Sun protection - shade

Spend time in the shade between eleven and three

One of the best ways to protect yourself from the sun's harmful UV rays is to find shade under trees, umbrellas, canopies or indoors.

UV rays are invisible and cannot be felt on the skin (the heat of the sun comes from infrared rays instead). UV rays penetrate deeply into our cells, causing changes that lead to sunburn, skin ageing, eye damage and skin cancer.

You can protect yourself from sunburn by spending time in the shade when the sun is at its strongest, and by covering commonly burnt areas, like the shoulders and face, with clothing, hats, and sunscreen.

Why 11am-3pm?
Travelling abroad

Providing shade

During the UK summer the sun's UV rays are strongest between 11am and 3pm. Be especially careful about protecting your skin from sunburn during these hours, and spend time in the shade if you’re going to be out for a long time.

Other things that affect the amount of UV rays are the:

time of year - the highest risk months in the UK are May to September. In Australia, November to February are the danger months. Near the equator, there are strong UV rays all year round.
altitude - UV rays are stronger the higher you go. So skiers and mountaineers beware!
cloud cover - even on overcast skies, 30-40% of UV will still penetrate through cloud cover. For example, if half the sky is covered in clouds, 80% of UV still shines through.
reflection - about 75% of sunburning rays are reflected back from snow, 15% from sand, 10% from concrete and 5-10% from water (depending on choppiness).

You can find out more about UV rays in the UV index section.

Shade is particularly important for children. Go to the shade for schools section to find out more about providing shade in school.

Although 11-3pm is when the sun’s UV rays are strongest in the UK, this differs depending on where in the world you happen to be. When travelling abroad, a simple way to find out when the sun’s rays are at their strongest is to look at your shadow – if it is shorter than your height this means that the sun’s UV rays are strong. During these times you need to be careful about avoiding sunburn. Seek shade if you are going to be out for a long time.

You can find or create shade in many different ways. For example: