Veteran now half way around the UK coastline.

05 August 2019

Veteran Chris Lewis, 39, from Swansea in South Wales, left to walk the entire UK coastline to raise money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity in August 2017.

Chris, a former British paratrooper, struggled to cope with life on ‘civvy street’ after leaving the parachute regiment and finding himself homeless.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity stepped in to help him, but when he faced homelessness for a second time, he decided to embark on an incredible journey.

He decided to walk the entire UK coastline on behalf of SSAFA as his way of giving back, with the aim of raising £100,000 for the Armed Forces charity.

I can't believe I've been walking the entire UK coastline for two years now, it’s incredible. I've found the second year physically harder than the first, probably fifty times as hard actually. But I've found the second year easier mentally. I spent much of my first year on the road isolated which put me in a good place mentally.

The total distance around the UK coastline is 18,000 miles and I'd say I've walked around 12,000 miles, so I'm over half way now! It’s heart-wrenching being away from my daughter, but my family knows how happy this makes me.

One of the hardest, but also one of my best memories, was when I was walking the east coast of Lewis and Harris, a Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides. It was winter and I walked around 110 kilometres. I nearly got frostbite in my foot because my boot broke, but I had to continue walking for another six days. It was pretty tough, but I love the exhilaration of a challenge.

Chris will be completing the final leg of his journey down the east coast of the country and predicts that he has another year and a half left of his epic adventure along with his dog, Jet.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the forces, and their families. This includes both regulars and reserves.