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Rule Golden Hour

Winnats Pass - Golden Hour - Peak District

Hope Valley, England, United Kingdom

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover100%
Mid Cloud Cover100%
High Cloud Cover0%
Sun Elevation54.4° (Daylight)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/London
golden-hour weather icon
Next opportunity
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunrise
Winnats Pass
Sun, May 24 · 04:25–05:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
60%
🌇Golden Hour Potential100%
Low Cloud Cover: 7%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 0%
Sun Elevation: -6.7° (Nautical twilight)

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast identifies optimal sunrise and sunset conditions when low-angle light illuminates the Peak District's dramatic topography. We track cloud cover, atmospheric clarity, and sun position to predict when golden light will dramatically enhance the gritstone edges, valley landscapes, and moorland vistas.

The Peak District's orientation and topography create exceptional golden hour opportunities. The Dark Peak's gritstone edges run roughly north-south, meaning they catch warm side-lighting at dawn and dusk. The White Peak's limestone valleys orient east-west, funneling light down narrow gorges. The plateau moorlands provide elevated viewpoints where sunset light stretches for miles across textured landscape.

What makes Peak District golden hour photography distinctive:

  • Gritstone edge illumination - Stanage Edge's four-mile escarpment glows with warm light at sunrise, with Sheffield's distant cityscape below
  • Mam Tor ridge drama - The Great Ridge receives spectacular side-lighting at both dawn and dusk, with shadows emphasizing its dramatic profile
  • Moorland texture enhancement - Low sun angles across Kinder Scout plateau highlight peat hags, heather, and rock formations
  • Reservoir reflections - Ladybower Reservoir mirrors surrounding hills in golden light when wind drops at dawn or dusk

Stanage Edge is the Peak District's most photographed golden hour location—arrive at sunrise to capture warm light illuminating the millstone grit while the valley below remains in shadow. Mam Tor provides 360-degree golden hour opportunities from its summit, though the best light typically illuminates the Great Ridge extending toward Lose Hill. Winnats Pass's limestone gorge catches dramatic sunset light, with shadows emphasizing the cliff walls. Bamford Edge overlooks Ladybower Reservoir, offering sunrise compositions combining gritstone foreground with water and hills. Chrome Hill's narrow ridge catches both sunrise and sunset spectacularly. Best conditions occur with broken cloud cover—gaps allow golden light through while clouds add drama. Autumn and spring provide the best golden hour timing, when sunrise and sunset occur at sociable hours and atmospheric conditions are often stable.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 79 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Europe/London
Golden Hour
Any
Golden Hour Potential
≥ 80.0%
Precipitation Chance
≤ 5.0%
Visibility
≥ 1000.0m
Sun, May 17
06:0045%37%23091m
07:0028%56%2094m
08:0032%68%13645m
09:0032%80%24135m
10:0032%92%24134m
11:0027%94%24135m
12:0025%97%24135m
13:0023%99%23906m
14:0019%89%16471m
15:0020%79%13735m
16:0032%69%16528m
17:0024%70%15650m
18:0023%72%23589m
19:0018%74%20159m
20:0053%57%16853m
21:0061%39%24135m
22:0050%22%24135m
23:0022%22%24135m
Mon, May 18
24:0018%22%24134m
01:0018%22%24135m
02:0018%42%24134m
03:0024%62%24135m
04:0053%82%24135m
05:0051%86%24135m
06:0033%90%24134m
07:0017%94%24135m
08:0016%93%24134m
09:0018%93%24135m
10:0021%92%24135m
11:0021%93%24134m
12:0019%94%24134m
13:0025%95%24134m
14:0026%76%14763m
15:0026%58%9478m
16:0031%39%24135m
17:0037%39%23640m
18:0041%39%24101m
19:0033%39%24125m
20:0076%33%24135m
21:0060%28%24135m
22:0058%22%24135m
23:0030%42%24135m
Tue, May 19
24:0030%62%24135m
01:0031%82%24134m
02:0022%84%24135m
03:0020%87%3579m
04:0044%90%18336m
05:0040%92%8327m
06:0024%94%150m
07:0014%96%109m
08:0014%94%128m
09:0013%92%149m
10:0012%90%137m
11:0016%93%91m
12:0017%95%24134m
13:0023%98%12195m
14:0018%72%12830m
15:0020%47%18730m
16:0029%21%18190m
17:0027%20%23708m
18:0030%19%24135m
19:0034%18%24135m
20:0065%19%23518m
21:0051%20%22902m
22:0047%21%22285m
23:007.5%22%22902m
Wed, May 20
24:007.6%23%23518m
01:008.8%24%24135m
02:007.9%33%24135m
03:008.1%43%24135m
04:0044%52%24135m
05:0047%59%24135m
06:0025%65%24135m
07:007.5%71%24135m
08:007.8%69%24135m
09:008.2%68%24135m
10:008.8%66%24135m
11:009.3%63%24135m
12:0011%61%24135m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Golden Hour Potential mean?

Inputs that drive the score

This derived score summarizes multiple raw weather signals. The table below shows the supporting inputs hour by hour, so you can see what's pushing the score up or down.

