WHEN he looked out of a train window and thought it was the perfect day for a walk, 20-year-old Gabriel Stewart did not realise his plans would see him trudge through snow, camp in a pub car park or sleep in a vicar’s back garden.

And the University of York student, who said his idea to trek 1,000 miles across Britain during his gap year was “idiotic”, has now written a book about his journey.

Gabriel, who is in the second year of his writing, directing and performance course, said his challenge began as an ambition to explore the British countryside.

He said: “I’m from Hackney in London and had lived in the city all my life. Walking 1,000 miles probably wasn’t the best idea I ever had, but a couple of years before I was on a train and I looked out the window and I wanted to be outside.

“The first night of my walk I ended up staying in a vicar’s garden. I was 18 at the time and my mum was obviously very worried about me so she had decided to call the local vicar.”

He encountered farmers with shotguns, joined in with live music nights at village pubs and camped alone in deserted holiday sites.

He added: “It was quite nice but it could also be a bit lonely.

“I did have a good time, especially now that I remember it more fondly. At the time it was kind of painful but now I have the nice memories of it, especially meeting lots of people.

“I ended up learning a lot about camping - and about how far I could push myself.”

Unfortunately Gabriel suffered an ankle injury and only managed to complete 400 miles of his challenge,

After returning home he wrote about his experiences and the book, I Went for a Walk, has now been taken on by crowdfunding publisher Unbound. Nearly 170 people have already purchased copies.

Gabriel said he hopes to work as a playwright after graduating but he has not ruled out a career in travel writing.

He added: “My next plan would be cycling around France, Belgium and Holland where it is quite flat. I want to have a nice time, not just an endurance challenge.”

Visit unbound.com/books/i-went-for-a-walk.