I like the Dales. All that open space and quiet splendour, friendly people and a sense of having time on your hands.
And at the end of a long walk, you can generally look forward to a decent cuppa tea and a bite to eat in a warm and friendly cafe somewhere.
So it was a bit of a disappointment to find ourselves in a charmless sort of place, with sullen faces from the staff and a closing time of 4pm on a Saturday afternoon.
Surely that is the prime time for catching people returning from walks, when a beaming face and a bright demeanour would have customers flocking to your door?
I struggle to understand why they bother.