As a B&B it was excellent - good food, clean, and comfortable. I particularly enjoyed the skylight so I could see the stars and planets when I woke in the night. But the greatest attraction is the astronomical observatory in the back, fitted with a large telescope with which Mike Alexander guides you through the heavens.

Date of stay: September 2022

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Trip type: Travelled solo

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Geoffrey L wrote a review Oct 2022

3 contributions2 helpful votes

Wonderful accommodation to view the Dark Sky

I coupled my stay to visit the Wigtown Bookfestival and also to experience the dark night sky. The accommodation was first class and when I awoke in the middle of the night I saw the stars shinning out of a jet black sky - wonderful. Earlier in the night Mike gave me a guided tour of the sky with his large telescope. I am used to seeing photographs taken through professional telescopes but nothing can beat the experience of the photons of light travelling through space and hitting your own retina. My interest in astronomy spans sixty years and I have never seen such dark skies nor looked through such a large telescope. It was also good to talk to Mike as he knew more about the subject than I did.

Date of stay: September 2022

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Room Tip: My skylight faced south. I could see the stars from my bed.

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erdal wrote a review Oct 2021

3 contributions

Experience of a lifetime

Hosts, Mike and Helen, are incredibly pleasant and helpful people. Mike is full of enthusiasm and vastly knowledgeable in the field of astronomy. Helen is a great chef. Accommodation is adequate and very clean. I would definitely go back!

Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled solo

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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FCKen wrote a review Sept 2020

Aldridge, United Kingdom20 contributions21 helpful votes

3 nights of wonder

We came to learn and Mike aided this with his encyclopaedic knowledge and enthusiasm. Clear sky’s and we learnt & saw planets, stars, nebulae & galaxies a plenty using a variety of telescopes and binoculars. Mikes explanation on astrophotography was awesome. All this supported by super breakfast made by Helen to perfection each morning. Brilliant 3 days highly recommended.

Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Chris Walker wrote a review Feb 2020

2 contributions2 helpful votes

Four days of discovery.

We came to learn about Astronomy and found an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and likeable expert in Mike. The weather did not allow telescope observations but it made no difference as Mike went through a full repertoire of all things astronomical. We soaked it all up. We also enjoyed the hospitality of Helen who produced excellent food at breakfast and evening meals. Our room was very comfortable and we enjoyed the experience of sharing the house with Mike and Helen. As a bonus the surrounding villages, coast and walking was magnificent. We had a fabulous time! Just need to organise another visit to get a look through the telescopes.

Date of stay: January 2020

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Sleep Quality

Room Tip: Only one room. On suit basin only.

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John G wrote a review May 2015

Norfolk, United Kingdom4 contributions3 helpful votes

Excellent accommodation and welcome, pity about the cloudy nights

Mike and Helen are very welcoming. The accommodation was very clean and extremely comfortable. The food was excellent. Alas the skies remained cloudy both nights I was there, but I will return ! We made up for the lack of observing by enjoyable and interesting conversation. Overall excellent value for money and a most enjoyable time in spite of the weather.

Date of stay: May 2015

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Trip type: Travelled solo

Room Tip: The Double room is very good with clear views over the countryside unspoilt by streetlights.

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Chris D wrote a review Apr 2015

4 contributions4 helpful votes

Better than the Dark Sky Park

If you're interested in Astronomy, in my opinion ignore the Dark Sky Park to the north and come here instead - for these reasons:- 1. It feels darker here than the Dark Sky Park itself, you have the sea on three sides and the nearest town is about 20 miles away. 2. You have a place where you can comfortably and safely put up your own scope, or you can use the owner's own equipment 3. You've got a warm place to sleep once you're done observing, which I can't rate highly enough after visiting the area last year and sleeping in a freezing tent. I was very pleasantly surprised to be allowed to drive the 16 inch scope myself so I could hop between objects at my own pace and Mike is outside with you to ask questions and get help from when needed. Mike's knowledge of the sky is impressive and he showed this as he then took us on a galaxy hopping marathon. I think I saw more objects in the one night than I have ever before in total! Regarding prices, I found these to be very reasonable. For a start there is no single occupancy surcharge, which is great when visiting on my own and the rent of the telescope at £7 per hour is really great especially considering you're also getting Mike's time and expertise. There's also no pressure to finish early, you drive how long you want the session to be yourself. A very pleasurable experience and one I will definitely look to repeat in the future. Thanks for a memorable evening.…

Date of stay: April 2015

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Trip type: Travelled solo

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IndraJoyce wrote a review Apr 2015

Glasgow, United Kingdom53 contributions58 helpful votes

Holiday

I cannot rave enough about this place. My family from the States were visiting, and we chose to spend two nights here. Comfortable accommodation, lovely meals that accommodate all dietary needs, and exceptional astronomical knowledge. We were shown planets, stars, galaxies, the international space station, saw shooting stars, on what is the 2nd largest publicly accessible telescope in Scotland. My son's dad died recently, and we had a star named in memorandum. Mike made sure my son was able to look at his daddy's star which made him happy, and had no problems doing so. My son is also autistic, and they accommodated for every single one of his needs. Highly, highly recommend. We have already made plans to come back later in the year.

Date of stay: April 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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MBK106 wrote a review Mar 2015

Edinburgh, United Kingdom2 contributions3 helpful votes

A comfortable B&B and a beautiful clear dark sky.

We stayed here for one day and had a wonderful time. The room was spacious, clean and comfortable and we had a lovely home cooked meal. The highlight was the beautiful clear dark sky, We saw planets, moons, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies. Finally, a beautiful aurora appeared. Mike is an excellent guide. Highly recommended.

Date of stay: March 2015

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Trip type: Travelled as a couple

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Robert J wrote a review Jan 2015

2 contributions4 helpful votes

Interesting couple of days

You'd think that if you went to a B&B for two nights with the sole intention of seeing the night sky, only to be under a thick blanket of cloud for most of the time that you'd be disappointed, but here you'd be wrong. Our hosts were welcoming even though we arrived later than planned, they immediately offered my wife and I refreshments and gave us the chance to settle into our room. The accommodation was of a good standard with a spacious bedroom with comfortable double bed with more than enough room to comfortably fit a cot etc. if required. The house was clean and tidy with a plethora of stargazing magazines and books laid out to pass the hours when the pesky sun was up! Even though our two nights were marred by cloud, Mike kept us abreast with the latest cloud forecasts using satellite imagery to spot any chances of even broken cloud; alas it wasn't to be. He also arranged a live viewing of a launch to the International Space Station which coincided with our stay. Although we didn't get to take in the famed "Dark Skies" which the area is known for, Mike gave an informative slideshow using images taken by him and friends. His knowledge of our skies is second to none and his enthusiasm is infectious. He even has real pieces of meteors and the moon for you to handle! Helen's breakfast service was very nice and a perfectly acceptable range of goods were on offer, such as fruit, cereals, toast and a fully cooked breakfast. I'd heartily recommend it. We didn't have dinner with our hosts, but the recommended a couple of local pubs which served perfectly decent food. The area is rural, and if you come 'out of season' (when the best dark skies are available) don't expect much else to be available in the surrounding towns. We had to go to Stranraer to find signs of life. This is nothing to do with Mike & Helen, just a fact of rural life in January! All in all, an excellent couple of days. I'll be watching the skies for a clear couple of days and phoning to see if there are any last minute spaces available!…

Date of stay: January 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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