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Dark sites in Surrey


Yearofthegoat

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I'm getting a bit fed up with the orange skies over my back garden, so I was wondering if folks could post their favourite Surrey Dark Sites?

Would be great to have address / postcode / grid ref to help find them, and any important info like 'the car park shuts at 11pm', that sort of thing.

Cheers!

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Ranmore Common has been suggested to me, but I haven't been yet.  There's a car park that's open all the time (more or less a large layby).

I strongly recommend joining Hants Astro for £18 a year so you can go to their dark sites like Butser Hill.  It takes me 40 mins to drive from Esher and is truly dark - naked eye Milky Way most clear nights.  I've had amazing views from there and will definitely go again soon.

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I see you're in Guildford.

I'm only in Cranleigh and have used Albury cricket ground a couple of times.

But you may want to check the time table for football practice as the last time I went up there, I think they had half of Wembleys lights there. 

Also as already been mentioned, Ranmoor Common.

A small group of us have met down in the South Downs before, thats pretty dark when there isn't mist in the air.

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What made me think about it was being outdoors working overnight at Arborfield/Eversley and the difference in what could be seen there was truly striking. And I guess those locations aren't spectacularly dark either with Reading being so close.

I'll get myself over to Ranmoor soon I think as it's not far from me.

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What made me think about it was being outdoors working overnight at Arborfield/Eversley and the difference in what could be seen there was truly striking. And I guess those locations aren't spectacularly dark either with Reading being so close.

I'll get myself over to Ranmoor soon I think as it's not far from me.

As you are in Guildford it might not be a bad idea to join Guildford Astronomical Society.  They have open evenings at Newlands Corner (and at Albury cricket ground, I believe.)  Huge public car park at Newlands Corner, no street lights, no houses anywhere near and a beautifully high vantage point.  Occasional glare from car headlights coming or going but you can't have everything - even in Surrey.  My home in England is in Ockley, south of Dorking, and just over the road from me is the site of an old windmill (being reconstructed) on top of a hill with just far off glare from Gatwick to the east.  I can lug my 4" EQ Newtonian on foot.  The 8" Dobsonian I get permission to drive up.  Look around.  There are plenty of NT high points in the Surrey Hills where you might find something locally.  Good luck.

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As you are in Guildford it might not be a bad idea to join Guildford Astronomical Society.  They have open evenings at Newlands Corner (and at Albury cricket ground, I believe.)  Huge public car park at Newlands Corner, no street lights, no houses anywhere near and a beautifully high vantage point.  Occasional glare from car headlights coming or going but you can't have everything - even in Surrey.  My home in England is in Ockley, south of Dorking, and just over the road from me is the site of an old windmill (being reconstructed) on top of a hill with just far off glare from Gatwick to the east.  I can lug my 4" EQ Newtonian on foot.  The 8" Dobsonian I get permission to drive up.  Look around.  There are plenty of NT high points in the Surrey Hills where you might find something locally.  Good luck.

I never knew there was a Windmill in Ockley. Shame it's being redeveloped for residential use though :sad:  Love windmills, they somehow seem really romantic :embarrassed:

Sorry YOTG a bit off topic there, can't add anything that the others haven't already mentioned although at present it doesn't seem to matter where you are in Surrey the damn weather puts paid to any observing  :mad: 

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