Fairlie cyclist Lewis McAulay is currently emulating his hero Mark Beaumont in a solo cycle challenge lasting 1500 miles from Norway to France.

Lewis's epic journey started at Oslo Airport, and on Monday evening, completed the first 500 miles through Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and was pictured heading over to Germany by ferry.

The 24 year old said: "The trip has been very good so far, and Tuesday was my first day without any rain which was a massive bonus.

"I am due to finish on Friday 25th August and then do the Le Mans 24 hour Velo race with my brother Alex on the 26th/27th but I am currently ahead of schedule so might get a few rest days before the race."

Lewis met his idol Mark Beaumont when he was cycling from Ayr to Greenock earlier in the year, and has been inspired by his epic cycles to do his own personal inter country challenge.

The former Largs Academy pupil has been eating and drinking at supermarkets or petrol stations then having one proper meal at a restaurant, before camping overnight somewhere. On two occasions, he has stayed at an Airbnb apartment due to the weather.

Lewis's plan was to cycle 75 miles a day but he is currently averaging between 90 and 107 a day.

And Lewis had to endure some testing conditions: "I had wind and rain in my face all down Norway Sweden Denmark and the start of Germany. Hopefully the weather stays the same as what it was on Tuesday."

Asked behind why he decided to embark on the big venture, Lewis said: "Over 18 days, I tried to enter a race called the trans continental race which starts in Belgium and finishes in Greece but I never got accepted into the race so I decided to make up my own European cycle route which would finish with me racing at the Le Mans 24 hour Velo.

"You know the race they do in cars? Well this 24 hours round Le Mans race track, but on bikes!"

Lewis will join brother Alex as a team on the Le Mans 24 hour Velo and both will do 12 hours each on the track. Lewis, who is also a member of West Kilbride Tennis Club, also visited the Halle tennis courts in Germany where Roger Federer triumphed earlier this year of whom Lewis is a big fan.

Lewis's girlfriend Ashley is driving from Scotland to the Le Mans 24 hour Velo event to provide a fresh bike for the race, and after that epic, the Fairlie man is taking a well deserved break in Paris with Ashley for a few days before returning home, where he works with his father Malcolm in a local plumbing company.

He said: "I'm very thankful for the support I've had from back home from my mum dad brother and especially Ashley."