Darkest sky near to plymouth?

[eniacs]

Does anyone live around plymouth area?

I have a car so can travel, but aside from my back garden, where is the closest easiest place to view the night sky?

In the past I've done some astrophotography from such places as;

Cadover - too bright. 

Two bridges - still a little bright

South brent - less but still light present.

Back garden in plymouth - loads of light pollution on all but the clearest of nights.

Thanks!

[jabeoo1]

http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/wordpress/?page_id=127

Postbridge looks really good.

[Charic]

Looking on Google Earth does Rame and Penlee offer any advantage, plus great views over the water. But any lights from shipping may be a hinderance.  You need a Wood or something, cosy enough to see the skies, but not see any direct lighting, and of course to be safe?

[eniacs]

Jabe001 I have been to postbridge befor, but any high level cloud in the distance means that the light from plymouth can still be seen and obscures view. It needs a truly clear night to see clearly. Presumably if I went further from plymouth this would get clearer. 

Am I just going out on the wrong nights? What sort of weather is the best for this, dry and cold, high/low pressure?

[ronin]

Head North on the A386 to Yelverton, before Yelverton is a golf club on the left and if you take the turning after (maybe at) the golf club it leads in to a car park, that area is easy and dark.

If you go past the car park there are a few houses and the area to the right is flat, actually easier to follow the road round to the right towards Axtown and park along that road quite easily. It is not far from yelverton but Yelverton is not exactly lit up.

It is darker on the other side of the A386 but not sure of anywhere to park up.

There is Barator reservoir.

Google Maps.

[eniacs]

Charic;

Surely Rame/Penlee are too close to plymouth to escape the light pollution? When photographing near the light pollution (within say 10 miles) the light pollution can still be seen in the photo. It is usually brighter in one side of the photo indicating where the light pollution is.

I have been further than these two points and still had problems with light pollution entering the frame.

[eniacs]

Hi Ronin;

Yes that area is an old aerodrome. I've been there many times, nice and open, I usually see someone with their radio equipment presumably trying to contact the other side of the world. But there is plenty of light pollution here, being only a couple miles outside of plymouth?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Bodmin moor is very dark if you don't mind going a bit further.