Stargazing in Pembrokeshire

On a clear evening, you can see the Milky Way arcing overhead, familiar constellations twinkling brightly, and even the occasional shooting star streaking across the vast expanse. From the rugged clifftops of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to its secluded beaches and rolling countryside, the landscapes here provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable night under the stars.

Whether you're wrapped in a blanket on a quiet shoreline, enjoying a late-night walk in the countryside, or simply stepping outside your holiday accommodation, all you need to do is look up – and let the universe take your breath away.

Visit Broad Haven South for a chance to see the Milky Way 

Now listed as a Dark Sky Discovery site, the clifftop location of the National Trust car park at Broad Haven South Beach offers a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of the night sky. At certain times of the year, you’ll be able to see Venus and Mars on the western horizon at sunset, Jupiter shining in the eastern sky, and even get the chance to spot the Big Dipper and Orion. 

 
Find a Dark Sky Discovery Site in Pembrokeshire 

Dark Sky Discovery sites are a nationwide network of the best spots to see the stars, and Pembrokeshire has eight designated sites. 

1. Broad Haven South National Trust car park (OS SR9758693785) 

1. Garn Fawr National Trust car park (OS SM8990938835) 

1. Kete National Trust car park (OS SM8032604298) 

1. Martin’s Haven National Trust car park (OS SM7619308981) 

1. Newgale Beach National Park car park (OS SM8505321745) 

1. Poppit Sands National Park car park (OS SN1520648566) 

1. Skrinkle Haven National Park car park (OS SS0833797509) 

1. Sychpant Pembrokeshire National Park Picnic Site (OS SN0457034982) 

If you’re new to stargazing Dark Sky Discovery offers tips, activities and maps to help you navigate the night sky in all seasons. 

7 Top Tips for Watching the Night Sky in Pembrokeshire 

1. Choose a clear night around the new moon, with no clouds. 

1. With the naked eye, you can see lots of large stars and planets, but if you use binoculars, a telescope or a high-powered camera, you can see the planets, nebulas, and black holes in much more detail. 

1. Download a stargazing app. 

1. Start by locating the North Star – Polaris, as this will help you read the stargazing guide. 

1. Stars twinkle, planets don’t! 

1. The best times to see meteors are an hour before dawn. 

1. Meteor showers take place in August, November, and December. 

Stackpole Under The Stars

A morning’s paddleboarding at Stackpole Quay, a seal-spotting picnic above St Govan’s Chapel, and an afternoon exploring Pembroke Castle – it’s all in a day’s adventure at Stackpole Under The Stars, and what better way to round it off than with a light show like no other – stargazing under Pembrokeshire’s breathtaking dark skies.

It’s hard to beat this little rural retreat, a camping and glamping site nestled beside National Trust woodland on the Stackpole Estate, one of the National Park’s most beautiful destinations.

The family-run campsite is just a stone’s throw from the Dark Sky Discovery Site at Broadhaven South beach. A stay in one of the campsite’s handmade yurts offers the best of the star show, as you lie gazing up at the night sky through a circular roof wheel. There’s also a luxury glamping pod and two safari tents.

Bring your own tent, campervan or caravan, and you can experience the dazzling display as you cwtch around your campfire, toasting marshmallows.

Owners Laura and Stan have lived on the Stackpole Estate for 20+ years, having moved from the Midlands after falling in love with Pembrokeshire’s coastline through work and play. They took over the old campsite at the estate’s North Lodge gatehouse eight years ago.

They’ve added a tiny shop, wood-fired pizza nights and axe-throwing sessions.

Laura said: “Our guests are wowed by their stargazing experiences. For some it’s the first time they’ve ever seen a shooting star, or the Milky Way. It’s fantastic for us because we know that holiday memories like those will stay with them for years to come.”

• Stackpole Under The Stars is open from March to October (and from February for the luxury glamping pod)

• Camping pitch prices begin at £30 per night (based on up to 2 sharing)

• Glamping accommodation prices begin at £115 per night (for up to 4 sharing)

• Dog-friendly

• Artisan wood-fired pizzas made on site up weekly

• Axe-throwing sessions

• Tiny Shop

• SPECIAL OFFER – Book now for glamping stays in Feb/March and April and get 15% off

If you’re really interested in learning more about the night sky the best tip is to join an astronomy club. Find others that enjoy looking out into the cosmos as much as you do, test out a wide range of telescopes or bring your new piece of equipment to help get set up and learn more about how to gaze out into the universe.

The Pembrokeshire Astronomy Group (https://www.preseliastronomygroup.org) meets on the first Tuesday of every month.

The group advises stargazers to check the weather ahead of time to see what chance there is of clouds obstructing your views of the cosmos and also has the following top tips...

When’s the best time to view the Milky Way?

We can see the Milky Way all year round but the most photographed and brightest part of it is its core. The best time to see the core is during the Milky Way season and that occurs between March and September.

For the best views of the Milky Way you’ll need to head out on a moonless night or as close to that as you can get, the Milky Way will be the hardest to see on nights when the moon is at its fullest.

If you’re into photographing the night sky, use an app likePhotoPilsto plan ahead. Check out the position of the sun, moon and Milky Way on the map on any day of your choosing. You can also use this to check the lunar cycles and see what nights are the best to avoid all that moonlight.

This app also helps you to locate the Milky Way with its augmented reality night mode, to plan ahead for those perfect shots or even just find the best composition at all those spots you dreamed of photographing with the Milky Way lined up perfectly in the backdrop. You can also dial in all of your camera settings, field of view, exposure times and minimum focal distances for your foreground and backgrounds.

ISS (International Space Station)

Have you ever seen the International Space station fly by in the night sky? Get the ISS Detectorapp to receive live alerts on when the station will be flying through the night sky in your location.

What does the ISS look like? Basically just a small star flying through the night sky at speed! It takes around 90 minutes for the ISS to orbit the earth… that’spretty crazy fast, travelling through space at 17,150 mph.

Aurora

Want to stay updated on when you can see the Aurora next? Get live alerts from apps like Aurora Watch UKfor the best chance to see the Northern Lights.

For the best viewing, trying and get to some higher ground as North facing as you possibly can!

Remember to share your images with Visit Pembrokeshire on social media.