Sussex man ditches social media for thousand mile walks

A man from Sussex has swapped social media and smartphones for walking thousands of miles.

Piers Ellison, 27, spends three quarters of the year trekking across the world.

Mr Ellison, who often sets off with just a backpack and paper map, said: “It’s exciting, you know, you wake up in the morning you have no idea what’s going to happen by the end of the day.”

He will leave the UK on Friday for the US in the hope of walking the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650 mile trek that takes about four months to complete.

Eight years ago, he attempted the trail but explained he “got bitten by something that I’ve been told was a spider” and had to stop early.

He was undeterred, even after seeing a bear “crashing through the undergrowth” on his first attempt.

Preparing for his next adventure, the hiker has been told many times to document his journeys on YouTube or social media but he said he felt it would spoil his trip.

“I don’t think I would be as successful in enjoying the trip if I was spending most of my time thinking about what the view count would be,” Mr Ellison said.

He considers walking to have been “really helpful” for his mental health, explaining that unplugging from the world online had made him feel more connected offline.

“The amount of generosity that’s out there is really astonishing.

“I’ve had generosity from people who’ve taken me into their houses, when I’m dirty and unshowered.”