AN INTREPID adventurer has become the first person ever to ice skate across one of the world’s most barren and inhospitable landscapes.

Jim Mee, of Shipton-by-Beningbrough, North Yorkshire, recently completed the 100-mile crossing of Khövsgöl Nuur - a lake in northern Mongolia, dubbed the ‘Blue Pearl’, which freezes solid in winter.

Braving temperatures that dipped down to -47ºc, and local wildlife including wolves and bears, he is now the first person to ever to skate the lake’s entire length.

Mr Mee is also the founder of Rat Race Adventure Sports, a firm which holds endurance events across the UK and beyond, from ultra marathons to multi-sport epics.

Mr Mee, an experienced mountaineer and wilderness explorer, said: “Khövsgöl Nuur is an extremely challenging environment.

“But it’s also the perfect place to hold an adventure race and we can’t wait to start taking our intrepid band of Rat Racers there, too.”

Having proved Khövsgöl Nuur can be crossed via human power, Rat Race has now added the ‘Mongol 100’ to its roster with entries now open.

The first event will run in March 2019 and will see participants traversing the ice by any means - either running, walking, skating or biking.

Mr Mee was joined by a group of six other racers, including a mixture of ultra marathon runners, who trekked on foot, and those who attempted to complete the journey via ‘fat bikes’ - cycles equipped with oversized tyres which, in this case, were also studded to cope with the snow and ice.

There was, however, also an armed support team on hand to deal with the local wildlife - including a wolf population.

While the ice is a metre thick and capable of bearing the weight of trucks, fault-lines in the wasteland mean there was always a small chance of the ice beneath their feet cracking and breaking.

Thankfully, all of the travelling party returned to the UK unscathed.

Now Mr Mee and Rat Race say paying customers will soon be able to book their place on the inaugural Rat Race Mongol 100. Cost of entry will be approximately £2,500 per person.