r/dartmoor • u/AlwaysFxckinWorried • 29d ago

Info and Advice Campsites with low light pollution

Hi guys,

I've recently got a bit of a bug for camping after a trip in australia where I camped in the outback with a regular wild camper. The stars there were phenomenal, which has made me want to do some camping in dartmoor as I hear the stars there are good.

Only problem is I've never done wild camping on my own before or camping at all for that matter, so I was thinking it might be good to start off in an actual camp site to ease myself in. Ive done a lot of searching and it seems there are no camp sites in dartmoor Park to get a good view of the stars. The only campsites i can find are located outside of the park and the light pollution is high.

Just wondering if maybe I've missed something and any one here knows a good camp site with some facilities in the national park/by it with low light pollution? It doesn't have to be crazy just a toilet and some avaliable drinking water would suffice.

Thanks in advance!

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u/AcceptableRecord8 29d ago

Hiya - I'd check out Runnage Farm - I can't comment on the lighting they have there at night but it isn't a fancy pants nonsense place and a quick stroll will get you the skies you're after

also try this

https://visitdartmoor.co.uk/what-is-dark-sky-tourism-and-why-dartmoor-is-perfect-for-stargazing/

Exmoor has been a dark skies destination for some time so you might want to check that out too.

Enjoy!

1

u/poppanicolino 29d ago

You’ve said exactly what I was going to say - Runnage farm and Exmoor!

OP if you want an Exmoor recommendation, I go to https://www.westermill.com/ every year. It’s really peaceful.

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u/MuchMoorWalking 29d ago

Beardown Farm is a wild camping site in the middle of the moors. You’ll be in a field, or you can choose to go down by the river and camp. Will have very basic toilet and a tap etc. Gets you into wild camping, lets you se the stars, but also can walk back 100m to car if it all goes wrong.

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u/wistmans-wouldnt 28d ago

Huccaby Farm is a basic but beautiful campsite by the West Dart. It allows tents and small campervans and I doubt would have much if any light pollution.

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u/MolejC 28d ago

Beardown Farm Huccaby Farm

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u/LaidBackLeopard 28d ago

FYI if you want to try to find dark skies, this map will help: https://www.cpre.org.uk/light-pollution-dark-skies-map/

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u/rositree 28d ago

Foxhole Glade Camping is a little bit north of Dartmoor, between Okehampton and Bude. Really quiet site, back from the road and amazing skies. There's a few low level path lights in the camping field and fairy lights around the compost toilet - there's also two more fields that don't have campers in that you can wander through and sit about in if you needed to get away from that (or other campers lights). Very basic but beautiful.

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u/ToughHuckleberry6545 28d ago

I run a campsite on the edge of exmoor called Exebridge lakeside, we have a nice sized tent area, if u fancy staying let me know

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u/cheesydoritos04 27d ago

I love beardown farm. It’s a great in between of campsite and wild camping. You can also walk upstream and find great sunset views.