Ash Dykes is relaxed, his biggest adventure is behind him, he is now enjoying the victory lap.

Last year, Ash embarked on a quest to become the first man to trek across Mongolia solo.

It was a trip of 1,500 miles and 78 days that pitted the 24-year-old Welshman against nature, as well as his own body and mind.

Today he has finished writing a book about the journey and is getting ready to travel the UK to talk about his adventures.

It was such an incredible feat that people in Mongolia speak of it as if it was a legend, that of the ‘Lonely Snow Leopard’.

"They were surprised I’m alive, and wasn’t eaten by the wolves," he says. "They now call me that because snow leopards are the only ones afforded such respect from wolves."

It is little wonder they are amazed, even Ash wasn’t aware of the enormity of the task until late on in the planning stages.

"The only other person who I could find evidence had attempted it, was a solider and explorer who didn’t make it," he said.

"Of course it scared me as I’m neither, but it was such a big motivation. This had become much bigger than I ever dreamed."

Ash had survived a few days in the Australian Outback before, but that in no way prepared him for the solitude he was to face, when he would go days without seeing a single soul.

"How many places in the world are you afforded such freedom and complete solitude? I enjoyed it, it was such an incredibly unique experience," he says.

"It only dawned on me how alone I was, when I was suffering from heat stroke and dehydration days away from a water source. But at that point it’s do or die, so you keep going."

He kept going and is enjoying the perks of his perseverance, encouraging people to go out and see the world.

"People will be negative, they’ll say it can’t be done. I was told so at the start, but you never know how far you might go if you don’t push yourself."

#BreakingMongolia - The Lonely Snow Leopard will be coming to Epson Playhouse next month. The book of the same name does not yet have a release date.

Epsom Playhouse, Ashley Avenue, Epsom; Thursday March 5; from £12; from £12; call 01372 742555; visit www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk