling trails; by night, gather round a crackling campfire watching stars shoot across the sky, or lie back in your private pod gazing through the dedicated viewing window.

BOOK: sperrinviewglamping.com

Huts in the Hills, Northumberland

Tucked away on a working farm in Northumberland’s Dark Sky Park, Huts in the Hills are two gorgeous huts crafted with reclaimed oak and insulated with sheep’s wool, perched in a field of their own. Wonderfully remote, by day the views are breathtaking, and by night the skies are fit to burst with stars. On a clear night, you’ll see millions of twinkling dots, the Milky Way, meteor showers and even the Andromeda Galaxy (2.5 million light years away). Then nestle back to bed in your cosy home-from-home.

BOOK: kiphideaways.com

The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye

Foodies have been visiting The Three Chimneys in droves, but it’s also a lovely spot for stargazing in the UK. The ideal location on the Isle of Skye within one of Scotland’s designated Dark Skies areas makes for breathtaking sights during night walks after a delicious dinner, including the occasional aurora show.

BOOK: threechimneys.co.uk