Paul Harris in conversation with Tina Gaisford-Waller

The Warrior Walker

How I Found Resilience, Purpose and Meaning on Britain’s Coastline

Paul Harris, AKA ‘The Warrior Walker’, is a former Royal Marine who turned his life around by walking the UK’s coastal paths in their entirety. In doing a second lap, it’s believed he is the first person to have walked around the map twice, covering 20,000 kilometres – a distance equivalent to trekking from London to Sydney. In doing so, he raised over £10,000 for MIND, Great North Air Ambulance, Samaritans and Doctors Without Borders.

About The Warrior Walker

In 2020, Paul Harris aka ‘The Warrior Walker’ set off on a pilgrimage around the UK that would rebuild his life from rock bottom and change the way he saw the world forever.

Weighed down by a traumatic military past, Paul’s life spiralled and he seriously contemplated taking his own life at the age of 36. Then a random text from a friend delivered a route map to emotional safety during what were possibly his final few hours.

Paul, why don’t you walk the British coast path?

With only £300 in his pocket and a 30-kilo rucksack on his back, Paul decided to leave his life as he knew it and took up wild camping, slept rough, struggled along the coast paths of Devon, Cornwall and Wales in the sideways rain, and wading through knee-high snowdrifts around the Scottish islands and the burning summer sun on England’s east coast. Walking was therapy. Nature was restorative. The path was his friend.

The Warrior Walker is more than just one man’s journey of self-discovery. Paul’s story shines a light on the kindness of strangers, of the coast path that gave him purpose, about discovering family and true love, and how even wrong turns can lead you to exactly where you need to be. In a world where so much human interaction is cruel, divisive and distant, this is an important reminder that there is light even in the darkest of moments.

Praise for The Warrior Walker

‘Could not put this down, an absolute belter from start to finish’

FARREN MORGAN, FORMER QUEEN’S GUARD AND AIRBORNE SOLDIER

‘An epic and inspirational journey that everyone should read’

JASON FOX, SAS: WHO DARES WINS

About Tina Gaisford-Waller

Tina is the manager/Chief Ravenista of Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books. She started out as an actor, but bookselling is her true calling. Frome born and bred, Tina’s dream came true when the role of manager came up in 2018. She has a deep love for all things Frome and for all things ‘bookish’!