We need to be doing 2.3mph! [27th June]

'We need to be doing 2.3mph!' The words of Chris who was setting the pace after we had yomped up a hill in blazing sunshine. I was starting to get in to my stride but Chris was setting a cracking pace and when we stopped for water he checked his GPS and told us how far we had walked, what our average speed was and if we were going to finish at The Griffin pub in Chipping Warden [lovely names aren't they?] at the appointed time then we'd better get a move on!

Chris has a bit of the 'mother hen' - or perhaps platoon sergeant might be a better description - as he made sure that we drank enough water as it was a very hot afternoon. [come to think of it, all the best platoon sergeants I've ever met had a 'mother hen quality about them!].

On we went - up hill and down dale. It was a glorious afternoon and when Chris saw that we were making good time he slackened the pace a bit and we were able to talk and take in the scenery. The walk was to take us through a lovely bit of England and it really was a joy to be there.

One of the real delights of the walk were the conversations that we had with others along the way - getting to know one another - talking about times in Round Table - the daft things we did but the very real achievements that we made together and the fun we had doing it. There was a sense of nostalgia for something that had been a very important part of our lives. That too was to be a feature of the walk - nostalgia for what we did in Round Table coupled with a desire to do it again!

The conversations made the miles pass more quickly and just on the 3 hours mark we arrived at the Griffin to a warm welcome from Yvonne and friends from Banbury 41. My feet - especially my left foot - had been burning as I walked the last two miles or so. It was something I'd experienced during my training walks and I'd needed a bowl of ice cold water just to rest my feet. That wasn't possible this time but at least I drank a pint of ice-cold water before ordering the first of a couple of very welcome pints of good beer which we drank whilst sitting outside the pub waiting to set off for 'home' and in our case - an evening BBQ organised by Banbury.

It was good to sit down and eat and chat that evening after a shower and a cup of tea - but I'd made a startling discovery when I'd eventually taken my boots off which really had me worried about whether or not I was going to be able to continue. I'd had a huge blister on the ball of my left foot but during the latter stages of the walk the skin had peeled off it! How was I going to cope with this?