A Dundee explorer taking part in a daring Antarctic expedition in the footsteps of his hero Sir Ernest Shackleton has been battling 107mph winds in the Cairngorms to prepare.
Stewart Stirling and his Team ITACE were blown all over the Scottish mountains for five days and his iPhone had only just defrosted when he arrived back in Dundee for a brief homecoming at the weekend.
As well as lugging enough food and fuel to melt ice for drinking and cooking, the expedition will also carry one of the lightest banjos ever created across Antarctica.
Stewart has so far spent just six weeks trying to learn the instrument so he can play it at the South Pole in tribute to Shackleton, who insisted a banjo be saved from their stricken ship to serve as ‘vital mental medicine’.
The explorer was an inspiration to Stewart and his team and so they want to take care of his unfinished business to inspire others in the same way.
The 49-year-old is one of four embarking on a 100-day trek across the frozen continent to complete the ‘unfinished business’ of the legendary explorer for his 100th anniversary.
They will set off to the South Pole and beyond in October or November depending on weather conditions.
Over the last few days they have been near Aviemore for an “extreme” training exercise.
Stewart said: “It is one of the wildest places you can find so it was excellent for training.”
The team, made up of Stewart, Jo Davies, Zac Poulton and Pamela Brown, tested their tents in the extreme conditions and practised crevasse rescues.
During one rescue attempt Stewart fell into a shallow river and although his specialist suit kept the water out, when he got out the wind chill left him with a frozen back.
Stewart said: “The winds were challenging and at one point none of us could stand up. We had to crawl.
“We also spent around four hours digging out snow holes for shelter and despite the tremendous cold we were sweating.”
Stewart added: “We are always looking for role models but we actually already have them in history. Shackleton and his team were incredible characters who really believed in something.
“We are doing this not just for him but for us now and to show people that you can do it.
“Because of that I now feel the unfinished business is our unfinished business.”
To find out more about their challenge visit www.south2014.com.