A Scottish ultra-endurance cyclist has become the fastest woman to travel around the world on a bike.

Jenny Graham, from Inverness in the Highlands, circumnavigated the globe in 125 days.

The 38-year-old arrived at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Thursday, knocking almost three weeks off the previous record of 144 days set by Italy’s Paola Gianotti in 2014.

She said: “I just set out to see how far I could go. The furthest I’ve cycled before was from Land’s End to John o’ Groats, now I have cycled right around the world.

“It’s sometimes been tough, but I thrive on challenges on the road and of course it has also been so amazing!

“I knew I wanted to do something solo to test my physical and mental ability. I am the fittest I have ever been, so I thought I’d train hard and give it a go – here I am back in Berlin, I can hardly believe it.”

Fellow Scot Mark Beaumont is the current male record-holder for the feat, which he completed in September 2017.

The Edinburgh-based adventurer said: “Just phenomenal riding and all the way with a smile, with a cheer, with a sense of humility and the excitement of the unknown around the corner.”

Ms Graham her started her journey in Berlin on June 16.

She cycled 15 hours a day unsupported – managing an average of 156 miles a day – while carrying all her kit.

The 18,000 mile route took her across four continents and through 16 countries – Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and Holland.

Jenny Murray's bike by Lake Hawea in New Zealand
The route took her through 16 countries, including New Zealand (Jenny Graham/The Adventure Syndicate)

She took four flights and a boat.

To make the record official, Guinness World Records still needs to ratify the data.