Table of Contents

1. The highs and lows in build up
2. The Background – Why I got involved:
3. And it’s really happening
4. Day 1 – The Long Day
5. Day 2 – It’s tough
6. Day 3 – Nearly There
7. The Finish and Legacy

The Background – Why I got involved:

It was a balmy evening on March 4, 2020, News was breaking have a new virus that was causing respiratory problems when we were gathering at the silicon cup sailing regatta charity network evening. A friend of mine, Martin Neal, Head of fundraising at the time for Dreams Come True, (now co-founder of Genies Wish) had just returned from an arctic trek. Martin usual larger-than-life way and always persuasive started to show me some of the pictures from his track said that if he can do it I could.

At the networking evening we had a family who benefited from the great work Dreams Come True (DCT)provide I was incredibly moving to hear story how the family’s young daughter, terminally ill, is benefiting from the funds at the Silicon Cup Raises. Martin’s idea of the Arctic Trek is also a charity fund raiser, then, for DCT. I was looking for something to do to mark my 50th birthday year and previously inspired by Ernest Shackleton albeit he went south to Antarctica, I thought of trip to the Arctic Circle would be amazing and to do this for charity, it seemed to me to be a very worthy project. A few more pictures from Martin and I was hooked; it might have been also a couple of beers with Martin put me over the edge I’m making my decision.

The following morning, I woke up realising what I had committed to do and I mention this to if you work colleagues at the time, in salesforce and did anyone want to join? As we are so many great ideas many of these things never come to fruition unless we truly commit on the way to do this, for me who is the pay the deposit for the trip I’m just get on with it. So, on March 5^th it was signed up and paid up, due to head to the Arctic Circle, February 1^st 2021. This was due to be a lifetime trip o mark my 50^th year. I was fascinated by Shackleton’s adventures and whilst we have a frozen Arctic Circle, I was keen to visit it. Now technically, the Arctic Circle is a line of latitude that dictates where the pint the sun never sets on the summer solstice and never rises on the winter solstice. It also encircles true arctic habitat and a fragile ecosystem that is rapidly being damaged by global warming. The average winter temperate within the Arctic Circle (northern Finland), by day should be -11c, yet two week prior to our trip it had rained and temperature for several days with positive not in the minus; definitely some cause for alarm and no doubt, due to global warming and shifting jet stream patterns. So, if by this trip, highlighting the beauty of the Arctic, I can help raise awareness for our environment, then that’s an additional benefit.

The highs and lows in build up

The trekking event is run by Breaking Strain, and Lee Peyton, founder, sent me the physical training plans and exercises by the end of the week I’d signed up and so began my journey. How do you start a training and doing gym work at home 3 to 4 times a week and generally to the backdrop of the news on the TV in the background. It was becoming clear Covid is it really serious issue by the end of March we all found ourselves in lockdown. With a really busy job in many ways lockdown created some additional time, and I took advantage of this for walking in the beautiful scenery Dorset oh my doorstep this was one of the few perks allowed in lockdown has deemed local exercise. My training plan was running to schedule, hey fitness it started to improve has a combination of less travel let’s corporate dinners more wholesome home time and regular exercise. By the summer in early July, it was very apparent for Covid was a pandemic travel was going to be impossible. With the news breaking on so many country restrictions the only sensible and the right thing to do what is it Breaking Strain postponed the February 2021 trip to February 2022.

What is late was very disappointing it was totally understandable, and I used off my training I took advantage Family time. No, I’m the sort of person that needs a deadline to work to I’m so February 2022 seems an awful long way away in the summer of 2020. Time went by are we came out of our first Covid lockdown Life had a new normal that we were all adjusting to. By the summer of 2021, travel had started to open up how does a family we were fortunate enough to go sailing in Greece in late August. Two weeks of cruising around the Mediterranean healthy Greek salads and a dice of fish how was generally feeling pretty healthy and reasonably fit. Upon returning to the UK in early September the challenge of February 22 really didn’t seem too far away. It was clear that charities really needed all the support and help that they could get having battled through the storms of Covid and I only seen Bright that is a sense of some normality was returning to start my fundraising in earnest add to reset my training programs set a previously been shared by Lee from

