MARK Beaumont described it as a "very odd" feeling to wake up and not have to start pedalling this weekend.

The Perthshire adventurer has set a new world record for cycling from Cairo to Cape Town in 42 days, a route covering almost 7,000-miles.

Beaumont, 32, crossed the finish line on Thursday afternoon - shaving almost 17 days off the existing record.

He said his overwhelming emotion was relief as he arrived at Mouille Point in Cape Town for a reunion with wife Nicci, 32, and their 21-month-old daughter Harriet along with his mother Una, who has overseen "base camp" back home in Scotland.

"I'm in a very different place in my life now," he said. "I'm no longer in my early 20s and single. I have a family and the biggest thing for me was getting back to them.

"I'm sure the next week will be incredible having some downtime to be with them."

Beaumont started his journey in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on April 10 and has travelled through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.

He admitted that the final miles of his epic adventure - in distance terms the equivalent of riding the Tour de France three times back-to-back - proved tough going.

"Considering it was my last day you would think I would be high as a kite and in a great frame of mind, but I was really struggling," he said.

"That was the knock-on effect of the past week. For the last few nights I only had three or four hours sleep and then was riding upwards of 350km (218 miles).

"I have pushed myself to my absolute limit over the past 42 days. It is the toughest bike ride of my life. I feel that I left nothing out there."

Beaumont received a warm welcome in Cape Town and was given a police escort through the city streets.

"That is always exciting jumping all the red lights with the flashing blue lights on, motorbike outriders and the full shebang," he said.

"I rode onto the seafront at sunset which was perfect. It was beautiful with the surf rolling in."

He will stay in South Africa until at least Tuesday to relax and soak up the sights with his family.

His Cairo to Cape Town cycle has raised more than £30,000 for Orkidstudio, a Glasgow-based humanitarian architecture charity.

The Africa Solo challenge marks Beaumont's first major expedition since 2012 when his boat capsized on a world record attempt to row across the Atlantic Ocean

The Scot, who has previously cycled around the world and across the Americas, said he is uncertain how long it will take for the enormity of what he has achieved to hit home.

"It's not sunk in yet that I don't have to ride my bike tomorrow," he said. "It will definitely take a week or two to really sink in."

Beaumont laughed when asked whether the next big expedition was already in his sights. "Not even a thought," he insisted.