Walking saved his life. Now it will help find him a family. In the follow-up to Finding Hildasay, with his dog by his side, former paratrooper Christian Lewis takes his next steps – along the coastline of Britain, and on the road of life.

After spending lockdown on a deserted Scottish island called Hildasay, it was time for Chris Lewis to complete his mission to walk the UK coastline. Then, in November 2020, he had an unlikely (seemingly destined) encounter with fellow adventurer Kate. The two turned out to be kindred spirits and – even more astonishingly – Kate made the bold decision to join Chris on the walk of a lifetime. Day in, day out, as they trekked the coastline down from Scotland together, their relationship grew, and soon the couple were thrown in at the deep end when their first child – baby Magnus – arrived.

But, away from Scotland, Chris’s struggles with mental health returned. The solitude of Hildasay seemed far away and he unravelled once again.

Through injuries and setbacks, with Jet the dog ageing and baby Magnus growing by the day, the adventurous family of four had to find their feet and come together to complete this epic challenge. They’ve navigated the eastern coastline of Scotland, through Yorkshire and East Anglia, and struggled on to the Jurassic Coast, where Chris slowly came back into himself.

In Hildasay to Home, Chris finally crosses the finish line back in Swansea, with almost half a million pounds raised. He reflects beautifully on all that he’s learned – and the family he’s found for himself along the way.

Praise for Finding Hildasay
‘The real journey here is one of self-discovery’ – The Mail on Sunday
‘I love how genuine it feels . . . Chris is a remarkable man’ – Dorset Magazine

LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT NATURE WRITING PRIZE 2023

‘Modern, revealing and restorative, a coastal treasure’ Amy Liptrot

‘Like its talismanic title, Huband’s voice is distinct and singular. A gorgeous reckoning with the sea, islands and mythology’ Sinéad Gleeson

‘A wild melding of body and landscape. A deep, immersive, storm-tossed read’ Helen Jukes

‘As vital and complex as the oceans themseleves’ Joanna Pocock

A powerful journey of sea and self, trial and hope on the islands of Shetland

On the storm-tossed beaches of the Shetland Archipelago, Sally Huband is searching. A message in a bottle, a mermaid’s purse, a lobster trap tag, each find connects her more deeply with our oceans. But it is Sally’s quest for a fabled sea bean that unlocks the myths of these islands and carries her through chronic illness towards a new and more resilient self.

Walking saved his life. Now it will help find him a family. In the follow-up to his Sunday Times bestselling Finding Hildasay, Christian Lewis takes his next steps – along the coastline of Britain, and on the road of life.

Since his time on Hildasay, Chris’ adventure has only gotten wilder. No one was more surprised than Chris when, in November 2020, he had an unlikely (seemingly destined) encounter with fellow adventurer Kate. The two turned out to be kindred spirits and – even more astonishingly – Kate made the bold decision to join Chris on the walk of a lifetime. Day in, day out, as they trekked the coastline down from Scotland together, their relationship grew, and soon the couple were thrown in at the deep end when their first child – baby Magnus – arrived.

But, away from Scotland, Chris’ struggles with mental health returned. The solitude of Hildasay seemed far away, and he unravelled once again.

Through injuries and setbacks, with Jet the dog ageing and baby Magnus growing by the day, the adventurous family of four had to find their feet and come together to complete this epic challenge. They’ve navigated the east coast of Scotland, through Yorkshire and East Anglia, and struggled on to the Jurassic Coast where Chris slowly came back into himself.

In Hildasay to Home Chris finally crosses the finish line back in Swansea with almost half a million pounds raised. He reflects beautifully on all that he’s learned and the family he’s found for himself along the way.