HOLD STILL
HEAVENS ABOVE
JUNE 2022 T 3 21
TravelSEARCH FOR DARK SKIES
Spencer Hart went searching for stargazing spots in a Land Rover
Defender – but the weather had other plansDuring the pandemic, much of the UK
discovered beautiful landscapes right on
our doorstep. Whether it was making the
most of our allotted one hour of exercise
or swapping a plane ticket and swim
shorts for hiking boots and a tent. Not all
these spots are at their most picturesque
in the daytime, though – some are best
enjoyed under the cover of darkness.
Astronomer Dr Jenifer Millard listed the
ten best stargazing spots across the UK,
and inspired by this list, Land Rover created
a small team of explorers, including myself,
to search for an additional dark sky
location in the Scottish Highlands.
Our journey began at Edinburgh
Airport, where a fleet of shiny Land Rover
Defenders awaited our arrival. A mission
briefing set out a plan for the day –
navigate to North West Scotland and
capture a clear picture of a star-filled sky.
Unfazed by strong winds, we ploughed
on towards our first stop – a scenic spot
on an estate where British chef Simon
Stallard would teach us about locally
foraged food and outdoor cooking.
After a fine lunch of scallops and
venison, we set off for our final destination
- Torridon. This is where the Land Rover
Defender really came into its own, as we
traversed through tricky off-road terrain.
With the low-range gearbox engaged and
the appropriate off-road mode selected
on the Terrain Response system, the
Defender made light work of the sticky
mud, wet rocks and steep hills.
All of the technology, from the traction
control and all-wheel drive to the cameras
that help you place the vehicle, make you
feel like an overlanding pro. It gives you a
confidence that I’m not sure many other
cars would give you.
As we neared Torridon, the roads
became even more scenic. The sun set
behind the 3 ,000ft mountains and it was
time to hunt for some dark skies.
We arrived at our stargazing spot in
pitch black. Constellations were visible
with the naked eye, and with binoculars,
you could see fainter objects and enhance
the view of naked-eye objects. Planets
transform from star-like points to discs,
and some bright stars are revealed to
really be double stars.
After setting up a Nikon Z 9 on a tripod
and dialling in settings for starlight
photography, the weather decided we’d
had enough fun – hail forced us to quickly
pack up and return to our vehicles. I didn’t
get enough time to take a picture, but
luckily the professional photographer from
Nikon captured an image of the sky just
before the weather changed, so I’m
chalking that up as a successful mission.MANFROTTO BEFREE
ADVANCED TRIPOD
is Italian-made tripod is
aimed at semi-pro landscape
and astrophotographers who
need to travel. With ‘M-lock’
lever legs and a ball head,
this aluminium-crafted
travel tripod has three four-
section legs that can pan
through 180 degrees.
£ 149 ,manfrotto.comMANFROTTO PIXI
EVO TRIPOD
is tripod is small, pocket-
sized, and weighs just 260g.
It has a standard quarter-
inch thread, so can be used
natively with any camera,
and also comes in two
configurations; one with a
smartphone clamp, and one
with a GoPro module.
£ 42 , manfrotto.comVANGUARD VEO
235 AB TRIPOD
A reasonably heavy-
duty tripod for a DSLR or
mirrorless camera using large
lenses,thislightweight tripod
from Vanguard is perfect.
Weighing about 1.5kg, it is
just 38cm when folded, but
reaches 147cm when extended
to its full height.
£ 99 ,vanguardworld.co.uk
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