Dark Skies Places in the Wye Valley

Looking for the best place to view the night sky in the Wye Valley National Landscape?

Beacon Hill, near Trellech, is an open area of heathland which has an expansive, almost 360 degree view of the night sky.

A five minute walk from the car park will take you up a forestry track, over a cattle grid and out into a lovely clearing in the woods where, on a clear night, the stars are easy to spot, with low levels of light pollution. For the best expanse of sky keep walking until reaching the second crossroads of paths, where ‘Joan’s bench’ provides a welcome place to sit back and take in the wonders of the universe.

Beacon Hill is easy to access from Monmouth or Chepstow. Leave the B4293 at the Lion Inn in Trellech, signposted for The Narth. After 1.5km take the first turning on the right and very soon turn left into the NRW car parking area. From the car park take the right hand Forestry track uphill, across a cattle grid into the open heathland area. What3words: https://w3w.co/saturate.rankings.leopard

Make sure to have suitable footwear, warm clothing and take a torch.

This area is managed by Natural Resources Wales. Further info here. 

Beacon Hill, near Trellech, is an open area of heathland which has an expansive, almost 360 degree view of the night sky.

A five minute walk from the car park will take you up a forestry track, over a cattle grid and out into a lovely clearing in the woods where, on a clear night, the stars are easy to spot, with low levels of light pollution. For the best expanse of sky keep walking until reaching the second crossroads of paths, where ‘Joan’s bench’ provides a welcome place to sit back and take in the wonders of the universe.

Beacon Hill is easy to access from Monmouth or Chepstow. Leave the B4293 at the Lion Inn in Trellech, signposted for The Narth. After 1.5km take the first turning on the right and very soon turn left into the NRW car parking area. From the car park take the right hand Forestry track uphill, across a cattle grid into the open heathland area. What3words: https://w3w.co/saturate.rankings.leopard

Make sure to have suitable footwear, warm clothing and take a torch.

This area is managed by Natural Resources Wales. Further info here. 

Sadly 90% of the UK population cannot see the Milky Way from their homes, but in much of rural Wales the absence of light pollution has made Wales one of the world’s great destinations for stargazing. In the Wye Valley National Landscape on a clear night you can view the dark skies along side the iconic architecture of Tintern Abbey, or the moon rising through the rose window of the abbey, a much loved occurance much favoured by the Victorian tourists who took the Wye Tour.