Our first walking day and we're all up in good time. With only a cold breakfast (still sufficient for our needs) the bags are packed - someone even appeared with bags packed before the official rise time!

With a firm appointment for Mass at St Thomas of Canterbury Church, van loading was done early and quickly - not least because of the dubious parking arrangements!

Then it was time for "boots on" and waiting for the off. Our day's leader demonstrates his ability to stand on one leg and not fall over.

While the music makers hurried ahead, the pilgrims gathered for their setting out prayers.

Then off down the outside of the school . . .

. . . and into St Thomas's just a few hundred metres away.

Stephen was obviously there early to get a people-free picture.

The pilgrim group led the music - not one of our more polished performances I must admit, but the singing was enthusiastic and hopefully drowned most of the instrumental errors!

And so we were off - Ant striding ahead  to mark the way down the High Street, with passing glimpses of the Cathedral.

Others followed on at a more leisurely pace.

Soon we left the bustle of the town for a park beside the river.

And then into countryside, where Mark had a chat with a pony.

 The lane was adorned with plenty of wild fruits and flowers.

Under the A2 Canterbury bypass - by a safe if decorated route.

We passed through some of the orchards for which Kent is famous . . .

. . . on a wide track, passing the caravan homes of the fruit pickers (whom we met carrying their washing up back from the barns - reminiscent of a pilgrim existence!).

At the entrance to a factory site just outside the fruit farm, we enjoyed our first drink stop of the pilgrimage.

Then, after carefully crossing the A28 Canterbury - Ashford road, we descended to the riverbank for the final leg to Chartham for lunch.

In Chartham, we got a warm welcome at the Artichoke, where they had added extra seating for us in the garden.

Patrick introduced Katherine's friends to bunnies - which they eventually got - he's been doing this to day pilgrims for 25 years (see 1980).

Others relaxed and chatted.

After lunch it was a short walk to St Mary's for prayers. It had an unusual wooden roof . . .

. . . and a Kentish Tracery east window.

John Lamb spoke to us on today's theme of self-control and how this related to wisdom and understanding, putting yourself in a proper place in relation to others and the Christian repsonse to abuse from the world.

Off we headed for a long stretch through the Kent countryside . . .

. . . with it's ups and downs . . .

. . . until we reached Crundale Church.

Here we were rather ahead of time.

Keith shared with us his thoughts on today's theme and how he saw the Holy Spirit as acting on our emotions rather than our intellect. In this context, self-control is about allowing the Holy Spirit into our lives to take control.

We finished with an enthusiastic rendition of Walk in the Light.

Drinks were provided - but not while the front markers were there!

A relatively short walk (albeit down and UP) took us to Wye Crown and a splendid view over the countryside south and east. The Millennium Stone shows the directions of Dover, Winchester, Oxford, Canterbury, York - all places we've been to on pilgrimage.

As we approached the Crown we'd seen rain showers around us, creating interesting atmospheric views. We thought they'd passed us by . . .

. . . but we were wrong. The rain came down . . .

. . . and the coats went on . . .

. . . but a rainbow showed that the sun was not lost forever.

We descended from the downs in a long straggle to St Gregory & St Martin Church in Wye . . .

. . . where the Rev Dickie Cleveland led us in Celtic Evening Prayer.

From the church, a short walk through the village took us to Wye Village Halls and that joyful moment of arrival - boots off!

One walking day down - ten to go!