IT is an epic voyage that has lived up to its name in every sense.

Solo adventurer Adrian Flanagan is taking to the seas again for what he hopes will be the final time in a bid to complete a lifetime's ambition.

His bid to become the first person to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe via the Russian Arctic has so far taken two years - far exceeding his original estimate of 300 days.

His voyage has been dogged by major setbacks since he left Hamble in 2006. During the course of his voyage around the world in his 40ft stainless steel yacht Barrabas he has been shadowed by pirates, suffered two capsizes at Cape Horn and dislocated both his wrists.

At one time in storm force conditions, he was swept from the deck of his boat without a lifeline but managed to scramble back on board, cheating death by the narrowest of margins.

Read previous stories on Adrian's adventure here.

Adrian has so far had to halt the Alpha Global Expedition twice.

Delays in gaining permissions from the Russian government to enter their territorial waters meant Barrabas had to spend the winter of 2006/7 in Nome, Alaska.

He then spent the 2007/8 winter season in Norway after reaching the treacherous Norwegian Sea too late after passing across the top of the world from Alaska to Europe.

Adrian said: "It has been long and hard, but the pursuit of dreams is not an easy business. I've wanted to do this since I was a teenager."

But he is hoping for a trouble-free final leg of his record-bid as he picks up where he last left off in Norway.

The final leg of the Alphas Global Expedition is a 1,600-mile stretch from Mehamn in northern Norway to The Royal Southern Yacht Club at Hamble. It would still qualify him for the world record despite the breaks as he will be the first adventurer ever to complete that route.

The 47-year-old father-of-two has already sailed more than 30,000 miles of the expedition and is hoping for favourable conditions to carry him over the finishing line which could take anything from two to six weeks.

Adrian, who leaves for Norway this weekend with the aim of starting his final leg at the start of May, said: "Although the distance back to the United Kingdom from Norway is not great, this will be a difficult final leg.

"Prevailing south-westerly winds means I will be beating into wind much of the time. There is a lot of shipping in the North Sea and then there are the attendant dangers of oil rigs.

"Sailing single-handed means sleep will be difficult and have to be taken in short snatches."

The Alpha Global Expedition is managed shoreside by Adrian's ex-wife, Louise, who said: "It has been a daunting challenge. There have been highs and lows. Now we are all looking forward to welcoming Adrian home to the Royal Southern Yacht Club."

Adrian has written a book about his remarkable voyage. Over the Top is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and will be on sale on October 9, 2008.