RECORD-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont has completed his latest challenge of riding 500 miles around the north coast of Scotland in 48 hours.

The Perthshire-based adventurer set off on the North Coast 500 on Monday and completed the course on Tuesday afternoon.

Billed as Scotland's answer to Route 66, the gruelling route starts at Inverness and takes in Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross and the Black Isle.

Beaumont, 32, left from Inverness Castle at 6am and tackled the route in a clockwise direction.

Before leaving He admitted the feat marks unchartered territory for him, saying: "Despite everything I have done in endurance riding I have never attempted 500 miles non-stop before.

"It is a fascinating and beautiful route and I jumped at the opportunity to do a project like this in Scotland."

Beaumont recently set a new world record for the fastest time cycling from Cairo to Cape Town in May clocking 41 days, 10 hours and 22 minutes – almost 18 days quicker than the previous record.

The father-of-one has also cycled around the world and across the Americas.

He was presented with the civic medal 'The Coin of Inverness' by Provost Helen Carmichael after crossing the finish line.