A British-Maltese army veteran walked 200 kilometres around the coast of Malta, Gozo and Comino in five days straight to raise money for homeless people.

Simon Hewart, 53, and his friend Ryan Schoo, 42, started the gruelling hike from Buġibba on March 19 to raise money for Veterans Aid – a UK charity that has been battling homelessness among ex-army workers for 90 years.

Hewart and Schoo first walked along the coastline up to Ċirkewwa, then boated to Comino and hiked around its coasts, and then did the same around Gozo, before returning to Malta on the third day, walking along the southern and east coasts and finishing the journey in the three cities.

They braved the rugged terrain and endured unrelenting blisters throughout the day and camped under the stars at night, documenting their adventure on social media as they went.

The two started walking along the coastline up to Ċirkewwa, then boated to Comino and hiked around its coasts, and then to Gozo, before returning to Malta and walking along the southern and east coasts, finishing in the three cities.

Hewart said he had been planning the hike for around two years.

“It’s a nice feeling to push yourself to the limits and accomplishing goals in situations of hardship,” he told Times of Malta after the challenge.

“The thought of people being in a far worse situation than myself motivated me to give back in an experience which also allowed me to appreciate the Maltese coasts and countryside.”

The two men carried tents and supplies on their backs all the way.

At one point, Schoo injured his knee but kept going at a slower pace, until the end. However, the journey became so arduous that a third friend who began the hike with them was forced to stop it short.

After serving in the army for 25 years, Hewart, whose mother is Maltese, spent most of his free time organising marathons in aid of charitable organisations and brought his passion to Malta when he moved here permanently ten years ago.

He praised the Maltese coastline scenery and said more people should take time to walk around the islands and appreciate their natural beauty.

The two men collected more than €2,000 in five days and donations are still open.