After almost three decades traveling towards home, British adventurer Karl Bushby has reached UK shores. But one last walk remains before he can complete the extraordinary journey he began in 1998.

The 57-year-old from Hull arrived at Shakespeare Beach near Dover on Monday, 5 October 2026, after crossing the English Channel from France. His arrival marks a major milestone in an expedition that has occupied nearly half his life.

Bushby set out from Chile on 1 November 1998 with a demanding ambition: to make his way home without using transport to advance along his route. What became known as the Goliath Expedition has required years of physical endurance, planning and persistence.

Progress has repeatedly been interrupted by obstacles beyond the terrain itself. Visa restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to delays, turning a journey originally expected to take around 12 years into a commitment lasting almost 28.

Photo: Instagram

Even with Britain within reach, finding a way across the Channel proved difficult. Bushby had hoped to walk through the Channel Tunnel’s service tunnel, but permission was refused over safety concerns and disruption to maintenance work.

Instead, he crossed by swimming, spending approximately 20 hours in the water over three days. The effort involved swimming in stages and resting aboard a support boat, rather than completing one uninterrupted swim.

The crossing also required coordination between authorities on both sides of the Channel. HM Coastguard said it worked with French officials and maritime partners to ensure safety arrangements were in place.

For Bushby, stepping onto a British beach brings his long-standing goal much closer. Yet Dover is a milestone along the route, with his childhood home in Hull still the destination.

Photo: Instagram

He is aiming to reach Hull in early November. If that timetable holds, the finish will fall close to the anniversary of his departure from South America.

The remaining miles may be modest compared with everything behind him, but they carry the purpose that has sustained the entire expedition: finally walking home.