Mike Butler's epic Daffodil Day walk

Daffodil Day fundraising walker Mike Butler and dogs Toby, left, and Idol, in Mahara Place, Waikanae.

A freak accident scuppered Mike Butler's Auckland to Wellington fundraising walk for the Cancer Society's Daffodil Day last year.

He was about 40km south of Gisborne when he broke his right ankle after kicking a pine cone for one of his dogs.

"I slipped in a gutter."

But on August 2, the anniversary of the accident, he restarted the walk from the place he fell, and finished at the Cancer Society headquarters next to Wellington Hospital, on Friday, a total walking distance of 1196km.

The fundraising target was $12,000 but in the end about $12,500 was raised.

Mike is one of the many ANZ staff members who get behind Daffodil Day every year.

"I can't make cakes so this is how I can raise money for the Cancer Society."

Mike, who averaged 25km a day, had no problems physically aside from a niggly right ankle which he was aware of most of the time.

"I took anti-inflammatories each morning before I walked."

The toughest part was going over Devil's Elbow, which is coming into Napier from the north, followed closely by Tafford's Hill, between Opotiki and Gisborne.

The most enjoyable part was meeting numerous people along the way as well as enjoying the scenery in various areas.

Accompanying Mike were his dogs Toby and Idol, who each walked an hour on and off, and during their rest hour they chilled out in Mike's support van.

"Toby didn't like it if it was wet and was inclined to go on strike.

"Idol, even though he picked a stone bruise on his foot on the Manawatu Saddle, was still as keen as mustard to go.

"It was more a question of me holding him back so he didn't overdo it."

It is the second fundraising walk Mike has done.

In 2011 he did 2326km around the South Island over 10 weeks raising $22,000 for the Cancer Society.

"It just about killed me."

In November next year Mike plans to walk from the Golden Temple to the Taj Mahal in India which will be 650kms.