Breaking Strain. Training consisted of a mix I’ve alternating between strength gym work and walking in the rural landscapes coastal path of Dorset however I was never rarely walking more than an hour to an hour and a half at a time. Travel restrictions we’re almost all removed and by early December I was feeling mentally ready, and physically, fairly fit, for the upcoming challenge that lay ahead in two months’ time. With my family, Marielle my wife and my boys, Freddy, Leo and Max we took the opportunity to reunite with the family in Germany prior to Christmas and I was still walking whenever I had the chance. I was hoping for some cold and snowy weather but in general was greeted by the grey and resolutely so used to in December in the UK.

It was becoming evident that we were not out of the woods on Covid as a new variant of Covid, Omnicrom, was starting to become prolific. We were hearing news have more travel restrictions starting to come in as mainland Europe we are starting to lock down the UK from entering its borders. We were fortunate has had plant to drive back to the UK just as countries across Europe Worth going back into lockdown and we made it back to the UK the day before additional lockdown measures were introduced.

At the same time, I received very disappointing news from breaking strain set a trip in February who is not going to be possible. The logistics required to ship equipment out for the track who is becoming too complicated a logistically impossible with a new travel restrictions and the new raise concern how long on the chrome variant Will cause a lockdown for how did the safety logistics challenge to the trip the last thing anybody would need Will be having to isolate for two weeks in the Arctic circle. To say this was disappointing was a little bit of an understatement as I was both mentally I’m physically ready for the challenge ahead and this is now the second year of training frustrations and delays however a lesson for so many of us in this it’s continue to persevere in order to realise your dream and so we had no choice put the sit and wait to see where on the chrome add the new world of Covid was taking us.

By February 2022, and with the support of the vaccination programs Society was overcome in Covid and are arctic track was put back on the map for February 2 2023. This was welcomed news and knowing that I need a deadline to restart training I was waiting to get through the summer before my training plan what start with a vengeance. Who is in mid-April 2022 that I was diagnosed who is an inguinal hernia and I had a decision to make about surgery. My view was to get surgery done as soon as possible so as to spend 3 to 5 weeks recuperating ahead of the summer and then I could start training. I was blessed with having time off during one of our best Summers in the UK it’s 1976. Once again as a family we took off to Greece in late August until new islands to sail around for a couple of weeks. Feeling ready come and relaxed training with nail start again. This time with a new job starting in October and without the windows of time the Covid lockdown is created I had to work hard to find time to train.

Now I’ve never been one to use in gyms in hotels on business trips, but it was very clear I would need this time as work was getting full on. In my first trip to Chicago in October 2022, to continue my journey and plan to fitness I would need to find and maker all opportunities to keep fit regularly. At 5 am you would find me in the gym on the tread machines or cross-trainers, with Jetlag in the US, this was a good use of time!

As the UK Knights were getting darker and the weather was turning, I also found myself turning more and more to the gym an outdoor walking. Once again as a family we found ourselves in Germany in early December and this was a fantastic opportunity to walk in the forest of the day Easter how’s the weather had dropped in temperature to -8, it was beautifully sunny. This really picked up my spirits and I think with all the previous delays I was really mentally very ready to head out on this trip throughout the journey to this point I had sat through various safety briefing video calls run by Breaking Strain around the hazards that we could include encompass on a journey I know it’s starting to become a reality and very much now within grasp of achieving something I set out to do in 2021.

Second half of December become incredibly busy with both work and personal travel to the US for my brother’s wedding and left a little time for serious exercise. Roll forward to January 2023 as the weather was lifting in the UK and becoming slightly dryer, I ramped up my walking regime what is it included several walks along in the gorgeous scenery of Dorset around Weymouth Bay and the coastal paths by home. I probably wasn’t quite as fit as I wanted to be however I so mentally ready to go I just wanted the challenge done.

