The day started well as I had a pretty good sleep despite the fact there was a ground frost when I woke up.

I made myself coffee and porridge.

Another rider appeared, to use the toilet block. He had slept in a bus shelter not far back and looked pretty good on it!

I packed up the bike and headed out.

It was a balmy day with no wind !

As ever the views were wonderful and even the final push up a field too steep for me to cycle didn’t seem that bad.

The end was in site but I didn’t bother to head into Arnside. I knew I had DQ’d myself by missing out Dent station and decided to go straight back to the car. I messaged on the rider chat and got thanked for my honesty as someone would have had to check my route file to see that I had avoided the loop up to the station.

Was I disappointed? No. The conditions had been hugely challenging. I’d made some good decisions (bringing a tent, some dehydrated food, coffee bags and a stove; taking the shortcut to Osmotherley) and got round under my own steam.

The Dales Divide is a wonderful route and, already, I am thinking about doing it again!