Karl Bushby, 57, has spent the last 27 years walking around the world on foot – and he’s now only a few hundred miles from finishing his epic quest
Karl Bushby crosses the 15 July Martyrs Bridge from Asia to Europe with special permission in Istanbul, Turkiye, on May 2, 2025(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
A Hull man on the verge of completing a round-the-world walk is facing the prospect of swimming the English Channel after being refused permission to use the Channel Tunnel. Former paratrooper Karl Bushby, 57, has spent almost 28 years journeying across the globe – having departed from Chile in late 1998, with the ultimate goal of returning home to Hull.
Despite conquering numerous obstacles along the way – including the notorious Darien Gap in central America, an arrest in Russia, and swimming the Caspian Sea to bypass Iran – Mr Bushby now confronts what could be one of his greatest challenges yet, the English Channel.
GetLink, the tunnel’s operators, have rejected his formal application to traverse the 31-mile service tunnel, citing safety concerns. Under Karl’s self-imposed rules, he is forbidden from using any form of mechanised transport, including ferries.
A statement released by Mr Bushby following the rejection reads: “We greatly appreciate Eurotunnel reviewing my request to cross through the English Channel tunnel to arrive on UK soil for the first time in 28 years, and understand that they have many variables to consider. We remain hopeful that we can continue a dialogue and arrive at a solution that would address any concerns they have.
“This 27-year, 50,000km circumnavigation of the world on foot wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of many people, organisations and governments along the way. It’s my sincere wish that Eurotunnel will reconsider and assist me in completing the final few miles of the journey. We need their help to make this dream come true.”
Last year, Karl – who swam more than 170 miles over 31 days across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan to avoid entering Iran or Russia – joked that he would consider taking hostages if it meant avoiding having to swim the channel.
He said at the time: “The first alternative would be to take hostages, and lastly, to swim. I’m just not into the swim thing. I’ve had to do a couple of swims here and there, the Bering Strait there was a bit of swimming, and the big one was the Caspian Sea.
“[The English Channel] is a different stretch of water, it’s colder, we’ll see. Hopefully, I’ll never have to think about it.”
Karl, who is currently taking a break in Mexico, arrived in Belgium in early June meaning he is now fewer than 1,000 kilometres from the finish line. He embarked on his epic walk from Chile back in November 1998, initially aiming to reach Hull by 2012.
A Eurotunnel spokesperson said: “We are aware of Karl Bushby’s desire to walk through the Channel Tunnel as part of his journey. We have carefully considered his request and explored a range of possible options. In this instance, regretfully we are unable to accommodate Mr Bushby’s wishes.
“The Channel Tunnel’s Service Tunnel is a dedicated safety and maintenance route. Closing the Service Tunnel for a period of 15 hours, or over two days, would pose a safety risk to passenger services and impact essential maintenance work.
“Access is also tightly controlled and any activity within it requires detailed planning and specialist support. The safety of our passengers, staff and infrastructure is our highest priority, and we must ensure that all activity within the Tunnel meets strict operational criteria.
“We would like to congratulate Karl on his incredible journey to date and wish him well as he makes the rest of his way home.”
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