And it’s really happening

By January 31st I had assembled all of my equipment and kit cross checks against the kit list twice by now and once again on February 1 triple check of everything I need it. It was really, February 2^nd, 2023, had arrived and I was off to Heathrow to meet other members of the team, some I’d never met and some, not seen since before Covid times. It was a euphoric moment! London Heathrow, via Helsinki and another hour flight due north to Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

We arrived in the evening, to be greeted by the icy Arctic blast, a mere minus 17 Celsius, as we all dug into out Pulk bags (bags we’d use on our sledges, AKA Pulks!) to retrieve coats, hats and gloves! I’m not sure many, if any, of our trekking party of 15 had experienced the kind of low temperature’s we were committing to, but it was exhilarating and the air so fresh. We dropped kit at the hotel and joined our support team from Breaking Strain for dinner, a short 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel. With the temperature still dropping, you get this sudden realisation that 10 minutes in, what is effectively, as cold as your deep freezer, is long enough for exposed skin to start to go numb.

February 3^rd, we met for our safety briefings and kit check. Did we know how to put certain items on correctly, did we have the right quality kit to protect us; what were our priorities in specific situations. Dampness of clothing becomes a really serious issue at such low freezing temperatures. You can lose heat 25 times faster than with dry cloths. So, it’s critical to know change quickly in camps and get dry layers back on. We’re learnt about “Overflow” and its hazards. Effectively, icy cold water that bubble up through cracks in the ice, or around the edge of the ice, often then covered with snow or a thin layer of ice on top. You’ll be walking and your foot then goes through that thin snow or ice layer, and into anything from ankle to knew deep in cold water before stopping on the main frozen layer, on lakes, often 50cm thick and greater.

Ensuring you have the right vessels to carry water, anything other than Thermos flasks or equivalent is next to useless as some people on our trek discovered. By lunchtime, safety briefings were covered, kit checked, re packed and in a whole new way that made more sense now, aligned to priorities of what I would need and when. We departed for lunch and to say I was apprehensive was an understatement. The potential dangers we face from the following morning on our 3-day trek were feeling very real and if not taken seriously, could cause frostbite and hypothermia, not to mention a large amount of discomfort. Whilst this all seems very alarming, we’re with a professional tour support team whose primary job is our safety and anchoring this in your mind is key.

We spent some time that afternoon outside, luckily enough to go visit the Husky dog centre and drive a team of six Husky’s and sledge – now at -18c and for an hour, I realised what the conditions would be like on our trek. It was also a chance to layer up and wear all my walking kit, which severed two purposes. i) familiarise myself with kit and ii) build confidence that my kit worked, keeping me warm. The real benefit of this, it was putting fears and apprehension to rest. Whilst there wasn’t anything more to do on the fitness side, the thing now was to ensure my mental state was as ready as ever.

A good night sleep was in order, although what I haven’t said until now, is my trekking, room and tent buddy, a lovely gentleman, in his early sixties, declared that he needs to get up 4 to 5 times a night to go to the bathroom to pee. Well, I’m sure in the hotel this wasn’t going to be a big issue, but it would make the next few days interesting to say the least with logistics!

Day 1

February 4^th, poignantly, my father’s birthday and he loved a good adventure, in fact it was he who got me into Shackleton’s stories, we all met for a hearty breakfast at 7 and mustered at our meeting point, packed, “suited and booted” quite literally for 8.15am. It was time to meet our Pulk and Harness (I think a great name for pub!). We loaded up outside our hotel on the edge of the frozen Ounasjoki River. As a team, we ran through last checks and headed down under the main town bridge for a picture for the start of our trek. We were hanging around a little organising ourselves, lining up, manoeuvring pulks out of the way, and getting cold. Like excited racehorses at the start of the grand national, we were lining up ready for our pictures. It’s now minus 24c, the slight breeze causing eyes to water, eye lashes start freezing and when you blink, for a brief moment, you feel your upper and lower eyelashes freeze together, then “ping” as your eyes roll back up.

Pictures done, the sun poking its first rays above the icy, snowy distance treelined hill and we’re off, finally, nearly 3 years from when I signed up to do this challenge and it’ll be nearly 30km before I get to sit down and rest at the end of the day today!

