A partial solar eclipse is set to pass over Devon, Cornwall and the Channel Islands on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, drawing large crowds to coastal viewpoints, moorland high points and city centres despite no major spike in overnight hotel bookings. The spectacle will last roughly one hour and 50 minutes in Devon and Cornwall, beginning at approximately 18:20 BST and concluding by 20:10 BST, with tourism officials saying increased footfall is expected even though last-minute accommodation demand has stayed largely flat.
Sally Everton, general manager of Visit Devon, said astrotourism continues to grow in importance for the region but that this particular event has not produced a dramatic spike in trade.
I have spoken with several local businesses and, so far, we have not seen a significant surge in tourism or additional hotel bookings specifically linked to the eclipse.
We have seen increased footfall this year, although visitor spend appears to be lower. It may be that many dedicated eclipse and stargazing visitors have already arrived and planned their trips well in advance.
Where are people planning to watch?
Everton said locals are largely opting to travel to established viewing spots rather than book new trips specifically for the eclipse.
What we are hearing locally is that many local people are planning to head to key viewing locations to experience the eclipse.
She pointed to Exmoor National Park, a designated International Dark Sky Reserve, along with the protected uplands of Dartmoor, as prime spots for the region's growing stargazing trade.
We have excellent stargazing locations, most notably Exmoor National Park, an International Dark Sky Reserve, alongside the protected landscapes of Dartmoor and other rural areas.
Popular areas include Haytor, Hound Tor and other high points across Dartmoor, as well as Lowry Cross near Yelverton.
Along the South Devon coast, locations such as Slapton Sands, Bantham, Bigbury and Thurlestone are also well placed, while North Devon's wide beaches at Saunton Sands, Woolacombe and Westward Ho! offer excellent open horizons.
Free and ticketed viewing events are being staged across Devon and Cornwall, ranging from beachside gatherings to observatory sessions, including at least one pub that has its own observatory attached. Organisers across the South West and Channel Islands have spent recent weeks preparing similar sessions, building on earlier guidance on safely watching the region's deepest partial eclipse since 1999.
Why are eclipse glasses running out?
Retailers have reported a scramble for certified eclipse safety glasses in the days leading up to the event. In Looe, Cornwall, tourism business leader Peter Friend said his organisation ordered 80 pairs to distribute to visitors, and all were claimed within ten minutes of being made available.
The shortage is not confined to the South West. According to earlier reporting on the UK-wide shortage, certified glasses had already sold out in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with shortages also spreading to France, Belgium and Switzerland in the days before the eclipse.
How does this compare with other eclipses?
Solar eclipses elsewhere have previously delivered substantial economic boosts to host regions. A 2024 Vermont state government report estimated that the total solar eclipse that year brought 175,000 additional visitors and $34.8 million in economic impact to the state, according to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
In Indiana, a tourism impact study found the April 2024 eclipse produced a net increase of 660,000 day-visitors and 450,000 overnight visitors, according to a regional tourism analysis, while a separate release from Quebec's Eastern Townships said eclipse-related stays over three days in April 2024 generated close to $4 million in tourism spending, according to a regional tourism association statement. NASA's own review of the 2017 total solar eclipse estimated that 154 million American adults watched the event directly, according to NASA's 2018 eclipse viewing report, while a separate tracking site had earlier estimated that between 1.85 million and 7.4 million people would travel into the path of totality on the day itself, according to the Great American Eclipse statistics page.
Will fireworks add to the crowds in Plymouth?
In Plymouth, the eclipse coincides with the British Fireworks Championships, an annual draw for residents and visitors around Plymouth Sound. Sarah Gibson, chief executive of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, said the combination of events, together with favourable weather, is expected to swell numbers along the waterfront.
We're expecting the combination of this sunny weather, the British Firework Championships and the eclipse to attract huge crowds to Plymouth's Waterfront areas.
Every year the firework championships are a major draw to residents and visitors alike, right around Plymouth Sound, and businesses are preparing to host large numbers.
We've one of the best locations in the South West to enjoy the eclipse so visitor footfall is sure to be boosted, though of course we encourage all those watching to ensure their safety by following the government's guidance.
What else is happening in Cornwall?
Cornwall is hosting several eclipse viewing parties, with businesses anticipating a rise in interest tied to the event. Three air display teams are scheduled to perform in a free show over Falmouth Bay from 18:00 BST, shortly before the eclipse reaches its peak, and a separate viewing event is planned at Perranporth Beach along with others elsewhere in the county.
What happens next?
The 12 August 2026 event in the South West is a partial eclipse, but a total solar eclipse is scheduled to cross parts of Europe, North Asia, North and West Africa, much of North America, and the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic regions on the same day, according to eclipse-tracking reference timeanddate.com. Separately, astronomers from Cambridge are travelling abroad to Spain and the Faroe Islands to witness totality, even as the East of England prepares for its own deepest partial eclipse since 1999, as detailed in earlier coverage of Cambridge astronomers' eclipse travel plans.
