[citation needed] He is a keen skier both downhill and cross country, a cyclist and qualified Qigong teacher.
[citation needed] On 17 July 2010, Merrill was ordained as an independent multi-faith minister.
Merrill is author of more than 500 walking guides which he prints and publishes himself, and his book sales are in excess of 4 million.
His best-known work is possibly Turn Right at Land’s End, about his walk around Britain's coastline.
He claims on his website that "you need to walk 500 miles (800 km) before you are settled into the task and have comfy feet.