Jurassic Coast to feature in documentary about former paratrooper walking UK coastline

The Jurassic Coast will feature on a Channel 5 documentary presented by Ben Fogle and featuring a former paratrooper who is walking the whole of the UK coast.

In 2017, Christian Lewis had his rock bottom, suffering with depression so severe he would shut himself in his bedroom for weeks. Now he is walking the UK coastline to raise funds for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity that helped him back on his feet.

Broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle caught up with Chris on the Jurassic Coast to film him for 'New Lives In The Wild' for Channel 5, with the episode scheduled to be screen on March 14 at 9pm.

Chris has been fundraising for SSAFA ever since August 2017 when he decided to set off on his epic trek. He took £10 and a bit of camping gear and set off to raise money by walking the entire coastline of the British Isles.

Five years on and his circumnavigation of the UK is nearly done. He started in Swansea and is currently in Devon.

In Northern Ireland Chris rescued a dog, Jet, who will now not leave his side. In the Highlands he met a girl, Kate, who also has not left his side since, and they have since had a baby, Magnus, who travels with them in a papoose.

The couple used to wild camp along their way, but with the arrival of baby Magnus, they purchased an old VW campervan, so now live in relative luxury!

They are adventurers in the true sense of the word – especially in the recent inclement weather!

Kate left her teaching job in London to seek a little adventure in life and consequently found Chris.

She said: "There's a strong spirituality to the fact I came to be on this walk. I ended up meeting Chris in what felt like very serendipitous circumstances. To then end up following an even bigger inner calling – the call to a life of adventure, to the great outdoors, and to make more of a difference by helping others on a wider scale."

To date, Chris and Kate have raised more than £280,000 for SSAFA. With a few hundred miles to go, Chris is confident he will hit his £300,000 target.

He said: "People have been so generous and we have come so far! We are totally determined to reach £300,000. I think we can do it. No doubt about it."

To fund their travels and raise more money for charity, Chris wrote a book about his adventures in lockdown, pre-Kate, on a deserted Highland island called Hildesay.

'Finding Hildasay' is a brutal and beautiful true story of depression, survival and the meaning of home and can be bought online at SSAFAstore.org.uk

Chris' episode of New Lives in the Wild airs on Channel 5 at 9pm on March 14.