MORE than 3,000 people took part during Exmoor's recent Dark Skies Festival fortnight.

Immersive planetarium experiences, space-themed family fun, stargazing suppers, astrophotography, nocturnal wildlife events and guided moonlit walks were just some of the 40 events enjoyed by people from all over the South West and beyond as far as Thailand and Italy.

The variable weather did little to deter star seekers, with 60 people heading out for a night walk on Dunkery despite fog and chill, while those who took part in a workshop on night navigation a few days later basked in near perfect starlit skies.

Exmoor park ranger Tim Parish said: “The conditions on the walk were perfect – cloudless sky, cold air and no moon.

"On such nights you experience the stars as few of us do in this world of artificial light.

"Night navigation today is the same as it was thousands of years ago, and I hope these walks give people the confidence to go out and try it for themselves.”

Plans are already being made for the 2019 festival which will be expanded to run from October 14 until November 3.

Exmoor National Park's Dan James said: “Our inspiring landscapes and incredibly dark skies provide an opportunity for tourism businesses to attract visitors outside of peak season."