Wednesday 12th August 2026 - For all ages! • 4.5 hours • Learn about the stars!
Experience a family-friendly partial solar eclipse viewing in the garden at The Poltimore Inn in North Molton. Join an astronomer, view the Sun safely through a telescope, and enjoy kid-friendly solar activities at this four‑hour evening event.
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Difficulty
easy
Duration
4–4.5 hours
Fitness Level
Minimal fitness required; expect standing and gentle walking on grass. Suitable for most ages when children are supervised.
Wildlife
History
The gathering uses The Poltimore Inn as the local meeting point and celebrates a rare celestial event in a longstanding village setting.
Conservation
Minimize light and noise, pack out all rubbish, and follow organizers’ guidance to protect the garden and local wildlife during evening events.
The Poltimore Inn
Wednesday 12th August 2026 - For all ages! • 4.5 hours • Learn about the stars!
The Poltimore Inn in North Molton, England, is a hospitality venue that hosts a range of astronomy and immersive evening experiences. The inn organizes Exmoor Dark Sky Festival stargazing events led by expert astronomers who provide telescope viewings, laser-guided tours and virtual sky options when weather limits visibility. These festival evenings introduce constellations, star myths and guided observation under Exmoor National Park's dark skies.
In addition to the festival, The Poltimore Inn offers Space Rocks sessions timed with meteor displays such as the Geminids, featuring expert guidance, telescope viewing and a VR space talk when clouds intervene. The In The Night Sky experience focuses on stellar formation, star sizes and distances alongside constellation storytelling suitable for astronomy enthusiasts.
For groups seeking interactive entertainment, the venue stages fully interactive murder mystery events, including "Murder mystery - The demon of the well," where guests follow clues, interrogate suspects and work to solve the plot before an investigator reveals the outcome. These evenings combine entertainment with hands-on participation in a social setting.
All experiences are presented as distinct bookings at the inn in North Molton and are described with clear summaries of activities: guided stargazing, telescope viewing, laser-guided tours, virtual or VR alternatives, and interactive sleuthing. The Poltimore Inn emphasizes guided instruction and immersive formats to create educational and entertaining evenings that fit varied weather conditions and audience interests.
Bookings are available for public festival evenings and private group events tailored to visitor interests and seasonal dark-sky conditions. Staff provide onsite guidance regularly.
Location
North Molton
Gateway to Exmoor Dark Sky
Stargazing Focus
Exmoor Dark Sky
Guided astronomy evenings
Interactive Events
Murder Mystery
Fully interactive sleuthing nights
Tours Offered
5 experiences
Festival, meteor, VR and more
Reserve stargazing nights, Space Rocks meteor events or the murder mystery in North Molton — choose a date and book now.
Arrive early
Gates open before viewing; arrive at The Poltimore Inn in time to get a spot and hear the safety briefing.
Dress for evening chill
Even summer evenings can be cool—bring a warm layer and sturdy shoes for uneven garden grass.
Respect viewing safety
Never look at the Sun without certified filters or the event telescope; follow the astronomer’s instructions at all times.
Bring a portable chair
A low folding chair or blanket makes the garden viewing more comfortable during the multi‑hour event.
Warm jacket
Evening temperatures can drop; a jacket keeps you comfortable during sunset viewing.
summer
Folding lawn chair
Makes longer stretches of observing and activities more comfortable for kids and adults.
Notebook and pen
Great for jotting observations, sketching the crescent, or noting Q&A answers from the astronomer.
Compact camera or smartphone with tripod mount
Useful for photographing the silhouetted landscape and the bright crescent through filtered optics (follow the host’s guidance).