Stargazing is a hobby enjoyed by thousands of people across the world. From seasoned astronomers to curious night-sky chasers, thousands are travelling far beyond city lights in search of darker skies, and brighter stars.
From February 2024 to February 2026, searches related to ‘noctourism’ (a travel trend focused on exploring destinations and experiences exclusively after dark) have increased by 635%. With search volume for ‘darker sky destinations’ at almost 200,000 over the past 24 months, it’s clear there’s a growing appetite for travel guided by the stars.
A data-led study, commissioned by Lotus Car Rental, analysed more than 60 sites and ranking each with an overall score out of 10. The study assessed key factors including percentage cloud cover, Bortle scale rating (a nine-level numeric scale that measures the night sky’s brightness), number of visible stars, Milky Way visibility, average daylight hours and altitude in metres.
The study discovered that the Channel Islands’ Sark is ranked in fourth place.
Located 80 miles off the south coast of England, the Isle of Sark is ranked the UK’s fourth best location for stargazing. The Isle is famously absent of cars and public streetlights, earning the title of the world’s first International Dark Sky Island in 2011. La Coupée, a narrow 90-metre-long isthmus with sheer drops on either side, is the island’s most dramatic vantage point, offering an elevated and unobstructed panoramic view of the night sky.
In the study, La Coupée ranked exceptionally as it boasts the least daylight of all the UK locations analysed at just 14 hours and 32 minutes, providing the longest window for stargazing. Scoring just 3 on the Bortle scale, the site’s low light pollution allows stargazers to view up to 5,000 stars.
| Rank | Location | Country | Percentage Cloud Cover | Bortle Score | Number of Stars Visible | Milky Way Visibility | Daylight Hours | Altitude (metres) |
| 1 | Craig Goch Dam, Rhayader, Powys | Wales | 50% | 3.2 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 14:51 | 312 |
| 2 | Arinagour, Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides | Scotland | 44% | 2.3 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 15:23 | 100 |
| 3 | Tomintoul, Banffshire | Scotland | 43% | 3.5 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 15:26 | 342 |
| 4 | La Coupée, Isle of Sark | Channel Islands | 56% | 3 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 14:32 | 80 |
| 5 | Cliad football pitch, Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides | Scotland | 44% | 2.3 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 15:23 | 12 |
| 6 | Galloway Forest Park, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire | Scotland | 50% | 3.5 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 15:11 | 382 |
| 7 | Isle of Rum, Inner Hebrides | Scotland | 46% | 3.3 | 3,000 – 5,000 | Good – Visible across the sky | 15:26 | 297 |
| 8 | Hay Bluff, Powys | Wales | 49% | 4.1 | 1,000 – 2,000 | Fair – Visible but lacks detail | 14:49 | 625 |
| 9 | Buckden Pike, North Yorkshire | England | 49% | 4 | 1,000 – 2,000 | Fair – Visible but lacks detail | 15:05 | 694 |
| 10 | Tan Hill Inn, Swaledale, North Yorkshire | England | 49% | 4 | 1,000 – 2,000 | Fair – Visible but lacks detail | 15:05 | 524 |
