MARK Beaumont has cycled around the world, traversed the Americas, pedalled the length of Africa and has completed Scotland’s North Coast 500 route in less than 38 hours.

His latest challenge – naturally – involved a bike or two as he set out to explore the rugged and beautiful landscapes of Argyll and the Isles for a series of adventure sport films to be released in January.

This time around the Perthshire-based adventurer decided to utilise some other means of transportation including kayaking, horse riding and open water swimming.

Beaumont, 33, went fell-running across the Paps of Jura and MacPhie-bagging on Colonsay covering 22 peaks over a 20-mile circuit.

“Argyll is often overlooked as a wilderness destination,” he says. “It may be known for its sailors and empty nesters, but people are missing one of Scotland best adventure playgrounds.

“Many people go straight to the likes of Skye, Aviemore and Glentress for adventure sports and the great outdoors. But Argyll and the west coast islands have equally amazing landscapes and sports.

“My first memories are from Argyll, where I lived on a farm until I was four, so I was keen to go back and spend 12 fantastic days exploring this area earlier this year.”

Here, he tells The Herald Magazine about his favourite moments.

MOTOCROSS

I spent a day in the grounds of Inveraray Castle and Argyll Estate doing motocross with MotoScotland. If people haven’t ridden motorbikes before this is a wonderful introduction. They kit you out and you feel like Superman.

You explore the forest tracks, mountains and incredible castle grounds. Although I grew up on farms using motorbikes a wee bit, this is another level. I loved it.

For someone who is used to life on two wheels, it was a completely different pace and challenge.

Other links to motorsport were spending an epic day filming quad biking with Quadmania above Loch Long and then back on the road bike on the old Rest and Be Thankful – on the A83 – which is famous for the hill climb sprint with Sir Jackie Stewart and the heritage of car racing.

It was nice to explore this area on and off road, and one of my absolute highlights of the trip was getting back on the motorbike.

The Herald: Mark Beaumont with Andy from MotoScotland near Inveraray. Copyright: Kieran DuncanMark Beaumont with Andy from MotoScotland near Inveraray. Copyright: Kieran Duncan

FELL RUNNING/WALKING

One of the most famous events around the west coast of Argyll is the Scottish Islands Peaks Race where people sail between the islands and run the hills.

The crowning glory of that is the Paps of Jura. It has to be one of the toughest walks or runs that you may wish to take on in Scotland.

We had this incredible day where we spent the morning running the Paps of Jura. What makes this so special is that it is a unique landscape. It is scree, loose and rugged.

This is shoe-breaking stuff. I took new fell running shoes and afterwards it looked like I’d had them for half a season. They were battered, scraped and the stitching was coming apart.

You can walk it in an entire day. I took four hours and 15 minutes to run the Paps of Jura and felt like I’d had this epic day in the hills. I then looked at my Garmin and saw I had covered 12.5km (7.76 miles), so that gives you a sense of what it was like. It is a real vertical challenge.

It is also staggeringly beautiful. You start on one side of the island by the Jura Distillery down on the coast and then have to wade through some ankle deep bogs.

You climb up and up through the heather and into the scree and steeper section. It is certainly not for the faint-hearted.

If you are used to the kinder Munros in Scotland, where there is a well-trodden path, you do need to be a bit more sure-footed for the Paps of Jura.

I ran the Paps of Jura in the morning, cycled across Islay in the afternoon and then ran and sea kayaked back along the distillery trail past Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg.

That night I camped out on Singing Sands, a beautiful deserted beach on Islay. To be able to explore with such freedom was great fun.

The Herald: Mark Beaumont fell running on the Paps of Jura with local runners Grant Rozga and Graeme Brown. Copyright: Kieran DuncanMark Beaumont fell running on the Paps of Jura with local runners Grant Rozga and Graeme Brown. Copyright: Kieran Duncan

When it comes to walking and running, my second favourite would have to be The Cobbler. Getting out of Glasgow and into the Arrochar Alps, it is probably the most accessible proper hill.

Fell running I got to the top in under an hour, but even for people walking it slowly it would take less than three hours.

