This is an image that I was excited to capture. It’s an iconic view from the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England it was taken on my last trip back home in September.

The morning started out quietly, I was late leaving for the trailhead and on the drive over could see that there wasn’t going to be much interest in the sky. On arrival at the car park I was disappointed that it was fairly busy for a weekday morning – call me anti-social, but I don’t like to share my sunrises with other people!!!

Mam Tor is a bare summit with wonderful 360 degree views but when I reached the summit, and given that it was busy with other photographers waiting for the sunrise, I really didn’t want to hang around for the main event. So I decided to move on and follow the fence line down the slope towards the ridge path

I lingered for a while looking for compositions but then realized that a little bit of distant humidity had created a thin bank of clouds which would blank the sun for a while. This would give me time to press on to the view that I really wanted to photograph and if I was really lucky I should be able to set up in time for a “second sunrise” when the sun emerged from behind this small bank of clouds. I selected a place to plant my tripod in time to capture an image that is already one of my all time favourites.

Finally before I climbed back up and over the mountain to my car I put a telephoto lens onto my camera and shot a couple of additional compositions. Looking back I think it is testament to how a little bit of hope and patience can turn what was shaping up to be an average morning into a memorable one.

“My heart’s away in the lonely hills,
    Where I would gladly be”

Edwin Waugh