Bexley Heath to Gillingham – the road to Dover 

We left home this morning and although Sandra is popping back, I won't be home for over 4 weeks so extra care was needed to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything – so far so good!

A hard core of 5 set off from the Bexley Heath at 9.45 a.m. and walked though the town centre as the shops were beginning to open. Dan, Nick and Chris stopped for a quick breakfast, courtesy of Mc. D's and soon caught up with Anthony and I as we headed for Crayford. Down the hill into Dartford we walked and then up and onto Watling Street , which we would follow for the next day and a half. We walked past Bluewater and headed for the A2.

Sandra and Ann were waiting in the motorhome, kindly donated by Marquis Motorhomes and we had a drink and energy bar after 6½ miles. The next stretch was hard walking on footpaths alongside the A2. It was frustrating having to follow the path up each slip road and back down the other side but the path was good and sometimes we were surrounded by trees and spring flowers and it was only the traffic din that reminded us where we were.

On one stretch of road running parallel to the A2, a car pulled up and a man jumped out and introduced himself. Andrew Harris is a friend of a friend and a Wimbledon fan. He is also a doctor who is doing some great work encouraging people to become bone marrow donors and organising donor recruitment sessions for the Anthony Nolan Trust. He came to wish me good luck.

Staying with the old A2 as the dual carriageway became the M2, we made our lunchtime stop after 16 miles. What could be more appropriate – The Three Crutches – where we were made very welcome. The manager, who had heard about the walk that morning on Talk Sport, allowed us to make a collection and gave us lunch on the house – thank you so much.

Nick called it a day at this point and joined the ladies for the afternoon and four of us walked down the hill, over the Medway and into historic Rochester with the castle on our right. We were a month too early for the Dickens Festival but enjoyed walking through the town centre. Then it was into Chatham , the climb up Chatham hill and into Gillingham . We passed the house where I lived as a five year old and finished for the day, as planned, at Tesco Gillingham.

Yellow jersey award for walker of the day – Anthony Vardy – 2 days solid walking.

Distance covered – 21.8 miles Total covered – 107 miles