An adventure cyclist who set off from Edinburgh on Saturday to cycle home to Germany for Christmas is on schedule to complete his 900-mile challenge.

Markus Stitz wrote on his blog he had arrived in Calais on Tuesday night, having completed 480 miles, with 440 to go.

He wrote: "The final 40km I had to take a dual carriageway, but finally made it to Dover. I treated myself to an ice-cream and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the white cliffs."

Mr Stitz set off on Saturday on a single speed bike. He reported on his blog he finished his first day "tired and happy" after riding 109 miles from Edinburgh to Newcastle through scenic winter landscapes.

Setting off on Sunday in the dark before 8am, he passed the Angel of the North at first light and enjoyed a "beautiful but crisp day" cycling south, past York Minister, clocking up 134 miles to finish in Retford near Nottingham.

On Monday, he covered 136 miles to Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, before completing the final UK leg on Tuesday.

Sounding elated to have made good time, though frustrated by the poor state of the cycle paths in southern England, some of which were covered in broken glass, he said: "After a pleasant crossing I arrived in Calais, and treated myself to a huge coffee. Another challenging but great day."

Mr Stitz plans to arrive in his home village of Schwobfeld, in Thuringia, central Germany, on Christmas Eve – before cycling back again a few days later.