Aurora Scotlandialis

[PhotoGav]

I am thinking of doing a 'budget' aurora trip early next year and reckon that the north of Scotland in my campervan could be the right area. Does anybody have any ideas as to exact campsites / locations up there that would offer good views of the aurora, should it appear?

Thanks.

[Ally8446]

54 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

I am thinking of doing a 'budget' aurora trip early next year and reckon that the north of Scotland in my campervan could be the right area. Does anybody have any ideas as to exact campsites / locations up there that would offer good views of the aurora, should it appear?

Thanks.

Hi Gav. I saw an awesome aurora display from Lossiemouth back in 1991, my one and only view of it.  My advice would be,  go as far north as you possibly can....

Wick, Dingwall, Caithness etc.

Really hope you get the opportunity to see it. 

Ally 

[PhotoGav]

Thanks Ally. Yes, far far north seems to be the best chance. I'm thinking of going somewhere in the bit above Inverness!

[Ally8446]

1 hour ago, PhotoGav said:

Thanks Ally. Yes, far far north seems to be the best chance. I'm thinking of going somewhere in the bit above Inverness!

Don't go ANYWHERE near Nigg, there's a mahoosive refinery with the obligatory burning flame the size of a house and an oil rig building site with flood lights that would burn your retina. 

[PhotoGav]

Thank you. Nigg noted and will be avoided!

[Floater]

Recently spent a week in a cottage at Sheigra, near Kinlochbervie, and you can't get much farther north. It's the end of the road!

There's a camping area at Sheigra and we saw quite a few camper vans, with and without tents, over the week. But it's very basic. As in there's the ground on the shore. Nothing else.

There are sites near/in Durness, Bettyhill, Thurso, Helmsdale, et al, but I can't comment on them. (A long time since I did any camping, wild or otherwise.) Suggest you do a Google trawl.

The aurora borealis is an elusive target, so you're on your own with that. But up there, if it's clear and you're not in a howling gale, I  can guarantee you skies that will blow you away ... No exaggeration. ??  I've seen the 'Northern Lights' several times but only twice in the far north of Scotland. You don't forget, though.

Happy hunting, Gav.

p.s. The night skies were not kind to me in Sheigra, though the days were wonderful ...

but I had no solar scope with me. ?

[LukeSkywatcher]

I wouldnt have thought Inverness was north enough to see the NL. Ive seen pics of them from Caitness. I think thats right up on the north coast?. Even for me living i Ireland......a cheap enough trip by ferry to Scotland and taking the car would be a great way of maybe seeing the NL. Ive never been to Scotland but always have wanted to go. My sis was born there in Galashiels.

[PhotoGav]

Thank you Paul & Gordon, some very useful info there. Yes, the research has commenced!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thurso......in the extreme north is also one of the best places. Best of luck no matter where you end up. I'm sure you will enjoy the Gaelic hospitality if nothing else.

[Ally8446]

6 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

I wouldnt have thought Inverness was north enough to see the NL. Ive seen pics of them from Caitness. I think thats right up on the north coast?. Even for me living i Ireland......a cheap enough trip by ferry to Scotland and taking the car would be a great way of maybe seeing the NL. Ive never been to Scotland but always have wanted to go. My sis was born there in Galashiels.

Refer to my first post. ...Lossiemouth is 20+ miles east of Inverness and same latitude.  When I saw the lights,  it wasn't just a few wisps, it was magnificent and lasted at least 15-20 minutes.  There were 6 of us en-route to the local pub. ..we were late. 

[LukeSkywatcher]

3 minutes ago, Ally8446 said:

Refer to my first post. ...Lossiemouth is 20+ miles east of Inverness and same latitude.  When I saw the lights,  it wasn't just a few wisps, it was magnificent and lasted at least 15-20 minutes.  There were 6 of us en-route to the local pub. ..we were late. 

Sorry. I wasnt dismissing your post or comment. I just think if you set out to see the NL that you should get as far north as possible (even overlooking the sea). Inverness is located on the east coast about half way up the country overlooking the North Sea. Obviously i am not saying its a bad place or a bad place to try to see the NL. If it were me i'd head as far north as possible without falling off of a cliff. 

[Ally8446]

4 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Sorry. I wasnt dismissing your post or comment. I just think if you set out to see the NL that you should get as far north as possible (even overlooking the sea). Inverness is located on the east coast about half way up the country overlooking the North Sea. Obviously i am not saying its a bad place or a bad place to try to see the NL. If it were me i'd head as far north as possible without falling off of a cliff. 