Walking felt good, it was firm packed snow on the frozen river, occasionally passing big cracks in the ice, wide enough to put your fingers into; but fortunately, no “overflow”. The pulk, with bags, kit and water, now weighing around 26kg, slid easily over the snow and the flat. 3Km in, we stop, someone needs a wee break – there’s not but dignity (or facilities) out of the town and so you find the edge of the river’s snowbanks and just get on with it. There’s a saying, when one goes, they all go. Well, this was really important as to stop for each individual need, it’d slow our pace considerably, we’d get colder, and we’d not be making the 3Km/hour we were targeting for.

The river was an enjoyable walk, at least for a bit! 2 hours in, and it was flat, a little samey and getting colder as we marched on through a fog bank. Humidity increased a little, as did freezing eye lashes, nose hairs; it’s not somewhere you want to stop long for a water break. It’s now minus 27c, feeling probably more like minus 30c with the breeze. You really notice this when taking a drink of water and feeling your tough stick a little to the metallic thermos lid. It by this time I definitely have got “Frost on my moustache”

After a short five-minute stop set on again a few more kilometres up the river and there is a sense of excitement within the group despite the cold we are following a pace set by our local guides Johannes and Juusa, making good going in great conditions for walking and dragging a pulks. You pass an island in the river then make a left turn off the river up the riverbanks the first notice the weight of a pulks. The short incline quickly space is the group out. We regroup at the top of the hill and then make her way another couple of kilometres to the edge of the forest. It is at this point I support team led by Jo and Neal, bring very much welcomed lunch as it’s one of the few places we can stop for lunch close to a road access. Each time we stop for a short break or lunch it’s vital at -27c that we put on a large I’m very warm down over jackets to keep the heat that with generated from walking trap close to us. We quickly tucking into hot soup, a sandwich and raiding our high energy snacks.

The Arctic is a place of beauty, and we will take extra care to make sure that any sweet rappers rubbish and recycling is well packed away. We will break out new handwarmers to put inside are tracking minutes and again being careful to make sure that rubbish is safely stored in our bags so as to leave no trial of detritus. Litter would be exposed as a snow recedes in the summer months; not a legacy we want for this beautiful area. After a brief 15-minute lunch stop, it’s now over as we set off up into the forest, some of us now thinking whether we could have packed lighter as we head off uphill.

Today will see us climb over 2300 feet in elevation change as we make our way up through the forest and to start see the Arctic Sunset with the Sun low over the trees to left hand side. You really now start to get a sense of want a wondrous place the Arctic can be. We’ve now moved from walking is pairs and social conversation on the river to single file, the mood a little bit more serious as we wind our way through the silver birch and larch pines of northern Finland. Go and get a little bit harder as every now and again can you find areas of soft snow when your foot disappears to your ankle or even midcalf depth. Will you charge on all of us admiring the saplings bent over double as archways over our path with the weight of the snow on their branches the light to getting flatter in the shadows getting longer as the Sun start to set it’s not long now until will reach the edge of the main lake, SinettäJärvi where we will have a short break for a snack and water stop before making camp for that night. Everyone is now tired but still in good spirits.

Our guides let us know camp is the other side if the lake; but another 6km to go northwards up the lake and to the other side. It’s time to break out the head torches in readiness for the ever-lowering sun. With last snacks onboard, we set up. There’s an eery silent over the lake, the clouds have closed in a little and it’s still cold. Cold air seems to poor down onto the lake from the surrounding hills and a slight tail wind is up. We plough on, the going is good up the lake, at a consistent pace of 12.8 minutes per kilometre, a little over 4.5Km/hour.

It’s now very dark, there’s something of calm walking in the darkness, a head torch picking your path and just getting into a rhythm. We’re now at 25Km and I’ve never walked this far as deliberate exercise – this is new ground but one foot after another and you’re in an endless rhythm that keeps you moving. I’m feeling good. Spirits further down the line of trekkers is mixed, it’s been a long day, nearly 10 hours since we set up, some are physically flagging, others mentally not appreciating the night as much as me. We all try lifting each other’s spirits, talking about the camp, not long to go now. After an hour and a half, we’re nearing the “Lavuu”, a typically Finnish wooden lean too, designating our evening’s resting place. We’re within three quarters of a kilometre of camp and we now need to turn left across the lake and head east. The going gets tough, as we’re now mid-calf in snow. This is where the sight of camp helps power you on.

