So it wasn't raining when I got up, so I quickly packed up, had a wash and stroked the campsite cat before hitting the road for 7.15.

The thing I wanted to do today was stick to roads and ignore muddy cycle path nonsense.

Being early on a bank holiday Monday meant the roads were deserted, so I just battered it down the main road to get some miles in.

After a while I passed a Greggs. I decided that a. I'd done enough miles to warrant a breakfast stop and b. I was far enough north to eat breakfast from Greggs!

Breakfast suitably smashed down, I pushed on.

I started following a well signed Sustrans route, but this was all on road, so fairly direct and pretty quick.

The rain started bothering me at this point. It was jacket on, jacket off, hide under a tree type weather.

When I got to Nantwich, I made the mistake of giving the "Weavers way" a try.

Not a huge mistake, but still sizable! It was bumpy, muddy and slow. And it was raining pretty nonstop by now.

I needed to start thinking about campsites, so I had a look. I would have liked to get past Warrington, but that just wasn't going to be possible as it's in the middle of a campsite desert.

I was getting pretty desperate as I was soaking wet and miserable, but I lucked out with a really nice site just north of Northwich.

On arrival I had to shelter under a huge oak tree for about an hour. I could tell it was going to stop raining at some point, as there was blue sky attempting to take over

Eventually the sun came out and I was able to pitch my tent.

Then disaster struck - I snapped a tent pole! I was beginning to think this tour is cursed!

I managed to get the tent up, albeit with a bit of a wonk!

I was just thinking about the hassle of finding a camping shop to get a new pole when I discovered a pole repair sleeve thingy in my tent bag! You just slide it over the broken bit and you're good to go.

Things were looking up! The sun was properly out now and I used its warmth to dry all my wet stuff. I then had a shower and got ready to go to the pub.

I haven't eaten particularly well, so it was time for a proper meal. Vegetables and everything!

I had steak and ale pie followed by sticky toffee pudding.

I've left behind the Brummie accents of last night and now have gobby Mancs to deal with.

The music playing in the pub was either a 'Best of Manchester' type compilation or they'd made a Mancunian bands only play list! It was good though.

Back in my tent now relaxing. Going to plan a decent route for tomorrow. I want to be well into Lancashire before stopping again.