A BRITISH adventurer attempting to complete a 36,000‑mile walk around the world says he has been barred from using the Channel Tunnel for the final leg of his journey.
Former paratrooper Karl Bushby, who began the expedition in 1998 and has crossed four continents entirely on foot, said the decision was a “crushing blow” as he approaches Calais after nearly three decades on the move.
Eurotunnel has rejected Bushby’s formal request to walk through its service tunnel, ruling out the route he hoped would allow him to finish the challenge without breaking his long‑standing rule against using mechanised transport.
The 57‑year‑old Yorkshireman set off from Chile with the aim of returning to the UK solely under his own power – a principle he has maintained for 28 years.
Bushby, who recently reached Belgium and expected to arrive in Calais in September, said he had only just been informed of the decision.
“It’s early days,” he said.
“Clearly, my team will need to have conversations, but if I have to swim across the Channel then I am prepared to do that.”
His journey has taken him across deserts, jungles, mountain ranges and frozen seas, with logistical and political obstacles often proving as challenging as the physical demands. The Channel Tunnel ruling adds another hurdle as he nears the final stretch of a trek that has defined much of his adult life.
Bushby and his team are now considering alternative options to complete the final leg, but remain hopeful of a change of mind from the private operators of the Channel Tunnel.
Responsibility for the decision rests with Eurotunnel. The company controls access to all parts of the tunnel system, including the service tunnel Bushby was hoping to use. Under long‑standing safety regulations, no pedestrians are permitted in any of the tunnel’s operational areas, and Eurotunnel has never granted an exception.
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