Blankets, a flask and ten minutes up the road. Why August is the best month to look up.
There are very few lights between here and the mountains, and on a moonless night in August the sky is crowded. The Perseids peak around the twelfth, and from the lay-by on the Beceite road you can count dozens an hour.
When to look
The best nights are the ones around the new moon, from late spring to early autumn. In summer the Milky Way rises over the Ports soon after eleven and crosses the whole sky by two. In winter the air is clearer still, and Orion stands right above the courtyard.
Check the forecast for cloud rather than rain. A clear, dry night after a windy day is usually the best of all.
Where to go
You do not need to go far. The olive grove behind the house is dark enough for most nights, and the lay-by on the Beceite road, ten minutes away, has a wide view to the south. For the darkest sky, drive up into the Ports, far from any town, where the sky is among the darkest in the region.
What to bring
A blanket, something warm even in summer, and patience: it takes twenty minutes for your eyes to adjust. Use a red light or none at all. We lend all three at reception, and on new-moon weekends a local astronomer comes with a telescope and a thermos of hot chocolate.