There is a sense of relief from the team as we arrive in to camp, up a short steep bank. Jo and Neil have already arrived and with the help of Stephen, another trail guide, the fire is roaring, and we’re greeted yet again by Jo’s amazing peppery soap. Much appreciated I can assure you!

The day 1 hike is over, that’s the physical bit done, we think, the hard bit over. If only!

Soup finished, back to priorities. Setting up camp for the night. Now, big trekking mitts off, thin liner gloves only, for dexterity, we set about sorting tents, roll mats, sleeping bags and checking any damp base layers. It’s cold, it’s minus -15c or so, sheltered a little from the cold by the cloud cover. Bugger, no northern light viewing tonight then!

After 10 minutes of faffing about, and let me tell you, there’s a lot of faffing when it’s this cold. Everything takes at least three times as long to as you’re cold, trot back to the fire, warm hands, then go tackle the next task, back to the fire, warm, and then the next task.

Finally, we’re done, tents set, my roll mat down, space foam mattress inflated. Time to sit by the fire and grab stew, share stories and experiences of the day. It’s a great feeling. We’re all warming our feet, walking boots off. There’s an odd smell or melting boots and rubber. Oh, it’s not boots, I look down and notice by walking trousers are really hot, and now starting to shrink a little – opps but now I have an Arctic memory that will walk on with me whenever I wear them. Having sat around for a while, I’m now noticing I’m a little sore from chaffing; I’ll deal with this with my Germolene antiseptic cream in the privacy of my tent!

My tent buddy turns in for an early night whilst many of us recant our thoughts of the day. It’s still cold but warmth of the fire and having had great food, we’re all in good spirits. That said, the odd “snifter” is passed around the campfire. The wee nip of whisky, the warmth of “Diesel Vodka”, Salmiakki in Finnish, not too much but just a nip and spirits are good. Clearly my tent buddy has got off to sleep ok as the rumbling of his snoring makes its way across the camp.

An hour or so later, we all start to turn in for the night, and then begins the faffing again. We’ve been advised to sleep with our boots wrapped in our sleeping bag, dry bag, and to the bottom of our sleeping back to stop them freezing. We’re in small 2-man tents, the experience not big enough to swing a cat is an over statement, barely room to swing a mouse. Huffing on the zip to unfreeze it, I can crawl in, feet of the tent, trying to undress my top half to my base layer, next, peel down walking trousers. I notice the space age air mattress appears to have deflated – clearly, it’s colder than space now, as the foam as contracted, leaving me the 10mm of padding of the roll mat to the firm snow below. Trying to re inflate the space foam mat is difficult, one puff of air in, and the foam seems to contract further, to where I have no idea, but in much the same way sumo wrestlers retract their testicles, my space foam mat is just not wanting to play ball. Sod it, I’m so cold now, I shimmy down into my -50c comfort rated sleeping bag.

I’m huddled up in my sleeping bag with by boots, to stop them freezing, my big down jacket to try to keep my feet warm – it’s packed… And now to my chaffing; I rummage out my Germolene, only to find it’s frozen solid, just like my toothpaste and the solid block of no so wet wet-wipes! You soon realise as the temperature is hovering around -22c, anything with moisture content has a habit of being solid if not kept close to ones’ one body heat.

I toss and turn a while, as the rest of the camp make their way to tents… More and more tents start the buzz saw snoring as folks start their good night sleep. I’d struggling for space to stretch out, I cannot sleep on my side as I normally do as the ground is too firm (noting my super space foam airbed is next to useless!) – so I have to sleep on my back, knees bent upward to help fit my jackets (yes I’ve now my 2 hiking jacks in the bottom of the back with my down jacket and boots. Frankly the set up it’s working for me to say the least and it’s far from a peaceful night as the surrounding area vibrates with the sound of content sleepers’!

By 2 am, I’m finally drifting off through exhaustion, toes bitingly cold, my tent buddy already up twice to find the bathroom… I just need sleep.

Day 2

Day 2 arrives at just before 7 and another 2 or 3 tent buddy nocturnal excursions between 2am and dawn. I’m excited for what the day ahead will bring, and everyone starts surfacing to be greeted by the joyful smiles of Jo, Neil, Stephen and Lee from the support team.

