Mam Tor

Closeup of icy grass blades in the sun
Mam Tor at sunrise

Rising early is not one of my strengths but it's a little easier with a scenic walk or hike as an incentive. On this occasion that incentive was the viewpoint at Mam Tor, a 517m hill overlooking the Edale Valley in the Peak District (UK). Yes, I got out of bed early to stand on a big hill, but wait until you see it!

The alarm went off at early o'clock. Bleary eyed, we wriggled out of our sleeping bags and piled into the car with our cameras. The timing couldn't have been any better because we arrived just as the sun was starting to rise over the valley.

Blue and orange skies
Silhouettes against the sky
Silhouettes at sunrise

It may look serene but the wind was wild and cold. Really cold. The weather report said -2c but that didn't take windchill into account. Thankfully I was wrapped in plenty of layers and managed to keep fairly toasty.

Low, orange sun
Pink sky over hills
Pink skies over hills
Icy stone path
Sunrise over hills
Sun shining on hills
Sun shining over grassy hills
Closeup of icy grass blades in the sun
Icy grass blades in the sun
Walkers on stone steps

And here we are... team early bird! Form left to right: me, @mudlarkandmagpie, @anniespratt and @notestothemoon. I'm pleased I had the chance to experience this with people who have the same sense of adventure as me. I don't know many others who would get up at the crack of dawn to stand on a big hill in the freezing cold for fun.

Happy days.

© Copyright Gemma Evans 2025. Images cannot be used without permission.