Witness one photographer’s epic walk from Wales to Poland

Dover, there’s a strong European draft, ripping hats of our heads and stars off our flags. 485 km/300 miles into my trip. I have now crossed two of the eight countries of this #gohomepolish itinerary. See you tomorrow, France. Photo by @nrgsmith www.facebook.com/auntiemargaretmedia

A post shared by Michal Iwanowski (@michaliwanowski) on May 24, 2018 at 1:15pm PDT

Six years after he embarked on a solitary 2,200km walk to trace his grandfather’s escape from a Russian gulag during the Second World War, Michal Iwanowski is now walking from Wales to Poland for his new series Go Home, Polish.

The Cardiff-based Polish photographer set foot on 27 April, attempting to cover over 1,600km in three months. Of course, Iwanowski’s long-distance walk is not just an endurance race or a homecoming trip. The project, supported by the Arts Council of Wales, is a response to the Brexit vote, inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric and Polish stereotypes in the UK.

Country no 4. Entering Belgium. Happy as a pig in the mud. #gohomepolish

A post shared by Michal Iwanowski (@michaliwanowski) on May 27, 2018 at 12:31pm PDT

Iwanowski has already crossed the English Channel and is currently on route to Ghent. He’s been documenting his journey, the people he meets and their stories over on his Instagram account. The completed project will be launched at Galeri, Caernarfon in September, after which it will then travel to Cardiff’s Ffotogallery later in the year. We wish Iwanowski the best of luck for the last leg of his walk.