Mam Tor: Apps and social media draw crowds to cloud inversion

A dramatic weather phenomenon attracted a crowd of about 100 people in freezing conditions to one of of the most famous spots in the Peak District.

Danny Shepherd, who took a stunning drone shot, said temperatures fell to about 0C (32F) on Mam Tor at sunrise on Saturday last weekend during a cloud inversion - but the cold did not put walkers off.

"You don't usually get that many people up there," said the 39-year-old from Derbyshire.

"You get more people on a Saturday but even then you're talking 20 or 30 people."

Mr Shepherd said inversions had become "quite easily predictable" when using weather apps.

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.

From the forecast Mr Shepherd said he had known about a week in advance that cloud inversions were likely to be visible during sunrise on Saturday.

He suspected others had also seen this information and the word had spread on social media.

"Most of the people on the mountain were photographers.

"There were a lot of children there with families; that was good to see.

"I didn't mind - there was no trouble, there was no litter, there was no noise.

"Everyone was just out enjoying a nice sunrise," he said.

Mr Shepherd said it was the first cloud inversion he had photographed in the snow.

"You get a really good reflection," he said.

The photo was taken at about 07:50 GMT, about half an hour before sunrise.

He said: "The hour before the sunrise, that's the best hour because you get that 'golden-hour' light.

"I was there from about 07:00 and that was when it started to get busy."

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