With 4 weeks to go before the Santa Dash at Dorney Lake for Alzheimers Dementia Support (ADS), I decided that my training on Saturday would be a long walk rather than a run. I set off from Farnham (Surrey) Station to walk along the North Downs Way national trail to Guildford, covering ten miles. The walk is mostly on woodland paths and is far enough from the road to be unpolluted by noises from traffic.

The path initially runs alongside farmland and I wished a cheery “good morning” to some sheep and cows before passing through a field of corn.

There is no definite way to prevent dementia and research continues to investigate how the disease develops. However, there is good evidence that leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing dementia (source: NHS Website).

My walk not only provided good exercise but was an opportunity to exercise my senses; looking for seasonal changes, listening to bird song and learning about the local nature reserve from information boards.

To support ADS and have the chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher, please visit our Just Giving page.  Donate £1 and include your name and the time, in minutes and seconds, that you think it will take me to complete the 5K Santa Dash.