In Activity, Nature

Stars over Wiltshire
 

On a clear evening, there’s nothing better than a spot of stargazing. Wiltshire being a predominantly rural county lends itself to stargazing with the advantage of less light pollution than more urban areas.

Here are our suggestions for some top places to see the stars across the county:

Cranborne Chase

Cranborne Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and as a result, has planning and environmental restrictions in place. The team who manage the AONB are making plans to achieve ‘Dark Sky Status’ and there are plenty of places within the area that are perfect for enjoying the night skies including Tollard Royal (and the area near to the Larmer Tree Gardens), Broad Chalke and Dinton. Look out for special stargazing events that are organised by the AONB team. 

Stonehenge

The National Trust mention Stonehenge as one of their top stargazing spots in the south west of England and it’s easy to see why. The timeless landscape surrounding Stonehenge is sparsely populated owing to the fact of its close proximity to Salisbury Plain and also due to Stonehenge being part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Keep an eye out for stargazing events organised by the National Trust and English Heritage here. 

Lacock

With minimal street lighting and being surrounded by countryside, the village of Lacock can be a great place to see the stars. There are several accommodation options available in and around the village including the Piccadilly Caravan Park just a couple of miles away. As with Stonehenge, look out for stargazing events that are organised by the National Trust within the Abbey grounds. 

Barbury Castle

This Iron Age hillfort is found near to Swindon and sits within the North Wessex Downs AONB. This elevated site gives ample opportunity for stargazing over the surrounding countryside. 

Cley Hill

Cley Hill is another area managed by the National Trust and sits closely to the Longleat estate and the edges of Warminster. Ideal for stargazing or even UFO spotting, given Warminster is alleged to be the UFO capital of the UK! 

Stourton

The village of Stourton is probably mostly famed for the iconic National Trust gardens of Stourhead. This small village can be a great place for enjoying the starry nights and why not stay at either Stourhead Gardens B&B or the Spread Eagle Inn where you’ll be in extremely close proximity to Stourhead gardens. 

Have you got any favourite stargazing spots here in Wiltshire? If so, please share them with us below. 

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  3. malcolm
    What a fantastic list of stargazing spots in Wiltshire! Cranborne Chase sounds especially intriguing, and I love that they’re working toward ‘Dark Sky Status’—that would make for some incredible views. I’ve always enjoyed visiting Stonehenge, and stargazing there must be an unforgettable experience with the historic backdrop.

    If you're looking to capture those stunning night skies, I recommend checking out lifetouch https://lifetouch-photography.pissedconsumer.com/review.html for some great photography tips! I’d love to hear if anyone has tried stargazing at other lesser-known spots in Wiltshire.

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