Looking up at the night sky above Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor national park, the array of stars filling the bowl-shaped expanse of sky appear so close it’s as if you can reach out and touch them. As the Milky Way glistens like a glowing white river of lights, and you begin to grasp the sheer enormity of the universe, it doesn’t take long for you to feel very, very small.
On a clear night you can see up to 3,000 stars with the naked eye in the dark skies above Exmoor, a landscape famed for its woodland, wildlife and ancient churches, that straddles the counties of Devon and Somerset. This is in stark contrast to the fewer than 200 stars the human eye can see from a city environment. Add a high-magnification telescope to the equation and you’ll see even more of the 100bn stars estimated to be in our galaxy.
Exmoor national park was awarded Europe’s first international dark sky reserve in 2011 by the International Dark-Sky Association, in recognition of its low levels of light pollution. “Being a dark sky reserve is important, because dark skies are becoming such a rarity,” explains Exmoor national park ranger Tim Parish. It’s an accolade the park is keen to hold on to, working together with local councils, landowners, businesses and individuals who live and work within the area to keep light pollution to a minimum.
Stargazing experiences have seen a sharp rise in recent years, proving especially popular with city dwellers keen to get back in touch with nature. Today’s visitors to Exmoor don’t just come for the wild and remote moorland occupied by red deer and Exmoor ponies, but for the promise of a starry sky – weather permitting, of course. Visitors are encouraged to concentrate their wanderings in the core area of Exmoor’s dark sky reserve, which covers 32 sq miles (83 sq km) and stretches from east to west across the centre of the national park.
Here, there are a number of safe and accessible locations where stargazing is at its best, including Dunkery Beacon, Webbers Post, Brendon Two Gates and the Pinkery Centre for Outdoor Learning, owned by Exmoor national park authority (ENPA). A dark skies pocket guide and map is available to download from the ENPA website or to pick up from the national park centres at Dulverton, Lynmouth and Dunster.
But to get the most out of stargazing on Exmoor it takes more than just a good location and cloudless skies. Protecting your eyes from artificial light is vital, especially as it takes the human eye up to 20 minutes in a dark environment to fully engage night vision. “To be outside on a clear, starry night and trust your night vision takes confidence,” says Parish. “But you will be richly rewarded by the thousands of pinpricks of light in the sky above you, the movement of a satellite or the International Space Station or, if you’re lucky, the flare of a shooting star.” Aided by a powerful telescope and with expert guidance, you can see even more. You can discover Saturn’s rings, witness Jupiter’s storms and uncover distant galaxies tens of millions of light years away. High-magnification telescopes can be hired from the Exmoor national park centres or from Dark Sky Telescope Hire, which also runs stargazing experience nights on Exmoor, led by astronomer Seb Jay.
Stargazing here is a year-round activity, but the winter months provide greater absolute darkness and less chance of atmospheric humidity, meaning the night sky is crisp and clear. It is also the best time of the year to see the Orion constellation, which is visible in the northern hemisphere night sky between November and February: “When there is a hard frost, a clear night and no moon, that’s when the stars seem to shine their brightest,” says Parish. “Everything is silent, apart from the ground crunching beneath your feet.”
As stargazing is a nocturnal activity – and the moorland an exposed area prone to chilly winds and sudden changes in weather – it is essential to be suitably prepared for spending two to three hours outside by wrapping up warm and packing a hot drink in a flask, no matter the time of year.
Exmoor has been inhabited for thousands of years – and throughout this time man has marvelled at celestial bodies visible in the dark skies above the land. To gaze up at this same night sky can be a truly awe-inspiring, moving experience, made all the more spectacular by Exmoor’s protected dark skies.
Wrap up warm for stargazing
Men’s Powder Lite hooded jacket
Lined with Omni-Heat fabric technology, reflecting natural heat back on to the body to keep you warm in tough conditions, with a Storm-Lite DP II shell to keep light rain and powder snow out.
Women’s Mercury Maven IV
This mid-length jacket, with a handy removable hood, offers great protection from the elements without feeling too bulky. It’s fully insulated, with a thermal reflective lining.
Men’s Inner Limits jacket
A practical jacket built for the trail, Inner Limits is waterproof, packable and comfortable. The breathable jacket features sealed seams, versatile pocket space and a rollaway adjustable hood.
All products available at blacks.co.uk/columbia
Columbia Sportswear, in partnership with UK national parks