From the top of The Cobbler you can see all the way west across to Ben More on Mull, east to Perthshire and Lochearnhead, north to Crianlarich and then south to Glasgow and the Clyde.

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

I want to start this one with the caveat that you either need to go with someone who knows exactly what they are doing and preferably a support kayak or boat. With open water swimming it is not advisable to simply dive in and crack on. Even in the summer months it is pretty chilly out there.

I did some open water swimming in Loch Long and Loch Lomond. So many people smash up and down swimming pools and never think to actually take that out and explore the open water. It is such a thrill. You can’t really describe open water swimming: it definitely beats being indoors.

Loch Lomond is probably one of the most accessible spots and if you leave from Luss, you have a lovely little archipelago of islands so it’s not like you are swimming out into the big blue and it is all a bit intimidating.

You can join the dots between the islands and also get out to explore – maybe even see a wallaby.

The Herald: Mark Beaumont on board Freydis the Loch Fyne Viking Longboat hand-built in 2014. Copyright: Kieran DuncMark Beaumont on board Freydis the Loch Fyne Viking Longboat hand-built in 2014. Copyright: Kieran Dunc

BOAT

I got a chance to sail in what looked like an ancient Viking long boat from Tarbert to Portavadie across Loch Fyne. It was wonderfully rustic and incredibly rudimentary – and hand built by Phil who was on board. If you ever get a chance to take the oars and have a go yourself I would recommend it.

I had spent the morning racing across the Kintyre Way on my bike and it was all quite frantic, busy and the filming schedule was packed, then I stepped on board this amazing ship. It was physically tough, yet utterly relaxing at the same time. What a beautiful place to cross the open water.

I also went out with Tighnabruaich Sailing School from Portavadie to Bute itself. That was stunning in full sail with terrific views over Goatfell and the north shore of Arran.

The Herald: Mark Beaumont's daughter Harriet on Carradale Beach about to have her first pony ride. Copyright: Kieran DuncanMark Beaumont's daughter Harriet on Carradale Beach about to have her first pony ride. Copyright: Kieran Duncan

HORSERIDING

Riding along the tideline at Carradale Beach near Campbeltown was incredibly special. I was on a 17-hands thoroughbred and that was pretty exhilarating.

I grew up riding ponies and horses, but it had been a while, so I was quite apprehensive and this huge horse certainly had an impressive gallop. It was probably the most exciting and adrenalin-filled thing I did on the whole trip – it even topped motocross.

My daughter Harriet, three, joined me at Carradale Beach and had her first proper ride on a pony.

The Herald: Mark Beaumont looking down Glen Croe. Copyright: Kieran DuncanMark Beaumont looking down Glen Croe. Copyright: Kieran Duncan

BIKE

The cycling was really what joined up the journey and I travelled between most locations by road bike, cyclocross and mountain bike.

One of the things I did was to complete the Isle of Mull Sportive route with former British Lion Rob Wainwright, who is now a farmer on Coll, but has lost none of his competitive spirit.

We cycled the 87-mile loop around the island and it was stunning – even when the heavens opened. That west coast of Mull was my favourite part, but the loop through Tobermory and up over the hill is fantastic.

Among my cycling highlights was also taking on parts of the Caledonia Way which in its entirety goes from Campbeltown to Inverness and non-stop is 200-odd miles.

I did sections of it to join up the Argyll peninsula including north of Oban, down by the Crinan Canal and near Campbeltown.

For more information, follow @exploreargyll on Twitter and Facebook or visit exploreargyll.co.uk

TRAVEL NOTES

Mark Beaumont's 12-day Wild About Argyll adventure was in partnership with Argyll & The Isles Tourism Cooperative (AITC).

It will form the heart of a new marketing campaign being developed for 2017 aimed at attracting adventure seekers to Scotland's Adventure Coast. It will launch with a series of short films, made by Morrocco Media, in January.

Thanks to Argyll & Bute Council, Sustrans, Caledonian MacBrayne, Scotrail, Oban Airport, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Canals, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland.