Camping Under the Stars

Find a campsite tucked away in the countryside far from the bright city lights, and embrace the wonder of the dark.

Find a campsite tucked away in the countryside far from the bright city lights and embrace the wonder of the dark and watch the world turn. There are some great campsites that work hard to reduce light pollution providing unique intimate opportunities to experience the skies and soundscapes of the night. For spectacular views of the Milky Way and other heavenly delights, Wales is the place to come, including all three National Parks being officially recognised for their dark skies and star gazing opportunities. A night out under the stars, seeing the sun set and the sun rise is an amazing experience that is open to all yet experienced by few.

Some campsites will help you get started with star gazing and provide you with star charts and binoculars. Many campsites are dark sky friendly and have lights turned off into the night with good shielding of lighting that helps not only preserve the dark skies above but also helps your eyes stay alive to the darkness. When you camp out make an effort to turn off your technology and instead take the time to turn into your natural surroundings, the sounds, smells and sights revealed by the dark. Camping out under the stars is a great time to get to know your friends and family.

We tend to forget just how beautiful it is out in the open. There is really nothing that beats hearing the world wake up around you after a night sleeping under the stars. From star-studded skies to soft grass and the smell of dewy grass in the cool air, you’ll rediscover how the best things in life really are free. There is something primitively thrilling about camping. Sleeping where the sounds of the night surround you, and the chorus of the dawn awakes you, is a wonderful way to connect to the natural world, combine this with stargazing and our human bond with the whole universe is awakened. 

The best nights for stargazing are clear cloudless nights – however let every cloud have a silver lining and use these times to learn about the stars or share stories about the myths and legends in the night sky.

If you want to take advantage of the clear nights for stargazing then it is well worth having your camping kit ready for when good stargazing conditions arise. Keep a prepacked box of your camping gear in a certain corner of your house or garage and you’ll be ready to hit the road and  head off to your favourite dark sky campsite with minimal stress every time. Keep your tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping mat together, along with your lighting (headlamp with extra batteries, lantern, and/or tent lights). Pack the kitchen stuff together, remembering to clean and repack it after each trip. This way you can head out with only one or two stops for last-minute provisions and be ready for your 24/7 adventure.