Lee is cooking sausages and traditional Finnish “pancake”, chapati on the fire. We have some debate about Chapati, naan or tortilla, whilst Jo boiling water for our pre-packed dried porridge. Lee’s insistent, it’s now a chapati, regardless, hot food very welcomed.

With priorities of food eaten, it’s time for camp pack down; again, shaking out snow from tents, rolling up sleeping bags, and folding up tents – in between each task, back to the fire to warm fingers! We’re all keen to get moving and get our feet moving. It’s warmer this morning, perhaps -10c as the cloud seems settled in for the day. Pulks now packed, out support team help us up the short 400m steep climb out of camp from the lake up to the forest path. We re group, then align, single file, jovial and set off on this grey day.

The first section is very pretty through the northern Finnish forests, having to duck occasionally to pass under arches formed by young trees bent double by the weight of snow. It’s heavy going as we leave the main groomed tracks of a regularly used snow mobile route. After a couple of hours, you start to feel your legs, the aches and pains from the day before now materialising, it’s wonderful scenery, everyone is pleased for the water and snack stops, the need for big down jackets is not so great as temperatures have warmed to a mere -6c.

I’m made a mental note to drink more today, drinking only around three quarters of a litre of water yesterday left me feeling dehydrated this morning, and a slight headache. Three and a half hours in, single file, we near the edge of the forest and reach the crest of a hill, and a track leading to another lake below. We joke about this lake, that we’ll have to cross it. Careful what you joke about in the Arctic! Now those who know me, know my love for skiing and having seen how light the snow is, some down hilling would be amazing; it’s not to be today.

Our guide, Juusa, halfway down the hill to the lake then straddles his pulk and sets off sledging down to the lake. Spirits are lifted with this short rest bite from trekking. I’m next up, and never shy from some sledging action of a mis spent young, well frankly, never too old for this game!

The snow is deep to the sides of the path down, and I bury the pulk into the snowbank at the bottom, – a gentle way to stop before crashing into Juusa. We all muster, a short snack and drink then set off east around the bottom edge of lake Sonkajärvi. We then make out way onto the frozen lake, knee deep occasionally around the end. We rest up and break out the cheese and ham wraps we’ve brought with us. Despite the warmer weather, Flasks are still freezing shut or ice forming a thin crust that needs chipping away to then sip the ice-cold water. It’s grey and after yesterday’s long late afternoon lake hike, whilst this lake is smaller, it seems daunting to many of us. 15 minutes and lunch is over, time to get moving again. 3.5Km up the lake and we make it off the flat and time for a short climb and onto a track leading past what looks like a reasonable high security compound. We speculate but time to keep moving. It’s now trying to snow, it’s still -6C and very grey, the group, whilst making good pace, strings out. This is a good indicator of tiredness setting in and moral down. The highlight on this long undulating road we find outsides on, as the frolicking reindeer in the neighbouring field. Yes, we are on a road, the occasional car paces; some sense of humanity amongst the recent wilderness we’ve been in. The road is relatively easy walking as it’s hard packed snow. We’re all tired and ready for a stop. Lee, our trek manager, encourages us onwards, “It’s only 500m, then we can stop for a snack and drink”. Now, Lee’s a great motivator, but after what felt like another 2Km, I’m dozing off whilst walking, back of my knees (hamstring tendon) hurting, as we follow the edge of yet another lake and I’m now cursing Lee for his lack of distance awareness! Reality, looking back on Strava, it was closer to 1500 meters until our stop. The snow has got a little heavier and definitely dusk has well set in. We pull off the road onto a woodland trail, heading upwards. We don our waterproof outer layers, re fuel on snacks, sweets, and water; and in my case, some “profen”. 10minutes of rest, and Lee gently encourages those not using walking poles, now’s a great time as it’s 4.5km uphill in the forest to camp. The thought of camp is uplifting, yet I must admit, mentally, I wasn’t going to look forward to the hill with my aching knee. It’s time for a mental state reset; Juusa sets off, several others on his tail – “Hemingway, just dig deep and get on with it” I hear myself say, so just dig in.

