After a sleepless night (b&b positioned on a busy road) we're up early and out to the Coop for a breakfast of pretzels and croissants, eaten at the start of the Dalesway. The morning is perfect, cool with a little moisture in the air which fortells the rain to come. For now though, it's fine. I'm pleased to be underway as it settles the nerves which every so often question whether this is such a good idea and whether my fitness is good enough to manage the hikes and the pack

It's safe to say that it's been a bit of a year. When I signed up to retrain as a teacher I knew that my mettle would be tested but I had no idea that I'd face my first qualified year in the year that has been widely dubbed by experienced teachers as the hardest of their career. If nothing else I have the advantage that I don't know much different. The first year was a baptism of fire. And the second and third were...well, I'm still not sure what they were. Gratitude and a se