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When Tom Muir realised he was becoming "one with the sofa" in his retirement, he started filming himself walking around Jersey and posting the videos online.
Two years later, the retired Jersey senior prison officer now has over 900 subscribers on his YouTube channel 'The Reluctant Outdoorsman', alongside hundreds-of-thousands of views.
Tom said: “I’m very good at doing nothing, so I happily sat around for a couple of years [when I retired].
“I play golf but my wife used to come home and be concerned that I was becoming one with the sofa. She said ‘you’ve got to get out more’.”
Described as "virtual hikes", Tom's YouTube videos follow as he treks routes around the island with his niece's dog Paddy G.
Having now posted and edited over 300 videos, the 65-year-old explained that he has now covered almost all the coastal walks around Jersey, in both directions.
But it wasn't just about getting off the sofa that motivated Tom to keep up this new hobby.
Having suffered a "massive" heart attack a few years before, Tom's walking has proved a massive benefit to recovery.
“It dramatically helps with recovery," said Tom.
"My doctor said I was quite famous in the hospital for walking to my appointments.
"When I told him he had a walking channel, he said that was the best thing I could do.”
Tom's new pastime has, he admitted, become a "bit of an obsession".
His routine of filming three walks every week for the last two years has meant that his channel has become somewhat professional, with its own logo and voiceovers.
And it is making an impact on tourism too.
Although a lot of people watch the videos as they may not be able to get out as much, Tom explained, he has also received a lot of international interest in Jersey as a result of his channel.
"A lady has visited Jersey from Australia because of my channel and I’ve got people who watch in Canada, all through Europe,” he said.
A lot of viewers are also former residents of Jersey or those who frequented the Island during the 80s and 90s.
Tom's tours are not always limited to walks, with popular landmarks like Elizabeth Castle also making the odd appearance.
“There have been at least 50 comments on my channel saying that I promote the island better than Jersey Tourism does," he laughed.
“Some people watch as the videos bring back fond memories for them, some people also like to watch if they enjoy coming to the island and want to find new places to go walking."
But one thing Tom knows for definite is that by getting off the sofa and exploring the island, he has found a new love for the place he grew up.
“I thought I knew Jersey but I have learnt that there were so many parts of it I had never seen before," he said.
When asked if he had a favourite walk after partaking in so many, Tom didn't hesitate in answering: "Definitely the North coast".
The YouTube creator has now also bought a drone to make his videos even more visually striking and enjoyable to watch.
He is hoping to soon reach the coveted 1,000 subscribers mark on YouTube so he can officially call himself a professional.
To find out more about The Reluctant Outdoorsman and the routes he walks visit his YouTube channel
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