Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park

Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park encompasses 45,000 acres of Elan Valley, about 120 miles (193 km) southwest of Birmingham, England. It’s an accredited dark sky park, claimed to have secured the area’s sky quality and raised “awareness of the Valley’s dark, fragile nighttime environment” by the International Dark Sky Association. To this end, the park offers self-catering holiday cottages located in areas where there is little or no light pollution, as well as a “dark skies” newsletter and regular events held at Elan Valley throughout the year; Solarsphere, an astronomy and music festival, is held near Builth Wells every August. Please note that the park, however, closes to day visitors at 4:30 p.m. For more information, please visit online or call management at (01597) 810880.