One of the quietly best things about staying at Gosswood is what happens after dark.

The Mendip Hills are far enough from the South West's bigger towns that the light pollution drops off quickly, and on a clear, moonless night you get the full band of the Milky Way visible with the naked eye. You can sit on the pitch and wait, or walk a couple of minutes up to the top of the field where the horizon opens up.

What to look for

• Summer / early autumn — the Milky Way is at its brightest in August and early September. Look south for the dense star field through Sagittarius.
• Winter — Orion, the Pleiades cluster, and usually Jupiter somewhere obvious.
• All year — the ISS passes over most clear nights, visible for about 4 minutes at a time.

Bring

A red-light torch if you've got one (preserves your night vision). Warm clothes. A flask. That's genuinely it.

The campfire pits make excellent stargazing chairs.