The blissfully clear, quiet skies above the Brecon Beacons in mid Wales have long been a favourite with stargazers, but they've now gained official recognition. Last week, they were designated an International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR) by the International Dark-Sky Association. The Brecons is only the second place in Britain to be awarded the coveted status (Exmoor was the first, in 2011) and the fifth in the world-the others are Mont Mégantic in Canada, the Namib Rand Nature Reserve (Namibia) and Aoraki Mackenzie (New Zealand).
As an IDSR, the Brecons will enjoy protection against light pollution. ‘It was quite an ambitious project,' says Ruth Coulthard, funding development manager at the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. ‘But we were becoming increasingly aware of the threats to dark skies. Getting the award is the first step-the next is enhancing what we have. We're now firmly on the stargazing map and we're in the process of training people to be Dark Sky Ambassadors.' She and her colleagues worked on their bid for designation for two years. Local residents were encouraged to tilt their security lights downwards and villagers in Talybont-on-Usk organised a community switch-off.
* Subscribe to Country Life and save
* Follow Country Life magazine on Twitter
-
Helicopters, fridges and Gianni Agnelli: How the humble Fiat Panda became a desirable, design classicGianni Agnelli's Fiat Panda 4x4 Trekking is currently for sale with RM Sotheby's.
-
What's a 'wellness village' and will it tempt you back into the office?The team behind London's first mixed-use ‘wellness village’ says it has the magic formula for tempting workers back into offices.
