Milton of Clova Car Park, located at the head of Glen Clova on the eastern edge of the Cairngorms National Park, is a quiet and atmospheric stargazing spot within the wider Cairngorms Dark Sky Park area. Set amid open upland scenery with very low light pollution, the car park offers clear views of the night sky, making it well suited for viewing constellations, meteor showers, and the Milky Way. Nearby, the small Clova Church provides a distinctive foreground for night-sky photography, adding a sense of scale and place that appeals to astrophotographers seeking both dark skies and meaningful Highland landmarks.
Weather forecast
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09/07/26
25° 5% -
09/07/26
25° 5% -
09/07/26
23° 5% -
10/07/26
19° 1%
Weather forecast for Kirriemuir (12.3 miles away) updated 09/07/26 at 12:01. Powered by Met Office data.
Local light pollution
Milton of Clova Car Park is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to a dark site location based on the latest data from the VIIRS satellite. For more advanced light pollution data, view this location on DarkSkySites.
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Urban
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Suburban
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Semi-rural
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Rural
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Dark site
The above demonstrates the estimated effect of light pollution - graphics created using Stellarium.
Best time to visit
The below chart shows when the skies will be at their darkest at this location and therefore the best time to visit. Moonlight is shown in light yellow and the Sun's twilight in light blue. Midnight on the date shown is shown as a white line with sunset to the left and sunrise the next morning to the right. A black background with stars shows the best times for stargazing. See our dark sky calendar for more details.
Thu 9th Jul
Fri 10th Jul
Sat 11th Jul
Sun 12th Jul
Mon 13th Jul
Tue 14th Jul
Wed 15th Jul
Find more dates
If you are planning to visit this location check our dark sky calendar to find out when is best!
Calendar