This may look like the camera’s lens needs a bit of a clean, but it’s actually an unusual atmospheric phenomenon; certainly unusual for Tarporley in Cheshire. It’s always worth carrying a camera with you, even a small compact camera, and when I saw this sunrise on the way to work the only problem was finding somewhere safe to stop. Then I had to skate across the road to get a clear view over some fields. Yes it would have looked nicer with a lake in front but I didn’t have one in the car boot.
It’s a sun pillar, caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere. The view was even more dramatic just before the sun rose, but there was just nowhere to stop any sooner.