Five top spots for stargazing around Brecon

This is a superb dark location which is protected from the light pollution of the South Wales Valleys. The Usk Reservoir has ample parking and is easily reached from the Trecastle area. Have a family picnic as the sun goes down, then set up your telescope to enjoy outstanding dark skies.

Geo coordinates: N51.56.58, W03.41.55

Crai Reservoir is extremely dark, but unfortunately it only has a few locations that are accessible to the casual observer. The village has a field nearby that provides great views and parking. There are also lay-bys alongside the A4607, which are ideal vantage points to enjoy the beauty of the dark skies.

Geo coordinates: N51.54.52, W03.35.12

Easily accessible with plenty of parking, the Llangorse Lakes provide superb views of the Milky Way and numerous deep sky objects that can be seen with the naked eye. They share their location with an outdoor pursuits centre which has some stray light, but it only makes a little intrusion into this well-known beauty spot.

Geo coordinates: N51.56.07, W03.16.13

Pontsticill Reservoir can be accessed from Merthyr Tydfil. The reservoir is popular with anglers and picnic-eaters by day, stargazers and their telescopes by night. That’s because the site provides excellent viewing of the night sky with many parking places located along the banks of the reservoir. 

Geo coordinates: N51.48.56, W03.22.17

Here's a great place to set up your telescope. The National Park Visitor Centre is signposted from the A470 at the village of Libanus and offers easy access for the public during both the day and night. It’s only an hour’s drive from each of the South Wales Valleys. Enjoy some superb vistas and skies with a limiting magnitude of 6.37. 

Geo coordinates: N51.56.02, W03.28.40

This is just a taste of some of the awe-inspiring spots you can wonder at the Milky Way in the Brecon Beacons. Head to the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park website for more places to go stargazing.

Discover more about Wales' brilliant dark skies and see what workshops and courses are on offer on the Dark Sky Wales website.

You can see more amazing images of dark skies across Wales on Allan's @AlDarkSkyWales Twitter feed.