Karl Bushby completes 31,000-mile Goliath Expedition in Hull

Origins of the 1998 Goliath Expedition

The Goliath Expedition began on 1 November 1998 in Punta Arenas, Chile, when Mr Bushby was 29 years old. Mr Bushby, who had served in the army for 12 years, departed his mother's home in Hull with the expectation that the journey would take 12 years to complete.

The mission was inspired by a birthday card from his father, Keith, sent in the mid-1990s.

Although Mr Bushby initially estimated the journey would take five years, the reality of the trek extended the duration to 28 years, or more than 10,220 days. Throughout the journey, the toll on equipment was high.

Mr Bushby estimated he went through 10 pairs of shoes while travelling through the Americas before he stopped tracking the total count. Regarding the total number of shoes used, he said, "After that we were just in and out of all kinds of different stuff" and described the amount as "A lot".

Rules and geopolitical challenges of the trek

Bushby adhered to two strict rules throughout his expedition: he would not return to the UK until the journey was complete and he would not use transport to advance. Over the course of the 28-year expedition, he traversed 30 countries across four continents.

In 2001, Bushby navigated the Darién Gap while it was a site of fighting between the Colombian government and Marxist guerrillas. During this period, he was jailed for 18 days for crossing a restricted border zone in Panama.

During a 2006 Bering Strait crossing with adventurer Dimitry Kieffer, Bushby was airlifted to safety, faced a polar bear, and nearly lost his supplies when his sleds fell into the sea. He also spent 10 years crossing Russia, a period marked by visa struggles and detention. Bushby returned home at the age of 57.

Navigating the Caspian Sea and English Channel

Bushby travelled through 29 countries according to The Independent, or 30 countries according to ABC News, without using any transport following his 12-year career in the army.

To bypass geopolitical closures in Russia and Iran, he performed a 31-day crossing of the Caspian Sea using a technique he called "floatimming," which involved a hybrid of swimming and floating.

On Monday 5 October 2026, he swam the English Channel to Shakespeare beach in Dover after being denied permission to walk through the Channel Tunnel due to maintenance and safety concerns. This swim required special permission from the French government, as France does not allow cross-channel swims to depart from its territory. The swim lasted 20 hours in the water over three days of battling strong winds, after which he was met by his father, brothers, and friends.

Final leg across the Humber Bridge

He crossed the bridge during the final leg of his journey.

Bushby described the Humber Bridge as "almost symbolic" and an "iconic landmark". He told BBC Radio Humberside that he was "absolutely overwhelmed" by the crowds that gathered on the bridge. He also stated he was "absolutely overwhelmed" by the crowds that lined the Humber Bridge to welcome him.

Personal impact and family reunions

The demands of the road resulted in the end of two long-term relationships with women from Colombia and Japan. Bushby’s mother is named Angela.

Regarding the completion of the trek, Bushby remarked: "They say it takes a village, but literally it took a world to get me here".

Civic reception at Queen Victoria Square

A reception was scheduled for Monday at the Civic Hall in Queen Victoria Square. This event follows a walk from Hessle.