- By Toby Wadey & Steve Harris
- BBC News
17 minutes ago
Image supply, Paul Harris
Image caption,
Paul Harris has walked much more than five,000 miles so far
A former Royal Marine has described spending most of the previous 3 years walking the coastline of the UK in a bid to strengthen his mental overall health.
Paul Harris was living in Bournemouth and functioning in a get in touch with centre job he loathed when he started the trek in 2020.
Covid lockdown restrictions had just been eased and he had endured main upheaval in his private life.
Now much more than five,000 miles (eight,046km) in and nearing the finish, Mr Harris stated the expertise has changed his life.
Image supply, Paul Harris
Image caption,
Mr Harris was primarily based in Afghanistan in the course of significantly of his time in the Royal Marines
The 39-year-old, who served in Afghanistan in the course of his 4-and-a-half years in the marines, stated he had been at his happiest when he moved to Thailand immediately after leaving the military.
He told the BBC he felt like he had “completed life” when he got his dream job as a kindergarten teacher and set up his personal college in a nation he loved.
But difficulties with renewing his visa immediately after seven years living in Thailand meant he had to leave, major to the break-up of a lengthy-term partnership and an unplanned return to the UK.
Image supply, Paul Harris
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He stated he felt like he had “completed life” when he was primarily based in Asia and functioning with young children
“I was back in Bournemouth, functioning in a get in touch with centre promoting insurance coverage and – to be truthful with you – hating my life,” he stated.
“I am a man and a marine and we never speak about feelings adequate so at that point in time I had 4 or 5 months when I just went into myself.
“The way I spoke to myself was horrendous. I never recognise that particular person. 3 or 4 instances I wanted to finish my personal life – I genuinely was that low.”
Image supply, Paul Harris
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Mr Harris has credited the stroll with boosting his mental overall health
Mr Harris stated a message of help from an old pal proved a turning point.
“[My friend] stated ‘bro, you require to create a book and stroll the UK’ and 3 weeks later I quit my life as such and set up an Instagram. I had £300 in my bank and left.”
Mr Harris, who has dubbed himself the Warrior Walker, stated the journey has helped him to “heal old wounds” and opened his eyes to the beauty of the UK’s coast and the kindness of strangers.
Image supply, Paul Harris
Image caption,
Mr Harris has been following coastal paths across the nation
He added: “I’ve slept outdoors only 3 weeks due to the fact men and women I’ve met on paths, hotels, B&Bs, stately houses, manor houses, council homes, young men and women, old men and women, married, single, gay, straight, black, white and absolutely everyone in among has held my hand and offered me a hug.
“It tends to make me emotional when I speak about this due to the fact it really is nevertheless raw. It really is changed my life.”
Mr Harris hopes to finish the challenge on Saturday 22 April at Sandbanks and desires to do a “victory lap” in help of mental overall health charity Thoughts.