AN ABERDYFI outdoor pursuits instructor is aiming to become the first Scout to conquer the South Pole.
Joe Doherty, 24 – alongside his good friend Oliver Robinson, 27 – will be tackling one of the world’s toughest challenges this November as the duo spend nine weeks battling the extreme weather and conditions in one of the planet’s harshest environments.
Joe, who works as a learning and adventure manager in the Outward Bound Centre in Aberdyfi, will spend 45 days dragging his 80kg pulk (sled) 566 nautical miles to the South Pole from the Messner Start over 45 days.
Once he and Oliver reach the pole unsupported, and become the world’s first Scouts to do so, they will kite-ski over 700 nautical miles back to safety over the course of three weeks.
The hardy pair will face 80mph winds, -45° temperatures and burn approximately 6,000 calories a day during their challenge, all in perpetual daylight – it will be summer in the southern hemisphere in November.
Following months of training, lectures, and fundraising, Joe is excited to get on with his challenge and inspire the next generation of pioneers.
Read the full story in today’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News