UKC

Hi

My son (12)is mad on astronomy atm and I was thinking of having a weeks summer holiday somewhere near the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory in July. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations re letting a cottage for a week close by. We have transport and I would also like to do some waking and outdoorsy stuff in the daytime.

Cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:

Where is the dark sky observatory? take it from your post that it's in D&G.

I'd suggest somewhere outside of the forest park with a bit of daytime interest for the lad. So on the E side, perhaps somewhere on Loch Ken , which has access into the park on the Queen's highway. Or if you want to be nearer the Solway coast (which frankly I would be) Gatehouse or Newton Stewart.

And if you want really remote, you could try this place where my dad used to farm but is now a holiday let. Not a great place if you are precious about your car (well, it's on a disused railway line, so maybe not too bad?). And you can pretend you are Richard Hannay from the 39 Steps, which was inspired by the local station, Loch Skerrow, which the SAS demolished while the lads were staying there training for Ulster.

http://www.discoverscotland.net/cottages/airie-farmhouse-AI02ST

In reply to Max 6787:

Hi Max many thanks for your reply

Here is the address for the observatory

Scottish Dark Sky Observatory
Craigengillan
Dalmellington
KA6 7PZ

Would your recommendations still be valid?

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:

I know Dalmellington very well, I only lived about 7 miles from it. It's on the Ayrshire side of the hills, and together with Patna is a mining town and not somewhere that folk usually choose to holiday! Not really in the Forest Park to my mind either.

The Airie house probably isn't ideal in this case. It depends how far away you want to be. New Galloway or Dalry are c. 30- 40mins drive from Dalmellington, on the N end of Loch Ken. There is a watersports centre, good walking etc. In between N.G. and Dalmellington are the Southern uplands, so proper hillwalking round Carsphairn area (and not much else). Solway coast down to Sandyhills or Kippford is a reasonable day trip from there, and towns like Kirkcudbright and Castle Douglas are pretty enough for a spot of interest.

The other option is to go into Ayrshire, the Culzean coast, or the area round Mauchline are nice but check driving times. These I don't know so well.

Good luck!

In reply to Gazlynn:

I've never been up, thought about it when we've been in the Lakes but it's a well known area on the astro forums, this place is popular and the guy is very active promoting the area http://www.gallowayastro.com

or this place http://www.drumroamin.co.uk for camping

It would be worth contacting http://www.gallowayforest-astro.org.uk/ as it's a large club, might have suggestions for accomodation plus could have an event going on.

Full moon on the 31st July this year though.

In reply to Max 6787:
Have you decided on Scotland? There may be more to do in the immediate area around the Kielder observatory - water sports/ mountain biking/rock climbing/hillwalking. I suspect it's more commercial and better organised than the N area of D&G.
edit - I mean better organised for the non-astro stuff! Not trying to dis D&G.

In reply to Gazlynn:
Theres plenty of mountain biking in dumfries and galloway
http://www.7stanesmountainbiking.com/
Closest centres would be kirroughtree (which has bike hire) and glentrool (which doesn't I dont think)
There's also a bunch of climbing around (SMC Lowland Outcrops Guide)
Also, Patna and Dalmellington aren't the most scenic of towns (I think they featured strongly in the "most dire places to live in Scotland" thread a while ago, st johns town of Dalry, New galloway and carsphairn are a bit nicer. (whilst being fairly close to the observatory)

In reply to Gazlynn:

Just got back from a weekend camping at http://www.solwayviewholidays.co.uk/ which was excellent - plenty of hot water, spotless toilet/shower block and a great common room for sitting out the weather (with a sink and cooker!) They also have wooden huts if you feel like "glamping"

In reply to Andy Hardy:

One thought, obviously being July and Scotland, darkness will come late so there is probably a premium on being near the observatory with a 12 y.o.

Camping might be exciting, it's a midgey area. So you are probably looking at b&b or s/c nearby, or maybe just basing yourselves up there for a couple of nights to go to the observatory and then elsewhere for other activities the rest of the week?

Straiton is a little market town that is near the observatory, and nicer than Patna or Dalmellington to stay in. Maybe could look for accommodation near there for the days you want to try the observatory?

In reply to All:

Thanks very much for all the information and replies.

cheers

Gaz