British adventurer Karl Bushby arrived at Shakespeare Beach in Dover on Monday, October 5, 2026. He successfully swam the English Channel to complete a grueling 50,000-kilometer (31,000-mile) journey around the world on foot. The 57-year-old former paratrooper from Hull swam for 20 hours across three days from France to the United Kingdom, concluding a remarkable 28-year global trek.
Bushby’s expedition began on November 1, 1998, when he set off from Punta Arenas, Chile. He adhered to two strict, self-imposed rules: he could not use motorized transportation to advance his journey, and he could not return home until the entire challenge was officially finished. Over nearly three decades, his path traversed 29 countries, facing countless geopolitical, financial, and physical obstacles.
The Final Obstacle: Swimming the English Channel
The conclusion of Bushby’s epic trek came down to the English Channel after alternative routes were blocked. Earlier in the summer, Channel Tunnel operators vetoed his request for access to a service tunnel, stating that closing it would pose safety risks and disrupt essential maintenance. With no other option allowed under his self-imposed rules, Bushby turned to the open water.
French officials initially cited a 2018 prefectoral order permitting cross-Channel swims only from the UK to France, rather than the reverse. However, Bushby’s Los Angeles-based team secured special permissions from both French and UK authorities. HM Coastguard coordinated closely with French maritime partners to ensure strict safety protocols were maintained during the crossing. For security reasons, the exact timing of the swim was kept confidential.
"[It] feels good to have UK soil under my feet after all these years. It hasn’t been easy, and that’s part of the point; proving I’m more capable than I give myself credit for," Bushby said after stepping ashore. "All of us can accomplish more than we will ever imagine."
A 28-Year Odyssey Across Continents
Bushby’s trek stands as one of the most ambitious endurance feats in modern history. His route took him northward across South America, through the notoriously treacherous Darien Gap connecting Colombia and Panama, and all the way up to Alaska. In 2006, he became the first person to walk across the Bering Strait from North America to Russia, swimming where necessary through freezing waters.
From Russia, he traversed Siberia and Asia. When regional tensions with the West closed doors in Iran and Russia, Bushby adapted by swimming 186 miles (300 kilometers) across the Caspian Sea, a massive undertaking that took 31 days to complete. He entered Europe last year, steadily making his final approach toward the English Channel.
The journey was frequently delayed by major global events and personal hurdles, including strict visa restrictions, the 2008 global financial crash which stripped him of key sponsors, and the COVID-19 pandemic. During these pauses, Bushby temporarily lived in places like Mexico, always returning to the exact spot where he paused to resume walking.
Welcome Home and Future Plans
Upon emerging from the water at Shakespeare Beach just south of Dover at 15:30 BST, Bushby was greeted by a small gathering of friends, family members-including his father, Keith Bushby, a former SAS soldier-and acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog and his crew have documented Bushby’s progress for the past 16 years and are currently directing a feature-length documentary titled Walk of Life.
Bushby’s mother, Angela, has promised to greet her son at the front gate of their family home in Hull, where he is expected to arrive by early November 2026. Reflecting on his transition back to everyday life after nearly three decades on the move, Bushby admitted to a sense of apprehension. Speaking to reporters from France prior to his swim, he noted that he will arrive home having to re-establish himself in the ordinary world from scratch.
