The latest 'must-have' for the discerning holiday maker
Summer 2025 sees a new kind of visitor to our Rockbridge Country Holiday Park on the Welsh borderlands - they're looking for pristine night skies devoid of light pollution, in which they can view the likes of Jupiter, Mars & even The Milky Way.
‘The Retreat’ at Rockbridge is now officially open, with the ribbon being cut from around the viewing dome by AS Senedd member James Evans.
Our new development of affordable holiday lodges & caravans has drawn attention from public officials & tourism advocates due to the dark sky status awarded to neighbouring Presteigne - the first community in Wales to receive such an accolade.
https://darksky.org/news/presteigne-and-norton-is-certified-as-the-first-international-dark-sky-community-in-wales/
James Evans praised the investment as a positive step amid a challenging economic climate. “Astro tourism is a huge part of the economy now. Businesses being forward thinking and innovative by reinvesting in their sites is really important to bringing that tourism in.”
Astro Photographer Dafydd Wynn Morgan runs www.serydda.co.uk specialising in night photography and videography presenting the night sky in harmony with the landscapes of the natural world. He spent several nights ‘on park’ to experience for himself the amazing night skies.
“It was so dark. “ says Dafydd, “I‘ve travelled the world to visit places like Tenerife and Namibia and Rockbridge Park is very close to the experiences I’ve had in those countries, where this is no light pollution and you can see an amazing variety of planets and stars, ” he says pointing out the Dog Star Sirius and Jupiter with his laser pen advising not to aim at planes! “ Stargazing if of huge benefit to the local economy bringing in visitors from far and wide, I’ve already spent over £100 in Presteigne, and I haven’t even been here 24 hours.”
The area's Dark Skies Community Leader, Leigh-Harling Bowen was also present at ‘The Retreat’ opening and says it’s been a long hard slog to achieve such status for the area.
"The Presteigne & Norton community has worked tenaciously over the last six years to highlight the benefits of becoming a dark sky community. ‘The Retreat’ at Rockbridge will now be able to offer visitors the opportunity to see unparalleled views of the dark, clear, unpolluted skies of Mid Wales.”
Discover Parks owners, Glenn & Hannah Jones have invested in reducing light pollution and sky-glow from the park by installing well designed, low level lighting. They’ve also created a transparent viewing dome, complete with professional telescope and have plans to educate visitors on how to ‘stargaze in style’ with the help of the the local Marches Astronomy Group.
“The development’s taken longer than we would have liked, but in hindsight it’s given us time to create something that compliments the unique landscape which surrounds the park and we’re bowled over by the interest so far.” says Glenn. “We’ve been extremely careful not to create light pollution in an area that’s been awarded for its dedication to maintaining unpolluted night skies, and that, we feel, is being greatly appreciated.”
Rockbridge Country Holiday Park is designed to allow visitors - who’re made up of people with touring caravans & motorhomes, campers, those staying in self catering accommodation on park or people who’re investing in holiday homes on the new Retreat development - to make the most of its superb location realising that the vast dark skies and stunning untouched countryside on the Welsh/English borderlands is not something the average person gets the chance to experience.