The UK’s top 10 cosmic coastlines to get your ‘noctourism’ fix

• New research from seaside property experts Simply Sea Views has discovered the top 10 cosmic coastlines around the UK to get your ‘noctourism’ fix

• The research comes as solar activity is going to be at its highest for decades in 2025, and on 28th February, seven planets will align in a spectacular configuration that will not occur again until the year 2040

• Further, the experts at Simply Sea Views discovered a huge spike in Google searches for ‘noctourism’ with over 1000 searches in the last month alone as the trend takes off

Noctourism, the latest travel activity involving experiences that take place at night such as stargazing, is the newest predicted trend to take the 2025 travel industry by storm. After unparalleled Northern Lights activity and a surge in people going out to hunt for the Aurora Borealis in 2024, it’s no surprise to see noctourism tipped to be one of the biggest travel trends for 2025.

This year there are many predicted astronomical delights, as solar activity is going to be at its highest for decades. Not only can travellers look forward to International Astronomy Day on 22nd April, but on 28th February, seven planets will align in a spectacular configuration that will not occur again until the year 2040.

From witnessing rare cosmic events to activities such as star bathing, in 2025, travellers are looking for dark sky experiences and adventures by moonlight. As a result, the Simply Sea Views experts can reveal 10 of the best beaches around the UK to witness the upcoming night sky spectacles.

To discover the best beaches with the darkest skies around the UK, Simply Sea Views researchers used the Bortle scale scores along with a light pollution map of the UK to determine the coasts which had the most optimal night skies for all of your noctourism needs. Light pollution levels vary depending on where you are throughout the UK, whether in a built-up city or out in the moors in a remote location, and the level of light pollution affects how visible astronomical events will be.

In astronomy, the Bortle dark sky scale is a nine-level numeric scale that measures the night sky’s brightness in a particular location. It quantifies the astronomical observability of celestial objects and the interference caused by light pollution. The scale ranges from class 1 as an ‘excellent dark-sky site’ where many constellations are visible to class 9 which is the ‘inner city sky’, where the only visible objects are the moon, satellites, and bright clusters of stars. Using the scale and a light pollution map, the Simply Sea Views experts have determined the coasts around the UK which are the best to visit at night.

The Isle of Mull has two of the top beaches to visit at night, including Ardalanish Bay

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Researchers at Simply Sea Views discovered that Ardalanish Beach on the Isle of Mull in Scotland is one of the most cosmic coastlines in the UK, as it has a Bortle class score of 1. A class score of 1 means there is a vast amount of stars in the sky making for a fantastic spectacle, lighting up the coastal sky as far as the eye can see. You would even be able to see the Scorpio and Sagittarius regions of the Milky Way with the naked eye, making for a particularly romantic Valentine’s Day escapade.

You can experience this for yourself with a group of family and friends at Carsaig House, a property only a 30-minute drive away from Ardalanish Beach. Amenities include 8 bedrooms (sleeps 15), 5 bathrooms and free parking. Prices start at £435 per person for 7 nights.

North Norfolk’s Scolt Head Island is one of the most cosmic coastlines in the UK

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Scolt Head Island Nature Reserve is located just off the North Norfolk coast in England and is one of the most pristine and stunning coastlines in the region. It’s an offshore barrier island with a Bortle scale ranking of 3, with a classification of ‘rural sky’. Spring and autumn are the best times to see some striking views, and in some cases, you may be able to see the Milky Way.

Visit North Norfolk’s cosmic coastline with a stay in luxury at Crab Cottage, a 17-minute drive away from the beach. Amenities include 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and free parking. Prices start at £354 per person for 7 nights.

Runswick Bay in North Yorkshire ranked as one of the top 10 places in the UK for a ‘noctourism’ experience

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Well known for its quaint streets and traditional seaside town feel, Runswick Bay now has a new accolade of being one of the best coastal stargazing areas. The bay has a class 4 Bortle rating which is a title of ‘brighter rural’. Here, the Milky Way is well above the horizon and can still be seen on a clear night, along with the zodiacal light being visible at night too.

Enjoy a noctourism getaway surrounded by coastline with 8 of your friends plus four-legged friends at Highfields, Runswick Bay. Sleeps 8. Prices start at £150 per person for 7 nights.

Josh Williams, founder and coastal expert at Simply Sea Views, explains that “nighttime experiential travel such as stargazing, star-bathing, spotting the Northern Lights and general interest in astronomical events have seen a huge uptick in popularity in recent years. Now with the rise of travel trends such as noctourism, we’ve been able to discover the best beaches around the UK for you to visit at night to get your nightly beach fix.”

Why is visiting the beach at night good for the soul and becoming more popular in 2025?

Josh Williams explains that “adventuring on the beach under the moonlight and stars is a way for people to have a transformative experience that is vastly different than during the day. Whilst being on the beach during daytime hours has always been a popular pastime, many people aren’t aware of how magical it can be at night, especially in these locations with low light pollution. This is why I suspect the trend of noctourism to really take off this year, especially with so many planetary events coming up.

“Of course, be sure to check tide times before visiting to make sure you stay safe, and take further safety precautions by letting friends and family know where you are if you’re travelling alone. Taking all of these things into consideration, the beach at night can be a truly wonderful spectacle, especially when you can see the night sky along the coast under the light of the moon and stars.”