Trek & Mountain recently checked into Dacia’s ‘Million Star Hotel’ in the Galloway Forest Park, one of the first parks in the world, and the first in the UK, to earn the dark sky designation back in 2009. It’s well-known as one of the best places in the UK for stargazing with over 7000 stars and planets visible to the naked eye on a clear night!
Arriving to the Galloway Forest Park in the Dacia Bigster
We picked up our Dacia Bigster in Glasgow, equipped with Irn Bru and a handy route card that ensured we took the scenic route rather than the motorway. Our destination? The shores of Loch Doon where there were several Bigsters set up, complete with Dacia’s unique Sleep Pack, blackout blinds for the windows, and a huge panoramic sunroof (or star roof perhaps?). Upon check-in, we were given a warm hat, some cozy socks, and the key to our ‘room’ for the night.
Checking into Dacia’s Million Star Hotel
We arrived to an amazing spread of food, all cooked over fire – fish, fresh vegetables and flat breads, with some special ingredients such as honey from Chef’s family apiary.
Lunch cooked over fire
After lunch, it was time to enjoy the stunning environment that surrounded us. We split into two groups – one went off fishing with a local fisherwoman, and the other headed onto Loch Doon to explore the area from a Canadian Prospector canoe. As a Canadian who grew up canoeing on the many lakes of Ontario, this was particularly enticing, so I joined the latter. Our guide gave us some tips on steering and before long we were travelling the length of the loch with speed and confidence.
Canoeing on Loch Doon
T&M editor Chris spent the afternoon fishing along the shores, though in true fisherman style when asked if he caught anything jokingly responded, “Nothing but a buzz.”
Fishing from the shores of Loch Doon
The next order of business was to meet up with one of the Dark Sky Rangers at the nearby Loch Doon Castle to learn about our solar system and constellations, along with some myths and legends. Sadly, the rain started right as we headed off, but our ranger, Matthew, had set up a mock solar system using candles to help us understand the scale of it all. I don’t think any of us will look at the stars the same way again as we left with a much deeper understanding of what we are really looking at when we gaze at the night sky. His passion and enthusiasm definitely made up for the lack of stargazing opportunities!
Learning from the dark sky ranger at the Loch Doon Castle
Dinner was again cooked over fire, after which we huddled around the fire with blankets for more stories, this time largely focused on mythology (some slightly more risqué stories were saved until it was only the adults left).
Cooking over fire
An evening of story telling
After a tiring day, it was time to tuck into the Bigster. The Sleep Pack comes with a comfy mattress, and it had been kitted out with a cozy duvet and blankets; we were also given a hot water bottle as it was still February after all. It didn’t take long before we drifted off.
Setting up the Sleep Pack in the Bigster
In the morning, we opened up the back door and just laid there for a while looking out over Loch Doon and the hills in the distance.
“Why settle for only a five-star hotel, when you could have a million?” I think Dacia’s Million Star Hotel hook line speaks for itself. We love a good mix of comfort while still sleeping in wild places and even though we didn’t get to see the stars or planets, we certainly left with a heightened appreciation for them!
Dacia’s Million Star Hotel in the Galloway Forest Park
We also left with a further understanding of the importance of protecting our dark sky areas and their wildlife from light pollution. The International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) designation preserves approximately 20 percent of the 78,000-hectare Galloway Forest Park, protecting its dark skies and wildlife with a policy of no permanent illumination.
More info:
Dacia’s Million Star Hotel: www.dacia.co.uk/million-star-hotel.html
International Dark Sky Places: www.darksky.org