Chris Jones
Tour Guide
I was born into a military family in 1970, in Aldershot, Hampshire—but we never actually lived there. After 15 years of constant moving, we moved back to England just before my 16th birthday, when my dad gave me my first bike: a moped he brought back from Germany, a 50cc Dem Scout.
I’ve ridden non-stop since that day in 1986.
With such a fractured education, university wasn’t for me. I became a mechanic on the YTS, but after finishing my training—and realising I didn’t enjoy it—I became a builder and joined the Royal Engineers.
After 12 years in the Army, I settled in Lincolnshire and, in 2000, quite by accident, my wife and I founded a vocational training centre for young people who had been excluded from school.
For two decades, we developed what became the largest independent school in the East Midlands. We employed up to 40 instructors—most of them Armed Forces veterans or former police officers—and we were privileged to support nearly 5,000 young people aged 13–19, helping them develop skills, self-discipline, and the confidence to move from education into the working world.
Government policy changes forced me to sell the business I loved—but my timing wasn’t great. We sold just as Covid-19 hit, and the almost instant forced isolation, along with my loss of purpose and identity, resulted in my mental health hitting rock bottom.
Eventually, I asked for help, and that saved my life. Through counselling and a lot of reflective learning, I knew I needed a full reset—so on New Year’s Day 2023, I set off on a 6,500-mile walk around the coast of the UK. It was an unsupported journey, living in a tent, and it took nearly two years to complete, but it helped me rebuild from the ground up.
Now, through delivering talks, I share that journey with others—not just the challenges, but the tools, insights, and lessons that helped me recover—in the hope of helping others avoid the traps I fell into. I’m also writing a book about the journey.
I am a proud Freemason. I love being part of something that helps others in so many ways, and as a founder member of a Motorcycle Lodge, so much of what we do involves riding bikes. Over the years, I’ve plotted and guided motorcycle tours throughout the UK and Europe for our members, and I guess with my background, I simply love helping people challenge themselves. My reward is seeing them achieve—whatever they’re doing—while having fun.
My three children live close by, and they’ve blessed Michelle and me with three incredible grandchildren who brighten our lives every day.
I’m excited to join the Magellan team, and I’m looking forward to meeting you on a tour.
I don’t have a “bucket list” of places I’d like to see—I just want to visit everywhere I haven’t been yet.
Check out Chris's three favourite trips