Day 6 - 6pm

What a wonderful day! Reunions with aunt and cousin after 22 and 38 years respectively! Change out of smelly, dirty, walking gear! Photograph with Bishop Trevor before the service. Seats in the middle of the cathedral only four rows from the front. Awesome music, a great sermon from Trevor, my walk mentioned in the Dean's welcome notices, sorry Bryan and Christine missed that one (They have been stars and in the end we all walked exactly the same amount of miles). Lots of attention from the Canterbury Diocesan press office -more photos. Out of the cathedral to a dramatic drop in temperature and the journey home, definitely not on foot!!Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported and sponsored. I'll get some more good photos up shortly.

Day 6 - 11.45

Wonderful welcome to genuine pilgrims from the cathedral staff.

Day 6 - 11.30

We have ARRIVED in Canterbury. It was great to see through the mist the towers of the cathedral appearing over the apple orchards along the Great Stour valley. Praise God! It's been a good strong walk this morning and I've felt a lot better. Now on to my 91 year old aunt's for lunch - I've been more worried all week about being late for her than for the service in the cathedral this afternoon! Full report, including acknowledgements and photos to follow. Many thanks for your interest and support. Please pray for Bishop Trevor this afternoon as he is licensed in his new role as Bishop of Dover.

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Day 3 - Wednesday 3rd Feb, 07.30

Feeling refreshed and ready to go! By lunch time I'll be approaching the half way mark at Otford. Should be a slightly easier day today with the evening target to get to Wrotham. Weather is getting worse!

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Day 2 - 19.45

My companions and I have just arrived at our B&B in Oxted. As anticipated today was tough. Really tough. I estimate that we ascended a total of 3000 ft having climbed the North Downs on three separate occasions, and we clocked that we covered over 24 miles. The weather was mainly grey and damp, very different to yesterday's clear skies. Off for a good supper, then bed!

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Day 2 - Tuesday 2nd Feb, 07.00

First rendez-vous is at Ranmore Common to meet some fellow hikers, Brian and Christine, who will accompany me the rest of the way to Canterbury. Anticipate this to be the toughest day, having to complete 22 miles and ascend the North Downs on three occasions. My route today will pass through Dorking and end in Oxted.

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Day 1 - 19.30

Finally arrive at Guildford host, Janet, in the dark, across beautiful Pewley Downs in clear moonlit sky. Been a stunning day on route of North Downs along Hogs Back. Visited Watts Gallery in Compton.  Met old school friend, Roger, and his wife Rosemary, for tea. I hear from another walker Eagle FM gave me a mention today. Thank you to all for support and to Andrew for your company today.

Day 1 - Monday Feb 1st 2010, 07.25

It's been SNOWING! That wasn't in the forecast! So I'll be setting off in half an hour, together with my son, Andrew, who is accompanying me today, and my Curate, Daran Ward, for the first few miles to Dogmersfield School. We hope to make a guest appearance at the school assembly! Then it's on to Farnham and along the Hog's Back this afternoon before cutting across the Downs into Guildford for the evening.

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I'm a sixty seven year old vicar of , Hartley Wintney and I'm walking to . Leaving from St John’s Church on Feb 1st, I will walk the 106 miles in just 5 and a half days, arriving at Canterbury Cathedral in time for the installation service on February 6 2010, of the previous Bishop of Basingstoke, Bishop Trevor, as the new Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury.

My route will take me along the beautiful but hilly Hogs Back and North Downs countryside passing through towns including Farnham, Guildford, Dorking, Westerham and Maidstone.

The purpose of the walk is to raise awareness and funds for the , Hartley Wintney, Building Development Appeal, (information here) which needs to raise £1.7 million for much needed new facilities for the church and greater village and community. Planning permission was finally approved in December 2009.

I am no stranger to long walks. Exactly fifty years ago, as a teenager, I trekked the Alps from to (310 miles) in two weeks. I completed the Lyke Wake walk (40+ Miles in a day) across the Yorkshire Moors several times in the 1970s, and partook in the Test Valley Way pilgrimage from Inkpen Beacon to Romsey Abbey 17 years ago (about 35 miles).

The last of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales featured that of the Parson, so I shall be in good footsteps!

Sire preest, quod he, artow a vicary?
Or arte a person? sey sooth, by the fey!
Be what thou be, ne breke thou nat oure pley;
For every man, save thou, hath toold his tale.
Unbokele, and shewe us what is in thy male;
For, trewely, me thynketh by thy cheere
Thou sholdest knytte up wel a greet mateere.

Extract from Prologue to A Parson’s Tale, Geoffrey Chaucer, 1340-1400