South Pole Solo: Week 1

Ian began his South Pole expedition this week after being dropped on the Ronne Ice Shelf and setting off alone across the ice.

The first few days have been about settling into the journey, managing the light conditions, and finding a steady pace.

He covered 6.5 km on his first day in calm, clear weather. By day two he had pushed on to around 19 km, despite flat light making the surface difficult to judge. As the week continued, the visibility challenges returned and slowed him down at times.

Physically, the early signs of the expedition have already shown themselves, with chafing and blisters forming as he clocks more hours on the skis. Even so, he maintained a strong rhythm, recording a 25 km day midweek. The toughest point came towards the end of the week, when heavy sastrugi and low visibility made progress far more demanding. The forecast suggests more challenging conditions ahead.

Ian continues to send regular Garmin updates, sharing his distances and daily conditions from the ice.

Ian is raising funds for the Always a Rifleman Programme, supporting veterans living with PTSD and other hidden wounds. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, you can support the challenge through GiveWheel.