
A cyclist who wanted to travel the world on a shoestring has returned home from a four-year adventure which saw him pedal 43,000 miles across 61 countries - the equivalent of twice around the planet.

Charlie Walker, 27, spent 1,606 days cycling through three continents on his second-hand bike 'Old Geoff' - despite 'not really being a cyclist'.

The young travel writer headed north to the Arctic Circle, down to the southern tip of Africa, to the far east of Asia and into the jungles of Vietnam.

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Charlie Walker, 27, spent 1,606 days cycling through three continents on his second-hand bike 'Old Geoff' - despite 'not really being a cyclist'. Pictured: Mr Walker outside a village shop in Hubei Province, China

The young travel writer was away for four years and cycled through 60 countries, including Turkey (pictured on the road to Noah's Arc)

Mr Walker cycled north to the Arctic Circle, down to the southern tip of Africa, to the far east of Asia and into the jungles of Vietnam. Pictured: The cyclist looks over the Fish River Canyon, Namibia

The 27-year-old (pictured) started his journey in July 2010 because he wanted to see the world in a 'cheap and slow' way

During his trip, Mr Walker found himself chased by elephants, arrested in China and even had to run the gauntlet of a war zone in northern Mozambique.

Now, after four years on the road, Charlie has finally crossed the finish line in his home village of Bowerchalke, Wiltshire.

Mr Walker said: 'I hadn't sat on a bike for a couple of months prior to starting so I had to get used to it again.

'I'm not really a cyclist, the bicycle was a conveniently cheap and deliberately slow means to an end.

'The end being to see the world, meet interesting people and to challenge myself both physically and mentally. Hopefully, I've learnt a thing or two along the way too.

'I cycled out of my village, took a ferry across the channel then didn't stop. I flew a few times over war spots for safety, but other than that, I rode most places.'

This map shows the 43,600 mile route that Mr Walker carried out solo on his second-hand bike. He covered Europe, Africa and Asia

Mr Walker is watched by young locals as he fixes his bike in Uttar Pradesh, India (left) after having reached Norpkapp, Norway (right)

The young adventurer also reached Cape Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa, West Cape Province during his travels

During his trip, Mr Walker cycled through difficult and varied terrain, including through the Kurish mountains (pictured)

Mr Walker, a Newcastle University graduate, had the idea to take on the challenge while trekking through the Himalayas in 2008. He originally decided to cycle from the Dead Sea to Mount Everest.

But the route quickly snowballed and soon Mr Walker had quadrupled the length of his route.

Before setting off in July 2010, the travel writer finally decided on three main points to cross off his list - Nordkaap in Norway; Singapore via the bridge from mainland Malaysia, and Cape Town in South Africa.

He left the route to 'chance', covering the incredible 43,630 miles depending on where the road took him. He did little planning and relied on the kindness of strangers.

The cyclist left the route to 'chance', covering the incredible 43,630miles depending on where the road took him. Pictured: Mr Walker cycles through north west Tanzania as a storm approaches

But Mr Walker also had his fair share of trouble, including being arrested in China (where he is pictured, in Henan Province)

Mr Walker takes a breather in front of a spectacular sunset on the empty road to Karima, northern Sudan, during the latter part of his journey

The cyclist was faced with clogged brakes and wheels after travelling through a forest track in the Republic of Congo (pictured)

But Mr Walker also had his fair share of trouble. In Iran he was held on suspicion of being a spy, while he was mistaken for Jesus while in Africa.

In China, he was arrested twice after breaking into a Tibetan military base.

And in Botswana, he was chased down 'elephant highway' by a group of elephants who were not used to seeing two-wheeled vehicles.

Mr Walker also battled searing heat, freezing cold, endless miles of pedalling, an attempt to steal his beloved second-hand bike, called 'Old Geoff', and mended more than 250 punctures.

He said: 'I have a lot of stand out memories but one has to be how nice and hospitable people are.

The young man even got to have a brew with Father Christmas when he visited Finnish Lapland

Mr Walker, a Newcastle university graduate, pictured at a sign reading 'Welcome to Shout City' in Western Iran

COUNTRIES VISITED BY MR WALKER ON HIS 1,606-DAY TRIP England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, DRC, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Gibraltar, Spain, France Advertisement

'There were of course the dangerous times, and the times you don't think you're going to make it.

'I was detained at the boarder between Afghanistan and Iran because they thought, after looking at me, my passport and some of the pictures I had taken I might be a spy.

'They put two and two together and made 12, but they released me soon after. In Botswana I was chased by elephants on a road aptly named "elephant highway".

'The elephants just graze by the side of the road and they are used to vehicles driving past them, but they don't see so many bicycles.

'It's an animal shape moving at speed on wheels, they were bound to get a bit jumpy.

'I had a large bull elephant stand there and face up to me flapping his ears before he began chasing towards me.

'I had a heavily laden bicycle that probably weighed about as much as me.

'It was a little bit frantic, there were a good few miles I didn't look behind me and just keep pedalling.'

As his epic journey grew bigger Charlie's regular blogs, updating his friends and family of his adventures, gathered a devoted following.

Mr Walker camped under the stars on several nights, including here at Dune 45 camp in Namibia

The cyclist gets off his bike as he passes as ovoo - a Shamanistic cairn - in the Gobi north of Zamyn-Uud, Mongolia

He took some time out of his cycling schedule to enjoy the calm of Lake Pokhara, Nepal (pictured)

Through his updates he persuaded people to donate to two charities to support his adventure. He chose Future Hope, which supports street children in Kolkatta, India, and the RNLI.

Mr Walker said his biggest battle during his four year challenge, was the mental battle he faced.

He said: 'I had been travelling for a bit for a few years before and my trips got slowly more intrepid. I wanted to develop myself as a travel writer, so when I finished university and got a job I saved up enough to go.

'Thelast few years have certainly been tough, and often lonely but, on balance, an incredible and positive experience.'