Karl Bushby Completes 28-Year Around-the-World Walk in Hull
British adventurer Karl Bushby arrived in his hometown of Hull on November 2, 2025, completing a 28-year journey across four continents entirely on foot without using transport to advance his route, The Guardian reported. Bushby crossed the finish line of his 58,000-kilometer trek from Punta Arenas in Chile, stepping through a thick fog on Sunday to cross the Humber Bridge before reaching Queen Victoria Square in northeast England on Monday, where roughly 1,000 people and a Sky News helicopter greeted him.
The expedition, which Bushby named “Goliath Expedition,” stretched far beyond its original 12-year timeline due to severe bureaucratic hurdles, visa fights, and geopolitical blocks. According to reports compiled by Nova and bTV Novinite, Bushby spent only about 15 of those 28 years actively walking, while spending the remaining years dealing with visa renewals, sponsorships, and geopolitical roadblocks in countries such as Mexico, Panama, and Russia.
Leaving the British army to begin the journey
Bushby left the British army’s parachute regiment in 1998 at age 29, inspired by his father’s old question of whether a person could walk from London to New York, according to BG Voice. Armed with a tent, a camera, and a few hundred dollars, he began his march northward from Punta Arenas in Chile, traversing South and Central America.
The route forced him through treacherous physical landscapes, including the notorious Darien Gap in Central America, the scorching deserts of Mexico, and the frozen expanse of the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. Profit.bg noted that Bushby’s rules were strict: he could not use transport to gain forward progress, and he could not return home until the entire journey concluded.
Facing polar bears and arrests during the trek
The trek brought extreme dangers that repeatedly stalled progress. bTV Novinite and Profit.bg documented that Bushby encountered polar bears in the Arctic, faced armed kidnappers in Mexico, and was arrested for illegal border crossing in Russia. Global events added further delays, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bureaucracy proved just as difficult as nature. Bushby told BG Voice that dealing with governments and visa negotiations consumed years of his life. “Sometimes the only solution is simply to wait,” he said of the prolonged diplomatic standstills.
Swimming the English Channel to reach the United Kingdom
Last month, Bushby cleared the final major physical obstacle on his route by swimming the English Channel, BG Voice reported. He then walked through France and Europe toward the United Kingdom, arriving in the UK in time to cross the Humber estuary bridge.
On Monday, Maria Coward and a crowd of supporters welcomed him at Queen Victoria Square. “We faced governments and some of the toughest challenges,” Bushby told the crowd, emphasizing that the feat required a global network of helpers. “I didn’t do this alone.”
Emotional Reunion at the Family Home
Following the public welcome, Bushby walked to the small terraced house where he grew up. His 75-year-old mother, Angela Bushby, waited at the garden gate as she had promised, according to Profit.bg. As they embraced, Angela wept, and Bushby joked, “Where haven’t I been?”
Inside the flag-decorated house, Bushby reunited with his 36-year-old son and met his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time. BG Voice noted that Bushby plans to launch a UK-wide walking and speaking tour in the coming weeks, while a feature-length documentary about his 28-year expedition is currently in preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Karl Bushby’s Journey
How many countries did Karl Bushby visit during his walk?
Bushby crossed through 29 different countries over the course of his 28-year expedition, according to bTV Novinite and Profit.bg.
What total distance did Bushby cover on foot?
He accumulated approximately 58,000 kilometers across four continents, significantly exceeding the Earth’s total circumference of about 40,000 kilometers, Profit.bg reported.
Why did the expedition take 28 years instead of the planned 12?
While Bushby spent about 15 years walking, the remaining years were lost to bureaucratic delays, visa negotiations in Mexico, border detention in Russia, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, as detailed by BG Voice.
What was the final major obstacle before reaching his hometown?
Last month, Bushby swam across the English Channel as the final major physical barrier along his route before trekking through Europe and arriving in northern England, according to BG Voice.
Earlier coverage: British Adventurer Karl Bushby Completes 28-Year Around-the-World Trek
Worth a look