Devon and Cornwall have some of the darkest skies in the country due to the lack of environmental and light pollution, making our little corner of England even more special and worth visiting.
With winter coming and the nights drawing in, we’ve rounded up the best places to stargaze in the area. And before you set off, make sure you download a stargazing app to your phone to find out which constellations and stars you can see from your location!
Bodmin Moor Dark Sky Park, Cornwall
Bodmin Moor in Cornwall has been classified a ‘Dark Sky Park’, meaning it’s one of the darkest parks in the world.
It was also named the first International Dark Sky Place in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the UK back in 2017.
Remote and rugged, Bodmin is best visited with a guide. If you can’t book a guide, just make sure you stay safe and stick to the most popular areas to stargaze.
Exmoor Dark Sky Reserve, Devon
The skies above Exmoor are so dark due to the lack of environmental pollution and light pollution, that the moor was named a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ in 2011 and attracts stargazers and photographers from all over the world.
On the clearest nights on the moor the human eye can see over 3,000 stars, but we recommend bringing binoculars and/or a camera to truly see and capture the beauty of the skies.
Hartland Peninsula, Devon
Close to the pretty harbour town of Clovelly, Hartland Peninsula provides a magical stargazing experience.
The area has absolutely no light pollution and if you drive up to the Cliff Car Park above Hartland Quay, watching the stars twinkling above the dark inky ocean is a very special experience.
Alternatively, take a night time walk on Bursdon Moor to see uninterrupted 360-degree views of the night sky all around you.
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
The Isles of Scilly are a remote archipelago off the coast of Cornwall just south of Penzance. With no street lights and little light pollution, it’s a great location that enables you to simply step outside of your hotel or cottage and stare up at the stars.
The smaller, less-populated islands (Tresco, Bryher, St Martin’s and St Agnes) are the best islands for stargazing, and St Martin’s even has a community observatory!
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor is another of Devon’s moors that provides an incredible celestial display due to the lack of light and environmental pollution.
Situated in the heart of Devon so easy to get to from all parts of the county, you’ll be able to see the Milky Way on clear nights, and keep an eye out for shooting stars!
We recommend parking up at Combestone Tor, which is a popular place in Dartmoor for photographers looking to photograph the night sky.
The Tamar Valley is also directly next to Dartmoor, and as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) also includes some beautiful locations to stargaze.
