Noctilucent Clouds over Kinder Scout

A few photographs of a Noctilucent Clouds glowing over Kinder Scout in the early hours of Friday June 29th.

2:40am, Grindslow Knoll. I'd set up after work on a 27 mile walk around Kinder Scout. I then cycled the 25 miles back home from Edale via the Mam Nick Pass and School Lane out of Hathersage and a nice swim along the way. I was going pretty quickly on the walk and was set to do it in 9 hours.

However, as the eastern sky started to brighten around 2:15, a high glowing blue light appeared. Sunrise was still a long way off. Gradually, it grew into the shape of a large ethereal manta ray floating in the sky. I made my way to Grindslow Knoll under it's wings, alone and utterly enthralled.

As the midsummer dawn light up the cloud, it grew more defined wings and a tail too.

For half an hour I sat there in awe. There was something so otherworldly and peaceful about the cloud. Through-night walks are always moving and highly rewarding experiences (it's why I've done them regularly for the last nine years), it this was something else. 

3:40am, dawn over Ringing Rodger. The cloud faded as the sky brightened. Sunrise was still over an hour away yet it was bright enough to walk without a torch. Having the roads to myself on the way home at 4am was a joy. 

A special encounter and another reason to go wandering around the hills at night.