loading . . . A cycle tourer’s guide to stargazing in the UK There’s something magical about ending a long day in the saddle with your tent pitched, water for coffee bubbling on your stove, and the night sky slowly revealing its secrets overhead. For cycle tourers, stargazing isn’t just a bonus – it’s part of the adventure. Whether you’re wild camping in Wales or tucked into a quiet corner of Dartmoor, there are surprisingly good opportunities to connect with the cosmos in the UK.
Incidentally, the photo above is from Wikipedia, as there’s simply no way any of my photos are a fraction as good as that one.
## Why stargazing and cycle touring go hand-in-hand
When cycle touring, chances are that you will often overnight far from the enormous amounts of light pollution in cities. In simple terms, that just means – provided the clouds co-operate – you will see more stars, and see them more clearly. If you live in a city, and get to experience the night sky over Dartmoor, you’ll be astonished!
It’s more fundamental than simply camping in a rural spot. Cycle touring means travelling at a human pace, leaving ample time for reflection, and living life more slowly. Stargazing is merely an extension of that, and that very same mindset that cycle touring brings is perfectly suited to stargazing.
Finally, you don’t need any special equipment. You just need your eyes, though there are a few phone apps than can greatly help.
## How to start stargazing
While you don’t need special equipment, the following may undoubtedly make you more comfortable. Start with a sleeping mat. Now, a sleeping mat’s primary purpose isn’t to provide a soft mattress. Instead, it’s to insulate you from ground cold, which can be an issue even in summer, in the UK.
See also DayCycle - The Wray Valley Trail
Next, your trusty sleeping bag. Not only will it help keep you warm, but it will also help keep the midges or mosquitoes at bay. Simply drag your sleeping mat and bag out of your tent, and settle down, looking at the magic overhead.
Remember, you’re not a scientist studying astronomy. The stars aren’t there to be identified, classified, and treated with clinical disassociation. Nature is painting a fantastic picture, _just for you_ , so it really doesn’t matter whether or not you can identify a single star, or not. Just drink in the beauty above our heads. For some added fun, see if you can spot the International Space Station, and give them a wave.
## Tips for stargazing on tour
Start with the obvious: the more light pollution there is, the fewer stars you will see. As a result, try and camp somewhere remote, and check the forecast. I’ll go as far as to say that you should try and plan a stargazing cycle camping excursion, and based when you’re doing that on the weather forecast.
Once at your campsite (do try and arrive during daylight hours) allow your eyes to adjust with the fading daylight. Your night-vision is better than you may think, but you need to give your eyes time to adjust. If you _have_ to use lights, try and use red lights, which won’t impact your night-vision so much.
While it can be very tempting to use an app on your phone to identify stars and constellations, remember that glancing at the phone’s lit screen can ruin your night-vision for several hours.
See also Wild Atlantic Way - Day 15
## Best places for stargazing
Now here’s where you’re in luck: the best places for stargazing also happen to be great for cycle touring. Top spot belongs to Kielder Forest, in Northumberland. That’s Europe’s largest Dark Sky Park, meaning it has the least amount of light pollution.
You can also try Galloway Forest Park, in Scotland, or for that matter, huge parts of rural Scotland. In Wales, Eryri National Park (pronounced something like _eh ruh-ree_ , and what used to known as Snowdonia) is an excellent spot, while Exmoor and Dartmoor also offer superb locations.
But here’s the thing: even if you travelled just a bit outside of the city (or town) you will see a marked increase in the number of stars that are visible, and you can still have a great night stargazing.
Go on! Embrace your inner child, and go stargazing. You will LOVE it!
### Share this:
* Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
* Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
* Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
* Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
* Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
* Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
* Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
* Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
* More
*
* Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
* Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
* Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
* Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
*
See also The stories hidden in maps
### _Related_ https://www.willcycle.com/2025/07/29/a-cycle-tourers-guide-to-stargazing-in-the-uk/
