Where to stargaze in ENGLAND
While it’s often considered a densely populated and light-polluted urban country that’s not ideal for amateur astronomy, England has plenty of hills, open moorland, reservoirs and remote countryside that are perfect for stargazing away from the glow of towns and cities.
Dark-sky locations in Scotland and Wales are high on amateur astronomers’ bucket lists, yet there are many International Dark Sky Reserves in England where darkness is protected, including Exmoor National Park, Moore’s Reserve in the South Downs National Park, Cranborne Chase and the newly-certified Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks. There are also two International Dark Sky Parks celebrated for having the very darkest skies: Bodmin Moor Dark Sky Landscape in Cornwall and Northumberland National Park and Kielder Water & Forest Park.
As well as a mushrooming of areas certified by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), England also boasts a variety of Dark Sky Discovery Sites (), mostly nominated by local astronomy groups. Selected for their ease of accessibility, these areas are super-dark, offering incredible views of starry night skies.
