Skip to content
What we do International Dark Sky Places

Exmoor National Park

Exmoor NP, England (UK) 
The night sky over Exmoor National Park, England. Photo courtesy of Dark Cloud Media.

About

Located in the southwest of England in the counties of Somerset and Devon, Exmoor National Park enjoys some of the darkest skies in the country yet offers relatively easy access from urban hubs. Dark sky awareness in the park bloomed in 2009 with a variety of programs on astronomy and conservation held during UNESCO’s International Year of Astronomy.

In Exmoor, the 83 square kilometers of core zone has minimal human habitation, open land access and many points of interest. It is mostly protected moorland and includes Bronze Age burial mounds, Dunkery and Horner Wood National Nature Reserve, the deserted medieval settlement of Hoccombe Combe and a residential center for outdoor learning. Exmoor National Park Authority works with residents, local businesses and the two counties on dark-sky issues. An annual dark skies festival takes place every autumn.

Designated

2011

Category

Dark Sky Reserve

Exmoor-map-160px-160px

Address

North Devon, England
Google Maps

Contact

Julie Layzell
Website
Stargazing & Events
Dark Sky Telescope Hire

Land Area

181 km2

Documents

Application
Announcement
Lighting Plan
Annual Reports