Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) Dark Sky Reserve

The Brecon Beacons — now officially known by its Welsh name, Bannau Brycheiniog — became the world's fifth International Dark Sky Reserve in 2013. Covering a swathe of south Wales where sheep famously outnumber people many times over, it's one of the most accessible reserves for observers across the Midlands, Bristol and the south Wales valleys.

The reserve is dotted with designated car parks and viewpoints where you can simply pull in and look up. Libanus, near the national park visitor centre, and the western reaches near Sennybridge reach Bortle 2 on the best nights, showing the Milky Way, major nebulae and meteor showers in fine detail.