Craig Goch Dam in Powys, Wales, has claimed the number one spot nationwide as the best place to view the solar eclipse.

As the highest upstream dam in the Elan Valley, at an altitude of 312 metres, it offers visitors a prime location to view the solar eclipse with minimal light pollution, then stay on to take in the Milky Way and 3,000–5,000 stars in the night sky.

Hay Bluff was also named in the top ten as the eighth best viewing location for the eclipse.

Several factors, including light pollution, cloud cover and altitude, mean that seeing a star-filled sky, especially in urban areas, can be rare. The UK has various recognised Dark Sky Reserves and Parks that help minimise light pollution and support astronomy, allowing clear views of up to 5,000 stars and the Milky Way.

​To help guide stargazing enthusiasts, the team at Lotus Car Rental measured a variety of things, including cloud cover, Bortle score, daylight hours and the number of visible stars to determine the best places to stargaze in the UK and Europe and this research ranked the Elan Valley location at number one for the UK.

Many are excited to view the ‘Eclipse of the Century’, but it requires more thinking than being in the right place at the right time. The phenomenon creates rapid, artificial nightfall in the middle of the day; proper preparation is the key to both safety and your enjoyment.

The late-afternoon spectacle will begin at around 6:15pm BST as the Moon moves in front of the Sun.

"All you need to enjoy this rare spectacle is a pair of solar eclipse glasses, and there is still time to buy a pair, which costs just under £5," said Sam Price, Dark Sky Officer for the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park.