Time
Europe/London
Golden Hour
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Relative Humidity
%
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Sun, May 17 Sunrise 05:04 Sunset 21:03
14:00
- 0% 100% 100% 64% 100% 5.4m/s
15:00
- 0% 75% 100% 72% 100% 5.5m/s
16:00
- 0% 14% 9% 70% 17% 4.9m/s
17:00
- 0% 67% 6% 69% 68% 4m/s
18:00
- 0% 45% 57% 75% 57% 3.6m/s
19:00
- 0% 9% 100% 81% 100% 2.9m/s
20:00
- 0% 8% 92% 86% 93% 3.3m/s
21:00
- 0% 5% 100% 91% 100% 2.7m/s
22:00
- 0% 21% 100% 94% 100% 2.6m/s
23:00
- 0% 48% 100% 95% 100% 2.9m/s
Mon, May 18 Sunrise 05:04 Sunset 21:03
24:00
- 0% 85% 100% 95% 100% 2.4m/s
01:00
- 0% 98% 100% 96% 100% 2.4m/s
02:00
- 0% 85% 100% 96% 100% 2.3m/s
03:00
- 0% 94% 79% 96% 99% 1.9m/s
04:00
- 0% 96% 9% 95% 97% 1.9m/s
05:00
- 0% 99% 0% 96% 99% 1.8m/s
06:00
- 0% 100% 5% 96% 100% 1.2m/s
07:00
- 0% 99% 65% 93% 99% 1.2m/s
08:00
- 0% 100% 99% 90% 100% 1.7m/s
09:00
- 0% 100% 5% 89% 100% 1.4m/s
10:00
- 0% 100% 5% 84% 100% 1.7m/s
11:00
- 0% 100% 0% 80% 100% 2.1m/s
12:00
- 0% 100% 0% 78% 100% 1.9m/s
13:00
- 0% 34% 0% 72% 34% 1.6m/s
14:00
- 2% 96% 0% 68% 96% 2.7m/s
15:00
- 53% 41% 5% 78% 58% 3.8m/s
16:00
- 93% 5% 81% 72% 93% 3m/s
17:00
- 5% 9% 32% 69% 32% 2.8m/s
18:00
- 10% 8% 8% 68% 13% 2.8m/s
19:00
- 92% 3% 77% 74% 92% 2.4m/s
20:00
- 6% 0% 86% 79% 86% 2m/s
21:00
- 98% 2% 100% 83% 100% 2.1m/s
22:00
- 100% 5% 87% 84% 100% 2.2m/s
23:00
- 95% 5% 100% 86% 100% 2.2m/s
Tue, May 19 Sunrise 05:02 Sunset 21:04
24:00
- 100% 0% 99% 92% 100% 2.4m/s
01:00
- 13% 5% 100% 95% 100% 2.6m/s
02:00
- 36% 53% 100% 96% 100% 2.6m/s
03:00
- 50% 100% 100% 98% 100% 2.7m/s
04:00
- 100% 100% 100% 98% 100% 2.8m/s
05:00
- 100% 100% 97% 98% 100% 3.9m/s
06:00
- 5% 100% 5% 98% 100% 4.1m/s
07:00
- 65% 100% 100% 98% 100% 4.2m/s
08:00
- 75% 100% 66% 98% 100% 4.4m/s
09:00
- 96% 100% 67% 99% 100% 3.4m/s
10:00
- 100% 100% 94% 98% 100% 2.5m/s
11:00
- 100% 100% 100% 98% 100% 2.9m/s
12:00
- 0% 70% 77% 90% 77% 5.3m/s
13:00
- 21% 100% 98% 88% 100% 6.6m/s
14:00
- 100% 18% 100% 86% 100% 7.1m/s
15:00
- 78% 50% 82% 84% 82% 8.6m/s
16:00
- 5% 15% 31% 83% 31% 8.3m/s
17:00
- 100% 5% 100% 82% 100% 8.8m/s
18:00
- 70% 5% 74% 82% 74% 8.3m/s
19:00
- 45% 5% 25% 82% 46% 7.9m/s
20:00
- 31% 37% 20% 85% 64% 7.5m/s
21:00
- 16% 68% 15% 88% 82% 7.2m/s
22:00
- 2% 100% 10% 91% 100% 6.8m/s
23:00
- 22% 71% 32% 89% 93% 7m/s
Wed, May 20 Sunrise 05:01 Sunset 21:06
24:00
- 42% 42% 54% 86% 85% 7.2m/s
01:00
- 62% 13% 76% 84% 78% 7.4m/s
02:00
- 72% 41% 52% 81% 84% 7.3m/s
03:00
- 81% 69% 29% 78% 91% 7.2m/s
04:00
- 91% 97% 5% 75% 97% 7.1m/s
05:00
- 94% 80% 37% 77% 98% 6.7m/s
06:00
- 97% 62% 68% 80% 99% 6.3m/s
07:00
- 100% 44% 100% 82% 100% 5.9m/s
08:00
- 100% 29% 91% 76% 100% 6.3m/s
09:00
- 100% 15% 83% 70% 100% 6.7m/s
10:00
- 100% 0% 74% 64% 100% 7.2m/s
11:00
- 68% 0% 72% 66% 89% 6.6m/s
12:00
- 37% 0% 69% 69% 78% 6m/s
13:00
- 5% 0% 67% 72% 67% 5.5m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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