A British explorer has become the first person to walk the length of Saudi Arabia from north to south entirely on foot.
Scottish writer and TV presenter Alice Morrison's world-first expedition concluded at 10.30am Saudi time on 15 December in Najran on the Saudi-Yemen border.
Accompanied by her camels, Juicy and Lulu, and supported by a small specialist team, the 62-year-old from Edinburgh covered a total of 2,195km over 112 days.
Her expedition began on 1 January this year and she split the walk over two winter seasons.
The full route was too long to tackle in a single season due to extreme heat and the month of Ramadan.
Ms Morrison walked an average of a half-marathon every day and crossed six provinces: Tabuk, Medina, Mecca, Al Baha, Aseer and Najran.
Ms Morrison said the expedition has challenged her mentally and physically.
"Walking every step north to south has been a personal challenge. The goal forced me to keep going when I was exhausted or in pain or just fed up. Walking is a way to see and feel every detail of the path you travel.
"An exploration but also a meditation," she said.
"This expedition has exceeded my expectations in every way. I've been challenged mentally and physically and had my preconceptions of Saudi shattered," she added/
The expedition delivered its fair share of challenges, with temperatures regularly reaching 39C and above, which forced her to make earlier starts.
During the first section, she suffered severe blisters that bled into her shoes and even Lulu the camel developed blisters, prompting Ms Morrison to fashion a protective shoe for her.
The presenter said the hospitality of locals kept her on track.
"I've walked across a country full of wild landscapes, history ready to be discovered and the most hospitable people in the world. One of the revelations has been the women I've met who are instigating a quiet cultural revolution.
"The journey's been tough at times and then it is the team that keeps you going. From Saudi, Scotland, Sudan, Yemen and Ireland, we've pulled through with humour and determination. Our two camels have helped too - endless entertainment as they search out snacks wherever they can," she said.
Ms Morrison, who is the author of four travel books, said will be writing another book about this expedition as well as making a film.
