News & Info > Charlie Walker, ‘A Long Way Home’ Charlie Walker, ‘A Long Way Home’ We were delighted to welcome Charlie Walker – adventurer, writer, photographer and motivational speaker – to Milton Abbey to give the annual Toby Mann Lecture and the last talk of the term, 'A Long Way Home'. Charlie grew up locally and after a brief, and not particularly fulfilling stint in London as a journalist, decided to take himself off on an adventure with his bike. Looking at a map of the world one day he set himself the challenge of cycling to the northernmost part of Europe, as far east as Singapore and then to the southernmost point in Africa. Charlie completed this extraordinary adventure travelling by bicycle, foot, horse and dugout canoe on a trip that took nearly four years. His talk was fast paced and packed with clever, funny and surprising anecdotes and wonderful photos that kept everyone thoroughly entertained and in awe of what he had achieved. No doubt we will remember his talk for some time to come. Toby Mann was a pupil at Milton Abbey and his family are friends of Charlie Walker’s family; it was particularly fitting that Charlie was able to give this talk to support the Toby Mann Bursary Fund which was set up by Toby’s parents in his memory. The fund provides bursaries for pupils, supporting them through Milton Abbey. Toby’s parents, Angus and Jane Mann, take particular pleasure in helping the next generation of pupils whilst also keeping Toby’s memory very much alive.