I need Darkness

[Corkeyno2]

I live around the Bishops Stortford area, which is frustratingly light polluted, limiting me to only a few stars visible with the naked eye. If you could tell me the nearest dark sky sight it would be greatly appreciated. The site doesn't have to be milky way quality, but anything better than a large town!

[Stu]

Looks like you only need to head west or north west from Bishop's Stortford and you are in a fairly rural area. Find yourself a spot there somewhere and see how you go.

[rockystar]

Have a look at the dark skies discovery website: http://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark-sky-discovery-sites/map.html see if there is anything near by. Or the uk light pollution map: http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/pl/uk/

Otherwise have a look to see if there is a local astronomy club, they will most likely know some good places and may even host viewing sessions.

[ronin]

Someone else asked the same about 2 years back, not sure they found anything.

If you drive then maybe up the B1383 - Stansted > Quedon looks a possibility.  Much Haddam (golf course there, or was), Tye Green look possible options. In effect any of the villages between the M11 and the A10 either North or South of Bishops Stortford. Several Rodings to the South East and that whole area looks like it would be reasonably dark.

Main problem is finding somewhere to actually park and set up with relative ease.

[faulksy]

best thing to do is check it out in the daytime then stay, as it gets dark you will already be familiar with the area and the sounds from the wildlife . does make a big difference

[Stu]

12 hours ago, faulksy said:

best thing to do is check it out in the daytime then stay, as it gets dark you will already be familiar with the area and the sounds from the wildlife . does make a big difference

Are you STILL scared of those hedgehogs Mike?  

[faulksy]

On 29/07/2016 at 11:23, Stu said:

Are you STILL scared of those hedgehogs Mike?  

sorry for the late reply, we have just come back from mid wales . i am stu

[BGazing]

drive. plan it. in my book 1 dark night is worth more than a number of light polluted ones...quality, not quantity.

[triton1]

Anywhere up the M11 should be ok.(north)Seen some good spots myself on the way back from London.

[Naaaysmith]

I live inside the M60 of Greater Manchester and I've come to conclusion that is not possible to drive to a suitable dark sky location in 40 minutes. The dark sky regions that are in reach [around Marsden, say] will also be regularly visited by people with other pursuits. I offer this anecdote: I drove to Wessenden Head Reservoir in Kirklees around 10pm October time last year. Reasonably dark skies and less than 40 minutes away. There's a little car park at the top of the hill big enough to hold six cars. You can then walk through the gate [with a slightly chilling memorial photo of Keith Bennett attached] and head down the slope and arrive at the reservoir. An ideal location with a nice flat concrete ground and far enough down the slope to block most if not all the light pollution from the nearby road. I got down there and was pleased to see what I recognised as the milky way. My binoculars filled up with stars. 'Nice one' I thought, having found my local dark sky spot. Time to go. Made my way up the slope and then about half-way I could see car headlamps crawling past my car parked at the top of the hill. Instant anxiety. I marched on up, hoping that they would have gone by the time I got up there. Instead I found two cars, one parked alongside my car and another still on the road with its headlamps on. I kept my head down. Walked to my car and drove off, chucking all my gear and stuff into the passenger chair. The car parked next to mine had two guys in the front and two in the back. They were all stoners and probably wondered who the hell I was.

It's not that all unexpected when you think about it. A metropolitan area with a population of 2.8 million will have plenty of people with driving licenses and the ability to access out-of-sight places for whatever. The stories I've heard from others are no more reassuring. Novice astronomers who have ventured to out to Dove Stone reservoir after hours only to find debauchery and similar nonsense. More equipt astronomers with camper vans able to go beyond the reach of Stalybridge stoners only to get accosted by suspicious farmers.

Not giving up, I have now taking up camping as a means to access dark skies safely. It gives you freedom to stargaze freely, in public, in beautiful surroundings, for a small pitching fee. I recently went camping with my daughter in Derbyshire and it was excellent.

 

 

[scarp15]

Camping is probably a good option, depending upon how busy the camp site is and where you can set up to observe. If you go camping a fair bit, then you are maybe able to ascertain which campsites might be suitably best for stargazing purposes. Heading to official star-parties / camps is the best plan, but then weather dependent of course. Car parks on moorland etc is trial and error, you learn by experience and can certainly become a bit intimidating if you are on your own and with expensive equipment if unwelcome visitors are about. From my own location, my preference, if I am not meeting with others, is to head North. Good chunks of Northumberland are blissfully empty of people, suppose in historical terms we've got the border reivers to thank for that.   

[rockystar]

Pretty much the first thing I did when I joined this forum was connect with other members near me, and checked out the Society section. I've since been out with a few members on semi-organised trips; when there are four or five other cars in the car park, it's those that you would normally be cautious of that are getting spooked, turning around and driving away at full speed. Safety in numbers, I think, is the best advice I can offer.

Or just turn up looking like Ash from Evil Dead, with a chainsaw and shotgun