Once we all got going again, it wasn’t so bad, just keep plodding on, one foot, then the next. It’s now getting dark, head torches start lighting up. Based on my experience last night, using the head torch was great but I ran the batteries down, the cold accelerating the drain rate, and having worked hard so input body warmth into my battery recharge pack, and re charge ny head torch, I was keen to conserve its power to last further into the night so I could at least unpack and set up my tent in light! I found I was learning quickly on day 2, most naive on day 1 to the minor things that bite you later on.

Our highlight on this very pretty forest path came about 3Km in when we spotted a drone. Stephen, having helped set up the camp area, was now taking night shots, snaps and videos of us trekking in. Spirits lifted once again, knowing we were close to camp and a well-deserved rest after around 24Km on heavier going terrain.
We arrive in camp in good time, greeted once again by Jo’s amazing soup – so much needed.

Feeling revived, priorities kick in. I rummage out dry socks, check based layers, that’s all good and dry thanks to Marino wool – wonderful stuff! Now time to get tents sorted. I’ve decided to simplify tonight’s set up. It’s still snowing, so rummage through my pulk bag, get the bare minimum I need. Toothpaste now in a breast pocket, down overcoat on and spork at hand, it’s time to return to the campfire and grab some chilli stew. The camp is quieter tonight but in great spirits, knowing we’ve broken the back of what we’ve set out to accomplish. There’s more foot warming by the fire, using split logs to slow conduction heat loss undoing the benefit of the fire.

My strategy tonight, knowing I need sleep is to get an early night, ideally getting to sleep before my tent buddy. Now with this said, my tent buddy, despite the snoring and frequent nocturnal awakenings for biological breaks, has some wonderful stories and adventures to share. I think a highlight was his marathon through a game reserve in Africa for save the Rhino’s. We both hit the sack and turn in around 8.30pm. It’s not quite as cold this evening but the temperature is dropping, toes kept warm with “hand warmers” between my two layers of socks. Tent Buddy tells me his next adventure is back to a jungle marathon, one that he attempted last time but didn’t complete because it was too wet in the rain forests, no sleep as everything was sodden. I’ve got to say, right now, I’d take the cold of the Arctic any day – and no risk of bugs, snakes and other horrors of rain forest – it did dawn on me, what does one expect in a rain forest!

So, boots now cuddled by my chest, phone/watch plugs in for a nights charge, sharing my sleeping bag for warmth, toothpaste and wet wipes defrosting in chest pockets, Germolene doing its thing and ear plugs (note the learning curve here), firmly in place. A few more puffs into the space foam air bed, enough to at least give 15mm of padding, I’m ready for the night. I shut my eyes and settle down, falling asleep with ease. The night passes uneventfully, barely noticing Tent Buddy’s nocturnal toing’s and froing’s for the bathroom – AKA the neighbouring tree!

Nearly there – Day 3

Day 3 and obviously, morning arrives as it has done since the dawn of time. I’m one of the first up, around 7am, suited and booted for the day ahead. Now there is a strategy and advantage to being first up, the single “out house” will be free and as fresh as it’s going to be. I trot off down the track to the simple wooden construction, with as basic board over hole in the ground. Umm, not quite the first in line, there’s a queue, its 7am and feeling much fresher, -19C as I’ll find out later. To save yourself from freezing your butt off, the Finns clearly, have used a polystyrene toilet seat on the wooden board. It’s fresh, you don’t hang around long and time to do your business, use the now thawed wet wipes and “get the hell out of dodge” and back to the fire to warm up and get some scram. Yes, Lee’s on sausage and chapati duty, Jo’s playing mum and offering out the dried porridge pouches and a spoonful of boiling water.

Refuelled, time to take stock of where we are as dawn brightens. We’re on the edge of the stunning lake Ahvenlampi, a pond by Finnish standards. It’s really beautiful as the rays of sun rise on one side, and the moon is setting on the other. Many of us take pictures of this tranquil place. Tourist time over and back to matters at hand, camp pack up. Dusting off last nights’ snow, we set about repacking our pulk bags and loading up our pulks. It’s a stunningly clear moving. Cheerful Charlie, AKA Neil from Breaking Strain and our chief handyman of the camp gently spreads the word it’s only -10C, and we all crack on packing up.

