Observing sites close (less than 10 miles) to Plymouth

[Prador]

Hi to everyone in the D and C group

I started a thread some time ago asking the same question in the thread title about sites around Plymouth. One member suggested a place that I now use on a regular basis (huge triangular area of flat ground adjacent to the A386 on the approach to Yelverton).

Quarry carpark at Burrator reservoir is also another favourite.

Is there any other Plymouth residents willing to share their favourite spot?

Any place where the LP is lower and not overrun by feral youths is ideal.

All the best

Dave

p.s. Cream on the bottom, jam on top. Proper clotted cream should be waaaay thicker than jam therefore making the jam easier to spread on the cream. Anything else is just all kinds of wrong :grin:

[LukeSuppalot]

A couple of people have suggested Bellever as a possible dark site. Looking on Google maps there appears to be a few possible sites. I'll check it out one night to see what the LP and "ferral youth" situation is like.

P.S. "Cream on the bottom". Where will it end? Be havin' fruit in your scones next. I dunno.

[Mike73]

I've only been observing at Dartmoor once, spent ages looking at Google Earth trying to find good spots, thought I found some but when I tried each one the were being 'used' already.

I ended up driving down the most disused track I could find then just parked up at the edge of the road, wasn't disturbed all night.

Not much help I know but there must be loads of quiet sites around south Dartmoor...

[springbok]

We have been upto Kit Hill a few times, Callington way.

You still get some LP from Plymouth, but it's not too bad.

Main advantage is you can setup next to your car, rather than lugging gear across fields etc.

Would be interested to hear of sites on Dartmoor.

[Prador]

We have friends in Callington so might pop over there and say hi. Will check out kit hill and the surrounding area too. Thank you for the good suggestion

Dave

[sologuitarist61]

We have been upto Kit Hill a few times, Callington way.

You still get some LP from Plymouth, but it's not too bad.

Main advantage is you can setup next to your car, rather than lugging gear across fields etc.

Would be interested to hear of sites on Dartmoor.

mike73 is your man for sites on Dartmoor, though he is away at work at the moment, but will probably pick up on this thread later.

[Mike73]

https://maps.google....047529,0.127888

I've marked a couple spots on this map but not sure if they are too far for your liking?

Funny place Dartmoor though....Miles and miles of nothing but still quite hard to find a dark site!

[springbok]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for those. I used to stomp around bellever forest, and also attended some motorsport events over the years as the official photographer.

I know the back road you showed in mark number 2. As you said though not many parking places. Although the upside is almost 0 traffic.

I must get up and have a scout around some time soon. The main problem with the moors is being exposed to the wind. Not much use in having a great dark site with the wind blowing your OTA around like a sail.

Cheers,

Grahame.

[Mike73]

Hi Grahame

Yep that second spot had really good all round views and your right the one time I went there I didn't see a single car all night but boy was it cold!!! Driving home that night the car said it was -5 but it felt a lot colder than that!

Let us know if you do head up there and find any sheltered spots.

[StarRaver]

Hiya all just found this D & C group, hard place to find as relitivly new to this site. I thought I would post where I have been doing my AP. Wembury beach car park, as it is facing out to sea the veiws of the night sky are fantastic ( when clear ) not to sure about any other places as new to AP myself

[Brixham Badger]

I find that Berry Head here in Brixham is excellent, it`s only down the road from Plymouth...!!!

[springbok]

Hiya all just found this D & C group, hard place to find as relitivly new to this site. I thought I would post where I have been doing my AP. Wembury beach car park, as it is facing out to sea the veiws of the night sky are fantastic ( when clear ) not to sure about any other places as new to AP myself

Great minds think alike

I went on a night time scout around only last Friday around Wembury.

I was surprised to find Wembury beach car park open. The only other car in the car park belonged to fisherman down on the beach.

It was a lovely clear night, the milky way was nice and clear.

As you say clear views over the sea, Orion should be a great target when it moves over the sea a bit later in the year.

Cheers,

Grahame.

[Mudguts]

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=

216291070208776345398.0004cbf81a6e3ef4a8c64

Hi all just found the group The two above I use and get some good views, used to be able to get all the way round to much better sites but the owners of the road let it fall apart and now closed it very rare to get traffic there now and now the road is closed the boy racers dont bother. is difficult to find places though

[Mudguts]

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=216291070208776345398.0004cbf81a6e3ef4a8c64

That didn't work ... try this lol

[Mudguts]

Doing something wrong here................

[Mudguts]

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=216291070208776345398.0004cbf81a6e3ef4a8c64

Try copy and paste let me know

[MarkbPlym]

There are some good spots at Clearbrook, where you can park the car and set up your scope / equipment next to it. There are some street lights but they do not pose a problem. Great clear skies and very little LP from Plymouth! Good pub just down the road. Closes around 11pm though...

[MarkbPlym]

You might be better spots on the other side of the A386 - opposite to Clearbrook, will check these out and let you know. Will also try out the large triangular area of ground (old airfield?) before you get to Yelverton as suggested in an earlier post...

[Gomtuu]

I tried a little car park on Roborough Down Lane, just off the Clearbrook Road. Would have been a great site, but I was constantly disturbed by vehicles turning up containing people who had "other activities" in mind (they all turned round and left as they spotted the scope). I've subsequently been told that this is a well known spot for such activity.

I've had good results from Pork Hill car park between Tavistock and Princetown.