British Adventurer Karl Bushby Completes 28-Year Walk Around World

By Trending9ja Staff • November 2, 2026 • 2 min read

Former British paratrooper Karl Bushby, aged 57, has finally arrived in his hometown of Hull in northeast England after spending 28 years travelling on foot across four continents. According to Vanguard, he finished the 50,000-kilometre trek on Monday without using any mechanical transportation to advance along his route.

Bushby initiated the ambitious expedition from Chile in 1998 at the age of 29 following the end of his marriage. He set two strict conditions for himself: he would never use any form of vehicle to move forward, and he would not return home until the entire trek was finished. Over nearly three decades, his journey took him through North and South America, across the frozen Bering Strait into Russia, and through sections of Central Asia and Europe. He pushed his supplies in a metal-framed cart across deserts, jungles, and mountains.

A cheering crowd of up to 1,000 people welcomed him back to Hull city centre. The Mayor of Hull, Maria Coward, commended his tenacity and perseverance, describing his accomplishment as a proud moment for the city. During his final leg back to the United Kingdom, Bushby swam across the English Channel in early October. He expressed gratitude to supporters worldwide, stating that his success was a global effort involving many people who helped him navigate complex geographical conditions and government bureaucracy.

Vanguard reported that the expedition faced multiple delays over the years, including visa rejections by Russia, the 2008 global economic crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. During these forced breaks, he temporarily stayed in places such as Mexico before continuing his walk from the exact spot where he halted. A documentary film titled Walk of Life, directed by German filmmaker Werner Herzog, is documenting his journey, supported by a production company that provided financial and logistical aid for 16 years.

Following his arrival, Bushby was set to reunite with his mother, Angela, his 36-year-old son, Adam, and a 12-year-old granddaughter he had never met before. He acknowledged that adjusting back to a regular lifestyle would be challenging after spending almost 30 years on the road, admitting in a previous interview that he felt nervous about reintegrating into conventional society.

Sources: Vanguard