Now I’m not convinced by Cheerful Charlie, I’ve spent plenty of time in the mountains skiing to know this is at least -15C. Neil and I have a quiet debate on this, and it proves my point, it’s key to have an open mindset with mind over matter when things are tough. Neil admits it’s colder than -10c but his experience comes to bare, saying most people start feeling much colder and stop functioning as well if you tell them, it’s colder the -10c, he’s seen up to -10C, people accept it and carry on without complaint or mis-function. As it was, it was closer to -19C, and I really didn’t care, we were in a small valley of a quiet, tranquil, and heavenly place – and a full night’s sleep behind me, equally rehydrated somewhat too I’m ready and raring to go for our last leg.

We set off through the forest summer hiking path, meandering our way through the larch and birch, gently climbing and after 3km we emerge from the dense forest to rolling hills on Sonka, and one of the sunrises that will hopefully remain with me for life. The colours are stunning, with the rich deep orange warmth sun, casting long shadows of the frozen trees, and the snowy grown glistening like pinpoint diamonds scattered on the ground. We all pause, refuel and take in the views. Even Lee, who’s done this trek numerous times, states the “Arctic is putting on her show today”, and she truly was!

It’s now a short downhill to the frozen bogs of the valley below us, and area where overflow can be present. It’s cold, noting it’s definitely dropping a couple of degrees as the cold air sinks.

We keep moving and stop for an early lunch. It’s biting cold, you know this as nose hairs once again start freezing. It’s quick stop, long enough to get down jackets out, quick bio breaks, girls to the left of the trail, boys to the right and boys don’t turn back too quickly. Now when it’s this cold, men have an advantage for nature calls of nature and girls earn my respect!

It’s a brief stop due to the cold, and we set on, 1Km after lunch, our guide spots an area ahead of Overflow. It’s a strange phenomenon to experience, a thin crust of ice, easily penetrated with a walking pole, and very cold water below – depth anywhere from ankle to knee deep. How does it remain in this state at -19c? We’re not taking the risk and take a very short detour around the area of risk, conscious that either side of where we’re walking, Overflow is evident. We clear the hazard, and now we’re only 4Km from our destination, a fitting venue for the finish of our Finnish adventure, the Ice Hotel.

We stride on, no one really aware of aches, pains or the cold, the finish within reach for us all. We cross some langlauf tracks, one more incline to go, some gentle encouragement for a couple in the party as we haul our pulks up a hill for one last time. A short descent and now the finish in sight and the top end of lake Lehtojärvi. 300m to cross and we’re there!

The Finish and Legacy

We’ve made it, greeted by the Breaking Strain support team of Stephen, Jo and Cheerful Charlie (Neil). There’s a strong sense of relief from everyone and some undercurrent of sadness as our 3-day epic adventure comes to an end – secretly, I and I’m sure many in the party wanted to continue our adventure as Mother Nature and the Arctic were truly delightful.

With pictures done, we made our way to the ice hotel reception; it’s only in the warmth does the reality of exercise and not changing with no showers for the past 3 days, the sweet odour of hard work hits us – a much needed and appreciated shower now takes our priority! – First, we all grab coffees and hot chocolates. Celebrations will come later at dinner.

If you get the chance, take it with both hands, and make an impact, do it for a cause that means something to you. Hold the thought, take it with you and you’ll overcome the tough parts and look back with fond memories. I hope this blog helps too, in prep and motivation to do something every now and again outside of your comfort zone.

I also hope that some of the pictures showcase the beauty of the Arctic and show why we need to look after this precious environment.  Climate change is real, and whilst we still have a snowy wintery Arctic Circle, I was really keen to explore it and embrace what it had to offer.  Let’s be responsible for our environment, preserve and protect it for generations to come.

I’m proud to have been part of this team, we’ve raised nearly £40,000 for charity which goes a huge way to helping children so less fortunate than many of us. It was a Dreams’ family, and Martin Neal who I must thank for this wonderful lifetime experience shared at a Silicon Cup charity evening and a bet over a beer. Martin, I’ve completed the challenge, What’s next? As #HemingwayGoneArctic