Connecting with the beauty of our natural world and gazing up at the stars is a flourishing pastime in Wales thanks to our clear dark skies..
And with more and more stargazing events and workshops, it's getting easier to get involved.
With the first-ever Welsh Dark Sky Week happening from February 19 to 27, then now is the perfect time to give stargazing a go.
Read more: Incredible stargazing destinations in Wales where you can explore the cosmos
What is Welsh Dark Sky Week 2022?
Wales has the highest percentage of land with protected Dark Skies Status in the world - which essentially means an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights - and has two international Dark Sky Reserves, Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia.
Organisers of the first Welsh Dark Sky Week believe our dark skies are worth protecting and will be hosting a whole range of events to help the community learn, discover and be inspired by the night sky.
The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB has a timetable of events which are all free to attend but require booking. Stargazers can check out their Eventbrite page for the full schedule and more details on how to attend the events and talks.
Getting prepared
Attending a stargazing event or talk in Wales is a great way to learn how to spot constellations, star clusters, planets and even meteors, especially for those who are new to it.
To get started with stargazing, you'll need layers and a decent outdoor jacket to keep you warm at night, a flask for hot drinks, a red light head torch and you can even rent a telescope to get a closer look at the cosmos.
Ready to go stargazing in Wales? Here's our guide to where you'll find the best starry skies.
Dee Valley
Not just some of the most charming landscapes in daylight, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB have some incredible dark sky locations where you can experience the night sky in North Wales.
The area is currently on a mission to gain official status from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) so that the starry skies there are properly protected.
Some of the darkest skies in this area can be found above Caer Drewyn, an iron age fort that sits proudly on top of a hill overlooking the valley of the Afon Dyfrdwy.
Visitors can learn more about stargazing in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB by attending some of the events and talks they are holding as part of the Welsh Dark Sky Week 2022.
The Brecon Beacons
By day, the rugged landscapes of the Brecon Beacons offer plenty of hiking opportunities, at night they open up onto a whole otherworldly vista.
From meteors and satellites to stars, planets and the milky way core there are many night sky wonders in this Welsh Dark Sky Reserve.
Here, you'll find the beautiful Usk Reservoir which has been designated a Dark Sky Discovery Site. As well as being excellent locations for stargazing, these easily accessed sites often have free car parking and toilet facilities.
When conditions are right, you can spot a range of constellations here as the reservoir is largely protected from the light pollution of the South Wales Valleys. Other optimal stargazing sites in the Brecon Beacons area include Hay Bluff, Pen Rhiw Ddu, Carreg Cennen and Llangorse Lake.
Brecon Beacons Visitor Centre is another great spot for stargazers and astrophotographers. Allan Trow from Dark Sky Wales says: "Located in Wales first International Dark Sky Reserve the visitor centre has all the facilities you’d need for a good night's stargazing. This is a great all year round site due to the proximity of a car park and toilets but above all provides great views of the night sky.
Many organised events are held there during the year such as the Perseid meteor shower along with regular weekly sessions run by Dark Sky Wales."
Pembrokeshire
By day enjoy you can explore coastal walks along the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and by night pay a visit to one of Pembrokeshire's Dark Sky Discovery Sites to seek out stars and planets.
For easily accessible stargazing, park up for free at Pembrokeshire's Newgale Beach car park and enjoy starry skies over the magnificent Pembrokeshire's coastline at this peaceful dark sky discovery site.
The clear skies and lack of light pollution make this an ideal place for stargazing and astrophotography with delicious ocean views. From June to early August, the Milky Way is visible on clear nights and also straight after sunset in August and September.
Nearby, you'll find a restful night's sleep after an evening of stargazing at Duke Of Edinburgh Inn. This beachfront inn is located just a few minutes from Newgale and has an onsite restaurant and pub.
Broad Haven provides an impressive clifftop location for stargazing with a 360-degree panorama of the Pembrokeshire coast under the vast night sky. Bring your camera to this accessible dark sky site to get a shot of the milky way over the ocean.
The National Trust hosts a range of immersive dark sky events at the nearby Stackpole Centre.
Attend one of their family-friendly events to view luminous stars and planets through powerful telescopes and learn how to navigate the starry skies and use the north star to align a telescope.
Snowdonia National Park
Snowdonia National Park is another area in Wales to be designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve. The expansive national park has several stargazing spots including the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley ANOB, Llynnau Cregennen and Llyn y Dywarchen.
Another great place to seek out the stars in Snowdonia National Park is near the Capel Garmon Burial Chamber. A neolithic tomb above the Conwy Valley. Access is easy and there are great views of Snowdonia and the sky.
For a unique stargazing adventure, outdoor specialists Wild Trails Wales offer a stargazing hike in Snowdonia where you can reach a peak or viewpoint for sunset and then descend under the stars.
As you develop your Astro-passion, you can also meet other stargazing enthusiasts at monthly meetings and events organised by the North Wales Astronomy Society.
Carmarthenshire
The new Cwtch up in Carmarthenshire guide details how you can have a cosy break and embrace the long nights on a stargazing break, as Carmarthenshire has some of the darkest skies in the UK.
Here you'll find the National Botanic Garden of Wales, the first botanic garden in Britain to be crowned a Dark Sky Discovery Site. Other stargazing spots include the Llyn Brianne Reservoir, this man-made reservoir is a haven for star seekers and nearby accommodation and places to eat can be also found in the market town of Llandovery.
Mynydd Llanllwni Mountain is another dark sky spot worth visiting and is located south in a village called Llanllwni in Carmarthenshire.
There's a range of camping and accommodation in and around Carmarthenshire where you can experience the vast night skies including Ardderfin near Llansteffan. This remote, rustic farmhouse is a cosy stay in the countryside and is ideally located in a rural setting where you can gaze up at the night skies in peace and hopefully see some shining stars right above the farmhouse.
The Elan Valley
The Elan Valley Estate achieved International Dark Sky Park status in 2015 and became the first privately-owned but publicly accessible park in the world to do so.
Several optimal stargazing sites in the Elan Valley offer the best chances of seeing the cosmos, including the Teifi Pools, Claerwen Dam and the Craig Goch car park.
Organised stargazing events are held in the Elan Valley and Dark Sky Wales also take guided tours for small groups. The exceptional dark skies here also offer astrophotographers and aspiring star snappers the ideal settings for capturing the luminous stars and even the milky way.
It's the ideal place for astrophotographers to get snaps of the luminous, celestial skies and the milky way core. Dafydd Wynn Morgan regularly photographs the night skies around the Cambrian Mountains Astro trail, including the Elan Valley
Speaking on the Cambrian Mountains Podcast, he said: "Essentially, all you need to take a photograph of the milky way is a camera, tripod, remote control and then you play around with the manual settings on the camera itself.
He further explained that the trick to optimal milky way shots is to let in as much light as possible and to figure out the correct shutter speed.
Wigwam Holidays Hafren
Wales has several dark sky accommodation options, with many located in prime locations for accessing starry skies. Wigwam Holidays in Staylittle offer special ' Stargazing Weekends ' that the whole family will love.
Enjoy two days of astronomical tuition and observation whilst glamping in En-suite Wigwam cabins on a rural sheep farm. Each cabin is fully kitted out with a variety of amenities for a relaxing stay under the stars in the Cambrian Mountains.
Their stargazing weekends are packed with astronomical observation and astrophotography, to get you more accustomed to astronomy, the night sky and taking your very own starry images.
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