The hundreds of miles we walked together, all over the UK and Europe, will for ever belong to the happiest moments of my life. John’s humour and warmth would make everyone forget the rain or the overambitious itinerary, his encyclopedic knowledge and colourful storytelling ensured even the longest day was not boring. And there was always the pub, Gasthaus or Hospoda in the evening to look forward to, John invariably getting the first round. And cracking the last joke of the night, too. An irreplaceable friend, sorely missed.