I woke up to warm early morning sun for the first time in what seemed like ages. I took the opportunity to dry my washing properly and let all my other damp stuff get some air and sunshine!

So after all that I was a bit late getting away. I suppose 07:40 isn't that late, but it felt like it!

After only a few miles I saw a co-op. I prefer to get a good few miles in before breakfast, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, so I stopped for my usual breakfast stuff.

I then proceeded to set off in exactly the direction I'd just come from! Took me a little while to figure out what I'd done before I turned around and went in the right direction!

The route I was taking wasn't the most direct, but it took me through lots of nice villages along quiet country lanes.

I hit some nice old railway and noticed I'd crossed into Lincolnshire. But pretty soon I was in Leicestershire, which felt a bit more geographically correct!

It was really starting to hot up by this point. I had taken the opportunity earlier to slap on plenty of suncream though.

The only big town I was to pass through was Melton Mowbray. I had planned to find a shop selling authentic pork pies, but it was just so busy (being lunchtime when I arrived) and I just couldn't be bothered, so I just breezed through and stopped at a shop on the way out for a few bits and pieces.

In the afternoon, the hills were back! I knew they were coming but obviously they were nothing like what I'd done previously, so I just knocked them off one by one.

Eventually I hit Rutland and rolled into Oakham. I was low on water so stopped at a shop to get some. And an icecream of course!

Then I was following part of the loop around Rutland Water. It was a bit rubbish really as I never actually got to see any water! Just one glimpse through the trees and that was it.

Once off that trail I noticed I was nearly at the campsite and could actually cut a bit off my route to save a couple of miles. So I did as it was so hot and I just wanted to get there!

I checked in at reception and was allocated a pitch all under the supervision of Tiger the campsite cat!

There's only one other tent in the field I'm in which is a bonus as this place can get busy.

I had a shower - which was a faff as it gave instructions on how to enter 50p coins into "The box" and select the shower you want. So I trudged back to my tent to get a couple of coins that I had specifically for such occasions only to be baffled by the lack of any box to put the coins in!

In the end I gave up and decided to just have a cold shower - it was certainly warm enough to do that.

Only when I started the shower it immediately pumped out hot water! So maybe they just never took the signs down about paying for hot water. Who knows?

After that I picked up some snacks from the shop as they said the shop closed at half 6 and the café at 8.

I went to the café next only to be told they stopped serving food at 5! This was not good! However, it was deserted and they said they could knock me up a fancy cheese toasty thing. It was really good even if not really substantial enough. However, I had bought a pack of nice biscuits in the shop that I was a bit worried I might not eat before the chocolate part of them melted. Good job I got them as I then went back to my tent, made a coffee and smashed the biscuits! I now feel suitably fed.

I've been here before about 10 years ago so I don't remember much about it. But I'm a bit disappointed in the general lack of correct information about opening times and shower operation!

It's a glorious evening, so I'll sit out for a bit before an early night.

Tomorrow I am going low! For that I need to head just into Cambridgeshire.