'Mesmerising' cloud inversions seen in the Peak District

Peak District explorers have once again been treated to a glimpse of "mesmerising" cloud inversions.

Hayley Pearson, a nurse with a passion for hiking, said seeing the weather phenomenon was an emotional experience that gave her a lump in her throat.

Cloud inversions, also known as temperature inversions, form in valleys giving a view above the clouds.

The Met Office said they could happen all year round but were most common in winter.

A cloud inversion was also seen in the Peak District last month.

Ms Pearson saw the spectacular formations while walking on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire on Friday.

The 41-year-old, from Manchester, hiked to the highest point in the Peak District with her brother.

She said: "I love Kinder Scout, and have hiked the plateau more times than I can count, in all conditions.

"I'm a nurse so, as you can imagine, the job has been pretty stressful over the last couple of years with lockdown.

"Hiking is a passion of mine and helps to clear my head."

She said it was the first time she had seen a cloud inversion in the Peak District and described it as "amazing".

"I knew it was going to be a clear day, but I never envisaged seeing an inversion," she said.

"I actually didn't want to come down from the summit.

"My brother kept laughing at me as I just kept going 'wow'. I actually got a tad emotional and a lump in my throat," she said.

The cloud inversion was also seen by Murtaza Sattar, a regular Peak District walker who was also on Kinder Scout on Friday.

Mr Sattar, 50, from Salford, said he was "overjoyed" to see his first cloud inversion.

He said: "The sight of the inversion was surreal, scary and wonderful.

"When we started the walk in Edale, it was clear blue skies.

"Once at the top of Kinder Scout, the clouds slowly drifted in over the valleys.

"[When] the full inversion happened, it was an out-of-this-world feeling, very mesmerising."

Hiker Greg Tattersall, from Rotherham, said he had never experienced a cloud inversion quite as impressive as the one he pictured at Higher Shelf Stones, near Glossop, on Friday.

"I knew there was a decent chance of a cloud inversion that day due to the combination of cold temperatures and high pressure weather of late," he said.

"It was pretty amazing to stand in the sunshine, under a perfect blue sky, looking down on the tops of the clouds, having walked up through the cold, dark, dank mist. It was so silent and still at 621m up, so we cracked a flask of Yorkshire tea, sat back and enjoyed the view."

He posted the pictures on social media, and said he had a great response.

"It's been a pleasure to read so many messages from like-minded people who appreciated the photos I shared on Facebook, or requested route details desperate to get out there in hope of seeing a similar inversion. The recent weather definitely seems favourable, so hopefully they'll get their chance," he said.

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