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For older people loss of memories is one of the distressing things that happens with the onset of dementia. This is why I support all the good work that Alzheimer’s Society does in research and particularly in their support locally for sufferers and their relatives.

2015, my fifth long distance walk and my 75th year. Also celebrated my Golden Wedding. Wife Rosalind not too impressed by my claims that we've lasted so long because I'm away so often!! This year's solo walk in earlyJune is along the line of Hadrians Wall from Newcastle on Tyne to  Bowness on Solway, 85 miles approx with plenty of hilly country and quite long walks on some days. Lots of Roman remains and old fortresses. Just hoping for some good weather. 

August 2014 celebrated my 74th year (and Alzheimers Society's work)  by walking the Kennet and Avon Canal (110miles approx) from Reading on River Thames and onto the River Kennet  as it passes through the city centre. Then countryside with a continuous abundance of ripe blackberries. My favourites. Fascinated by the number of weirs as the river and canal combine and separate. Beautiful weather to start, pass Aldermaston where there are boat traffic jams with time limits for lock and swing bridge use in force.  found good food and accommodation. near Midgham.  Day 2 was wet/wet/wet and the longest walk but plodded on  & on. 

Newbury passed in a wet blur, on to Hungerford where sun shone and hospitality was good both at Hotel and at the Downton Pub where the parrot was on good form. Day 3 & 4 fine with occasional showers stayed at Honey Street (because I liked the name!) and enjoyed the friendly crowd at the Barge, and Semington with good hosts at Lock Cottage.  Visited the canal Museum at Devizes, admired & walked down the Caen lock flight (longest in country). Day 5 onto Bath and sightseeing. Day 6 train to Keynsham(only went there because of Horace Batchelor on Radio Luxemburg! Remember that?) then walked a couple of miles along the towpath (now the river Avon) in pouring rain to Hanham on the outskirts of Bristol where the last lock leads onto the tidal river, before a wet 12 mile walk back to Bath for the night, just to make sure I actually walked the whole stretch (even if it wasn't in the right order!) Then Train, Bristol, Birmingham & home. Job done. So many interesting people met, many with Alzheimer stories, fascinating places and wonderful countryside.  I like to think the 4.5 mile walk I did with Coventry Retired Police walking group a couple of days before I set off gave me good practice! Thanks to them and so many other friends, and colleagues past and present for their support, particularly financial in getting me almost to my £4000 target.

Also during the 2014 I have become a Dementia Friend in a Society initiative supported by Coventry City Council, and involved in the development of the City's Dementia Strategy. I now wear my little forget-me-knot badge - a good way of generating interest/conversation re Alzheimers, as well as the T-shirt logo on walks. Again many thanks for your support and donations.

July 2013. Another year and another walk. This time the length of the Oxford Canal, from Hawkesbury Junction in North Coventry through Rugby, Hillmorton, Braunston, Napton, Cropredy (avoiding the Festival by 2 weeks which was a shame but I couldn't fit both in) , Banbury, past Aynho Wharf, Thrupp and into Oxford, through Jericho (ghosts  of Morse) to the Isis Lock where the canal meets the River Thames. Shorter than last 2 year at around 80 miles.  But I was able to celebrate my 73rd year in a heatwave. Over 30 degrees a lot of the time. I began to hope for some of the rain that had caused so much trouble on the River Wye the year before! Still it was beautiful countryside and I met namy interesting new people as well as being able to spend time with old friends, Barry and Sylvia in Rugby and Norman and Joy in Deddington. I thank them for their hospitality. And everyone else who supported me and made donations

In June 2012 I celebrated my 72nd year by walking the length of the River Wye from its mouth at the river Severn all the way to its source high on Plynlimon  near Aberystwith about 150 miles via Tingtern, Monmouth, Symonds Yat, Ross, Hereford, Hay, Builth Wells, Rhyader, and Langurig.Although I did the whole walk on my own there was one  Welsh friend from Coventry that I  met en route with whom I enjoyed a sociable time near Symonds Yat and who showed me around the area. Many thanks Bob Peake for your time and support. Also to everyone who gave me encouragement before I set off. There also were many kind people who befriended me en route. The most memorable aspect of this walk was the fact that it rained heavily, the River Wye was in full spate much of the time, footpaths were often awash, sliding up or down hill on red mud with wet socks at the end of every day were the norm. BUT as always the people I met were always helpful and the sights, when the skies cleared were fantastic. Hearing the organ played at full blast in Hereford Cathedral, (the only person in the church) was something that stayed with me for the rest of the journey.   and the weather was kind to me on the last day going towards the source on Plynlimon and then down through the forest. joining the infant river Severn before meeting by wife and spending time in Llanidloes.

  In July  2011 I spent two weeks walking Offa's Dyke footpath from Chepstow to Prestatyn in North Walesaccompanied for the first few days by my son David; about 185 miles. Among the highlights of that walk was finding a folk festival in full swing alongside Tintern Abbey (What would Wordsworth have said to that?); a Jazz night at the Golden Lion, in Four Crosses, where the landlord was an ex Coventry kid; helping  a farmer rescue a lamb with its head stuck through a fence; visiting lots of old norman castles, abbeys and iron age hillforts; visiting bookshops in Hay on Wye; meeting old friends in Monmouth and Knighton, including some from Earlsdon Coventry who had come to support me; meeting new friends walking, from England but also Holland, Chicago, and one from Oslo who had gone to Coventry University; seeing the annual scarecrow festival exhibits outside every house in Llandegla; in awe of the fell-runners practising for the annual race up and down Moel Famau the highest hill in the Clwyddian Range; receiving a donation from a vicar in a pub one Sunday lunchtime!; so many people with their own stories of relatives with Alzheimers; being welcomed and well fed by so many friendly hosts on the way; seeing so much wildlife and beautiful scenery especially in the Wye Valley, the Welsh/Engish border country and the Clwyddian Hills in North Wales; a sense of relief and achievement standing on the beach at Prestatyn at the end... all in brilliant weather. 

My walks are all about memories, they have certainly provided me with many happy ones. I hope you will all treasure your own. Many thanks to all who helped in any way to support my Walks to Remember and the Alzeimer's Society .

Spread the word...Many thanks...

John Mason

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