Karl Bushby reaches UK after 28-year global walking expedition

British adventurer Karl Bushby has returned to United Kingdom soil after nearly 28 years of attempting to walk around the world. On October 5, Bushby reached Shakespeare Beach near Dover after swimming across the English Channel from France.

Bushby, 57, began his expedition, named ‘Goliath’, in November 1998 in Punta Arenas, Chile. His journey involved traveling approximately 50,000 kilometers through 29 countries. To adhere to his self-imposed rules of never using transport and never returning home except on foot, he was forced to swim the English Channel after being denied passage through the Eurotunnel.

The nearly three-decade journey included walking through the Americas, crossing the Bering Strait on ice to reach Siberia, and traversing Mongolia, China, Central Asia, Turkey, and Europe. The expedition faced numerous delays due to visa issues, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Bushby aims to complete his journey next month by reaching his mother's home in Hull.