A beautiful spot has been named the UK’s top stargazing destination as people prepare for one of the brightest meteor displays of the summer. Travel experts at Ski Vertigo compared protected dark-sky status, recognised public viewing access and nearby places to stay.
The Yorkshire Dales came out on top. The whole National Park is an International Dark Sky Reserve, approved in November 2020, with a protected core covering 30% of the park and several established stargazing locations.
The Yorkshire Dales offers large stretches of unpolluted sky where visitors may see the Milky Way, planets, meteors and occasionally the Northern Lights. Its Dark Sky Reserve core reaches across the upper parts of Swaledale, the Rawthey Valley, Garsdale, Littondale and Wharfedale.
It is followed by Bodmin Moor in Cornwall and Stonehaugh in Northumberland. Bodmin Moor is an International Dark Sky Landscape, with the protected area extending across the moor’s Cornwall National Landscape section and a two-mile buffer zone.
Bodmin Moor remains a strong alternative, with exceptionally dark skies recognised internationally since 2017. The designation covers part of the protected Cornwall landscape plus a surrounding buffer, while much of the moor is open-access land.
Stonehaugh is a free-to-access Dark Sky Discovery Site with a stargazing pavilion in Kielder Forest, at the heart of Northumberland International Dark Sky Park. Stonehaugh also combines dark conditions with practical public access. Its pavilion is free to use, nearby parking is available at the picnic site and the location sits within one of Europe’s largest protected dark-sky areas.
The timing gives sky-watchers another reason to plan a trip. The 2026 Perseid meteor shower is active from July 17 to August 24 and peaks overnight on August 12 to 13, when the new Moon should create particularly dark viewing conditions. Although the Perseids make summer a timely option, longer autumn and winter nights can give visitors more hours of darkness.
Alex Dyer, managing director at Ski Vertigo, said: “Look for genuine darkness, but also check that the viewing point is publicly accessible, that parking is permitted and that your accommodation is not a long drive away on unfamiliar rural roads.
“Check the cloud forecast and Moon phase before setting out, take warm layers even in summer and use a red-light setting rather than a bright phone screen. Your eyes need about 15 minutes to adjust, and a poorly placed torch or car headlight can quickly spoil the view for everyone nearby. “
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