Couldn't agree more, the farther north the more chance you have.   Nobody was more surprised than me to be seeing 'The Full Show' from where we were. My wife is still jealous even now (she has never seen Aurora).  If it was me that was heading up and staying on the mainland it would have to be Caithness, although I've no idea about campsites. 

[Islander]

The further north you go, the better your chances of seeing a weak or average display.  Don't go to Thurso though, as the light pollution will wash the skies out.  Displays can be visible on the Moray coast or even fiuther south but those are the exceptiional ones.   If you want to stay on tne mainland then I'd be heading for somewhere dark like Bettyhill or one of the other towns out that way.  If you can manage it, then Orkney is an even better proposition.

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Orkney would be fantastic. Its about as far north as you can go without leaving the British Isles. Closer to Norway then it is to London.

My astro bucket list has just 2 things on it:

1/ To see a total solar eclipse (this may happen in 2017 from north west coast USA)

2/ To see the NL.

 

[Paul M]

4 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Orkney would be fantastic. Its about as far north as you can go without leaving the British Isles. Closer to Norway then it is to London.

You beat me to that suggestion. It's a very popular destination for scuba divers going to Scapa Flow. Never been but from what I can gather the ferries are very usable and civilised.

No idea what, if any, light pollution there is or how easy it is to escape. 

[Islander]

This time of year, there are ferries from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, Scrabster to Stromness, and Gills Bay to St Margaret's hope.  Plenty of options

Light pollution is fairly light outside of the larger towns (Kirkwall, Stromness etc.) and the local council are replacing sodium lights with LED ones which has improved matters no end at all.  There's the Flotta flare but as long as there's no cloud it really isn't that much of a problem.  It's easy to find a dark sky and I'd be happy to recommend places if needed.

[Skipper Billy]

We see the Aurora quite regularly and we aren't that for North !  The NE seems to get it more than the west. This is from our back garden.

 

[PhotoGav]

Excellent stuff folks, thank you for your help. It is giving me some great pointers. Orkney would be great but I don't think I'll have enough time really, this time!

Great pic Skipper Billy - that's the sort of thing I'm after!

[michaelmorris]

I'd also look at finding an area with the lowest likelihood of cloud cover as well.  My understanding is that the eastern side of Scotland is statistically much sunnier than the west, so perhaps somewhere along the southern side of the Moray Firth (Loosiemouth to Fraserburgh) might be a good place to look.

[Floater]

21 minutes ago, michaelmorris said:

I'd also look at finding an area with the lowest likelihood of cloud cover as well.

Now we're into the realms of toss the dice, Michael. Statistics notwithstanding, it ain't necessarily so that East beats West. ?

The trick, as every Lounger will know, is to stay away from cities, towns, or even villages. They all have too many lights. So find a campsite on the edge, or out of, any settlement of any size. (There are only about nine houses in Sheigra, but they all have insecurity lighting - though few doors are locked!)

If you don't want to venture to the far north, Gav, there are several campsites/caravan sites on the Moray coast. Burghead is just one example, Hopeman is another. I know these and both have decent enough facilities to allow one to remain presentable. ?  But if you're aurora hunting, go north, sir.

Come in, Charic - our fellow Lounger and denizen of Elgin - if you have any secrets you are prepared to divulge ... ??l

[Floater]

2 hours ago, Paul M said:

...  from what I can gather the ferries are very usable and civilised.

Aye, but kilts and claymores can be provided, if necessary! ??

[laudropb]

Hi Gav. Take a look at the Aurora section on the BAA,s web site. That will give you a good indication of the sites where they are reported from regularly. I saw a lovely display from the Peterhead area a few years ago when I was on a bird watching trip, but we do get them as far south as Glasgow a few times a year. Of course the Sun is Now heading to a minimum, but good displays are still being reported linked with coronal holes.

[Lorne]

My inlaws are just outside Wick on the road to Castletown, darkest skies I've observed under, I reckon your best bet is to head for John o Groats, there's a few camping/caravan sites there, it will be easy enough to drive out into the darkness from there, there's a few lighthouses around mind you, Duncansby Head, Dunnet Head to name a couple. 

[PhotoGav]

Excellent stuff, thank you all who have contributed. My research last night led me to Sango Sands Oasis campsite at Durness: http://sangosands.com/ It's on the North West tip, so hopefully Michael's cloud predictions are not completely reliable!!

Now, how do I book clear skies and guaranteed auroral activity for a specific few nights in February?!!?

[happy-kat]

The Northumbrian Facebook page posts are shared of the aurora.