Starry-eyed Romance
What could be more romantic than you and the one you love, sipping champagne and gazing up at the stars? For a Valentine’s Day surprise, or a romantic caravan or motorhome tour, viewing a clear night sky will get hearts beating a little bit faster.
Even in the city there are low light areas where you can get a decent view, so you needn’t go far. And then there are the Dark Skies parks and reserves: larger, wilder places where even with the naked eye you’ll discover over 1,000 stars and planets on a clear night.
In fact, the UK has some of the best stargazing opportunities in Europe. You just need to know where to look!
A Stellar Night Out
Fancy a spot of stargazing one evening? Then check out the Dark Sky Discovery’s interactive map for the best town and country locations near you.
Local stargazers provide the information, which not only includes location, but also tips on everything from parking and accessibility to facilities. Some groups even advertise guided ‘tours’ of the sky and other astronomical events.
Once you’ve planned your visit it’s time to turn the romance up to 11. How about packing this stylish picnic hamper back pack and cooler bag with some delicacies and a bottle of fizz? And not forgetting the picnic blanket so you can really stretch out and enjoy a late night picnic under the night sky.
Spotting Stars, Planets And Planes
A really clear night sky’s always awe inspiring, but it can be even more of an experience if you know what you’re looking at.
The BBC’s Sky At Night team publishes a monthly video guide on forthcoming highlights, such as visible planets and meteor showers to help you plan ahead. Or, if you’d rather wing it, Google Sky Map on a properly calibrated phone will identify any celestial body you point it at.
You could also add a bit of a soundtrack (Holst’s The Planets maybe?) with one of our favourite tech products. The Outwell Obsidian combined lamp and Bluetooth speaker will hook up to your media player for great sound.
Finally, if you’re under a flight path you can find out about any commercial plane by using the FlightRadar24 mobile app. Point your phone to identify the airline, aircraft type, height, speed and the route it’s taking. It’s surprisingly good fun!
Boldly Go On Tour
If you fancy a ‘Trek’ in your caravan or motorhome, there are some fantastic star-gazing related touring opportunities.
For some inspiration visit The International Dark Sky Association website. This organisation officially recognises (and rates) ‘Dark Sky Places’ around the world that offer especially good viewing conditions.
We have a fair few Dark Sky Parks and Reserves in this country, from Exmoor in the South to Galloway Forest Park in Scotland. You can read about them all in the organisation’s directory.
Even without the night skies, these are wonderful places to visit if you appreciate nature - and because many are national parks or otherwise protected, there’s a good, sustainable tourism infrastructure, including some excellent campsites.
To be real stargazing pros, add a couple of Prima’s fantastic reclining camping chairs to your packing list. And maybe top them off with Outwell Constellation Comforter blankets?
Do you have any stargazing trips you’d like to recommend - or Valentine’s triumphs / disasters you’d like to share with the group? We’ve opened the comments section below so do share your stories!