The weather forecast was for rain in the small hours, then a short window of no rain between 5 and 7. This was correct!

The bloke next to me said he would be getting up at 5 to crack on (Pennine Way). I was incredibly surprised that he was gone when I got up at 5! He must have been a Ninja or something as I didn't hear him pack up and his tent was so close to mine the guy ropes were touching. That or I was just very asleep!

Anyway, I was on the road just after quarter past 6.

I had to retrace my route from yesterday for about 10 miles to finally get back on my planned route after the necessary alterations the other day.

I could have done with some breakfast, but unsurprisingly everywhere was still closed that early on a Sunday morning. I knew Kirkby Stephen was a big enough place to have somewhere open by the time I got there. I still had half a pack of Jammy Dodgers to keep me going!

I took a short detour after seeing a sign for Rutter waterfalls. They weren't very impressive, but it was a picturesque setting with some interesting history. The falls powered the nearby village of Great Astby until 1952!

It was raining on and off by this point so I got my head down towards Kirkby. Progress was slow due to all the up and down, but at least I was back on route.

I was too early for the co-op, but there was a big 24 hour Spar. I had a sausage and bacon roll that was in one of those hot counters and had probably been in there all night. I suspect it was disgusting, but I was so hungry it was delicious!

Once back on the road the rain pretty much stopped ready for the altitude to increase.

The next stop would be the Tan Hill Inn. I was already pretty high, but I needed to find another thousand feet or so. I wasn't sure where that was coming from until the road took a sharp turn to the right and very up!

It wasn't too bad, the odd steep section, but really just a nice steady plod.

Once up on the top it was incredibly windy. I was kind of expecting the pub to just be there at the top, but it was quite a long way, then it eventually came into view.

It was absolutely blowing a gale up there, but I got a drink and took some photos before getting off the hill.

The descent was long and flowy. Although it did annoyingly start going up again in places!

All that had taken quite some time so I stopped in the village of Reeth. It had a shop, but it was one of those places where the selection of stock is utterly random and looked like it had been on the shelves (most of which were empty) for about 10 years . In the end I got a coffee from the machine and a couple of almond cake things that were right by the till and did at least look fresh. They were.

I realised that the campsite I had initially penciled in was quite a way and to make matters worse - over another massive hill! It wasn't so much the climb I didn't want to do, but the wind high up. I was sick of it! Time to find somewhere closer.

In the end I found the perfect site. Right in the village of Muker. There's a shop and more importantly a pub.

I got pitched up - which was quite a task in the wind, then showered and went straight to the pub before it got too busy.

Burger followed by sticky toffee pudding. No surprises there!

Whilst I was eating my burger, an American woman approached and asked if she could take the ketchup on my table. If she had waited until I didn't have my mouth full, I could have told her it was actually vinegar as she took it away! Hopefully she didn't realise before pouring it on her food!

I'm really liking the Dales. I've been a couple of times before, but travelling through the whole area makes you appreciate how beautiful it really is.

Tomorrow I shall be heading to Hawes first and then down towards Hebdon Bridge. We'll see how far I get...