Day 1 - Arrival

I'm sitting in my tent on the first night of my camping adventure. Fortunately, it's not too cold -I think about 10 or 11 degrees Celsius, maybe 12. It feels toasty warm in my tent anyway. I've had a very pleasant day. I made my way here after 4 O'clock, with a suitcase and bicycle in tow (crazy I know, but how else was I going to carry all my stuff?) This would by my heavy(ish) mountain bike to boot. Still, I figured when I got here and set up, I won't have to lug anything about for a few days, or so I hoped. The weather's not looking too bad, at least until Sunday night when the heavens are due to open.

It took around 15-20 minutes to get my tent up - not long at all really, but it took around an hour to get everything set up properly and stored away inside. First task was to get a cup of tea, as I was pretty thirsty after lugging my suitcase up the hill to where I would pitch my tent. Luckily, the wind wasn't so fast that it blew out the gas on my stove, so I had a cup of tea ready within 5 minutes, which I drank whilst savouring the view over the Edale valley.

After this, my first priority was getting some food, as my belly was starting to rumble. I headed down to the Old Nags Head inn, the oldest pub in the village (there's only 2), and dating back to 1577. The front room was open inside, which is not always, but is a rare treat when it is. Open plan and reaching up to the full height of the building, it feels all of it's almost 500 years. Incredibly, the inn now has a carvery, which is very welcoming as an opening night meal, as I couldn't be bothered to cook and there is limited choice in the village shop anyway (which was closed, since I got there after 5pm). The carvery complements the made to order dishes of yore, which are OK, but not as good value. Although still available, any hungry sailor (or cyclist, hiker, whatever) worth his salt would be hard pressed to resist this fine selection of foods, of which i had plenty, washed down by a pleasant local(ish) cider on draught. It was easy, sitting there in the old room with my food and drink, to imagine I was in one of the many fantasy novels I've read set in such medieval places, and I felt quite content at the notion of being in such surroundings.

After this, I walked the food off before heading back for another pint of cider, before returning tentward to contemplate tomorrow's agenda. Most likely I'll be cycling, but this depends what I feel like in the morning. Now it's time to go to sleep listening to the sound of wood fires crackling and sheep bleating. Good night!

Link to day 2: http://travellingcyclist2k.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/day-2-cycling-or-rather-hikling-up.html