EXMOOR’S biggest-ever stargazing celebration, the ninth dark skies festival, ended its two-week run on Sunday (November 2) with the organisers describing it as ‘magical’ and visitor feedback ranging from ‘awesome’ and ‘amazing’ to ‘the best time of my life’.

The national park was designated Europe’s first international dark sky reserve in 2011 and this year thousands of visitors flocked to the moor to enjoy more than 70 astronomical events which included planetarium sessions, lakeside campfire storytelling, dark skies yoga, and astronomy suppers.

Glowing online feedback from visitors included ‘the best Exmoor event we have ever been to’, ‘the experience was awesome, inspiring, and great fun’, and ‘an absolutely fantastic time’.

Other visitors posted ‘spending an hour in the planetarium was the best time of my life, just completely in awe of what I have experienced’, and ‘it was incredible to see such clear skies and the children were amazed to see Saturn and a comet’.

Festival co-ordinator Julie Colman said: “This year’s festival has been magical.

“The enthusiasm from visitors, the creativity of our event partners, and the sheer beauty of Exmoor’s night skies made for an unforgettable experience.

“We are proud to have welcomed guests from across the UK and beyond, all drawn by the wonder of the cosmos.

“A huge thank you to all the local businesses, astronomy groups, and community organisations supporting the dark skies festival.

“As the nights draw in, winter is an excellent time to explore our Dark Sky Discovery Trail.

“Stargazers can enjoy our International Dark Sky Reserve with the naked eye or binoculars or hire a telescope from one of our national park centres.”

Plans for a 2026 Dark Skies Festival from October 16 to November 1, and a spring nature festival from May 16 to 31 next year, are now already underway.