South Downs
Jadis
Hilltop off-grid cabin with picture-window views of the South Downs.
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Stargazing breaks
Off grid means far from streetlights. On a clear night at our cabins, the sky fills with stars, and at many you can watch them from bed through the big windows.
Dark skies, from your doorstep
Our cabins are off grid because of where they are: in quiet countryside, well away from towns and streetlights. That makes them some of the best places in southern England to see the stars, without packing a tent.
Our South Downs cabins, Jadis and Caspian, sit in the South Downs National Park, an International Dark Sky Reserve. Guests at our Cotswolds, Salisbury and Dorset cabins regularly tell us the stars were the highlight of their stay.
Tips for a stargazing break
- Go near a new moon. The darker the sky, the more you'll see.
- Give your eyes 20 minutes. Keep your phone away and let them adjust to the dark.
- Use a red light. A red torch, or the red mode in a stargazing app, keeps your night vision.
- Look for meteor showers. The Geminids peak in mid-December, the Quadrantids in early January and the Perseids in mid-August.
- Winter is a great season. Long nights, crisp air and Orion high in the sky, with the wood burner to come back to.
Cabins we'd pick
Cabins our guests rate for stargazing: dark skies, big windows and wide open views.
South Downs
Caspian
Hilltop off-grid cabin with picture-window views of the South Downs.
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Cotswolds, near Cirencester
Tirian
Secluded off-grid cabin with dark skies for stargazing.
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Cotswolds, near Cirencester
Edmund
Secluded off-grid cabin with sunset views.
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Salisbury
Helen
Stargazing off-grid cabin with big skies, near Stonehenge.
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Salisbury
Ginger
Sunrise-facing hilltop off-grid cabin near Stonehenge.
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Dorset
Tumnus
Off-grid cabin with views across a beautiful Dorset valley.
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Stargazing breaks: your questions
Where are the darkest skies?
Our South Downs cabins, Jadis and Caspian, are in the South Downs National Park, an International Dark Sky Reserve. All our cabins are in rural spots away from streetlights.
When is the best time for stargazing?
Clear nights close to a new moon. Winter brings long, dark nights, and meteor showers like the Geminids (mid-December) and Perseids (mid-August) are well worth planning around.
Do I need a telescope?
No. On a clear night you'll see plenty with your eyes alone, and binoculars help bring out more. A stargazing app is useful for finding constellations and planets.
Can I see the stars from inside the cabin?
At many of our cabins, yes: the big picture windows look straight out over open countryside, so you can watch the sky from bed.
Have more questions? See all our FAQs.