The 57-year-old former paratrooper began his expedition in 1998 from Punta Arenas in Chile, with a simple but ambitious goal walk all the way to his mother’s home near Hull in northern England. British adventurer Karl Bushby has finally returned to the UK after spending nearly three decades on an extraordinary journey around the world.
Over 28 years, Bushby travelled nearly 50,000 km across some of the world’s most difficult terrain. Karl Bushby is a British adventurer and former paratrooper who began what became known as the Goliath Expedition in 1998. At the time, Bushby was 29 and had recently left his mother’s home in East Yorkshire. In 2006, Bushby and French-American adventurer Dimitri Kieffer attempted one of the most dangerous sections of the expedition crossing the Bering Strait. Bushby’s journey was also affected by circumstances beyond his control, including the global financial crisis of 2007-08 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Bushby completed the crossing in stages over several days, spending around 20 hours in the water.
His fellow soldiers reportedly told him that the plan was impossible. “Feels good to have UK soil under my feet after all these years,” Bushby said, describing the return as a special moment. He followed two strict rules throughout the expedition: he would not use transport to advance his journey and would not return home until the journey was complete. His experience in the British Army had helped him develop an interest in endurance and long-distance challenges. What began as an idea that many considered impossible eventually turned into a journey spanning four continents and almost three decades. The idea reportedly took shape while Bushby was serving as a paratrooper. He drew a route on a map that would take him from the UK to the southern tip of South America and then across the world. Instead of abandoning the idea, Bushby decided to attempt it. The expedition was built around one central principle: keep moving forward on foot and complete the route without using motorised transport to advance the journey. Bushby’s route took him through some of the world’s most challenging regions. During the expedition, he travelled through countries including: One of the most difficult sections came in Russia, where permits, visa restrictions and harsh weather repeatedly slowed his progress. Bushby had to work around strict rules governing his access to remote areas. In Siberia, frozen rivers and tundra sometimes provided the only practical route forward. The pair travelled across the frozen stretch separating Russia and Alaska, adding another major challenge to an already demanding expedition. The final barrier was the English Channel. Since Bushby’s self-imposed rules prevented him from using conventional transport to complete the route, he eventually had to cross the Channel by swimming. He used a wetsuit, flotation equipment and hand paddles and swam largely on his back. He eventually reached Shakespeare Beach near Dover, where he was welcomed by family members and friends.
He has around 250 miles left to cover before completing the journey he began in 1998. His mother, now 75, is someone Bushby has not seen since 2015. The production company behind the project has reportedly supported Bushby for around 16 years.
Not quite. his ultimate destination is still his mother’s home near Hull Although Bushby has now reached British soil. He is expected to reach Hull in November. Werner Herzog is making a film about his journey Bushby’s extraordinary expedition has also attracted filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog and his team are documenting the adventurer’s journey for a feature-length film titled “Walk of Life.
