Concorde-Like Lenticular Cloud Stuns over Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire

Lenticular Cloud Echoes the Concorde over Iconic Ribblehead Viaduct

Skywatchers in North Yorkshire got more than just a passing train at the Ribblehead Viaduct recently—a rare cloud caught everyone off guard. Photographer Thomas Beresford was in the right place at the right time when he snapped a shot of a lenticular cloud that bore an uncanny resemblance to the famous Concorde jet. Locals and weather enthusiasts quickly weighed in, stunned by how nature managed to produce such an eerily aerodynamic shape right above one of Britain’s best-known railway landmarks.

For those not familiar with the science of clouds, lenticular clouds don’t show up in just any old sky. They’re usually hat-shaped or lens-shaped and mostly form when stable, moist air flows over a mountain or a man-made structure like a viaduct. As the air climbs, it cools and condenses, crafting these smooth, often photogenic formations. In this case, the cloud’s sleek outline had people doing double takes, thinking for a moment the ghost of Concorde itself was making a final pass over Yorkshire’s rolling Dales.

Why Ribblehead Draws Nature’s Eye—and the Public’s

The Ribblehead Viaduct, completed in the 1870s, has seen its share of dramatic scenes—howling winds, deep snows, and now, clouds that look like supersonic jets. Spanning 24 arches and linked forever to the Settle-Carlisle railway, it’s a place where engineering meets wild weather head-on. The viaduct is more than just a train spotter’s paradise. It’s a Grade II* listed structure, a piece of history, and a magnet for anyone who loves the mix of solid stonework and ever-changing skies.

This specific weather event brought the viaduct into the spotlight yet again. Posts of Beresford’s photograph spread quickly online, with locals chiming in about how the area seems to attract breathtaking natural shows. The atmospheric quirks of the Yorkshire Dales—mixes of moist air, elevation, and open moorland—frequently produce visually stunning phenomena, including rainbows, fogbows, and dramatic cloud plays. But it’s rare for a cloud to so perfectly mimic something from the golden age of flight.

Some weather watchers even argue that the area acts like a natural amphitheater: the viaduct’s stone arches and the surrounding hills shape the wind and clouds, setting the stage for something special. It all depends on the conditions. If there’s enough moisture and the wind hits just right, strange and beautiful things can appear above this classic English landscape. For a brief afternoon, it was as if the Concorde had come back for a curtain call—only this time made of vapor and light.