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Where it all began

Where it all began

November 13, 2005

A training weekend at Brimpt's farm.


Alan Inglis, Michael Bates & Mark Stewart

Alan Inglis, Michael Bates & Mark Stewart

January 20, 2006

Three card board cut-outs outside their offices in Canary Wharf.


David Farley with his equestrian friends

David Farley with his equestrian friends

January 24, 2006

Shortly after this photo was taken, the horse in red put its hoof in David's tyre and took him for an unexpected spin. Fortunately no injuries but our flask of tea did get smashed.


Brecon Beacons

Brecon Beacons

February 25, 2006

A second training weekend was held in the Brecon Beacons.


Graham getting some assistance from his kids

Graham getting some assistance from his kids

February 27, 2006


Graham, Chris & David after a 20 mile tyre pull

Graham, Chris & David after a 20 mile tyre pull

March 24, 2006

The final training run was a 20 mile tyre pull followed by a well earned lunch. It took approximately six and a half hours.


A bar in terminal 3 - Heathrow airport

A bar in terminal 3 - Heathrow airport

April 06, 2006

It was here that we discovered that Andre had left his sleeping bag at David's house in Harpenden.


A good malt

A good malt

April 06, 2006

We were told not to take glass on the ice. Hence...


SAS go on strike

SAS go on strike

April 07, 2006

SAS went on strike. Lunch at the airport whilst we tried to find a private jet to take us to Spitsbergen. Mike's sister Helen came up trumps with a google search.


The jet arrives

The jet arrives

April 07, 2006

The jet arrives but can he get all our baggage on board. At least we don't have Andre's sleeping bag.


All aboard

All aboard

April 07, 2006

Michael, Chris & Mark get comfortable while Andre gets ready to jump into the cockpit. Andre has a private pilot's licence.


Cosy in the back

Cosy in the back

April 07, 2006

David, Graham & Ian keep the baggage company. Disaster strikes - the crew thinking we were all fit men - took the majority of the alcohol off which only left us one bottle of red wine.


Arriving at Spitsbergen

Arriving at Spitsbergen

April 07, 2006

We got to Spitsbergen at last but we were some what poorer. A journey that should have been a few hundred pounds cost alittle more.


How far?

How far?

April 07, 2006


A regular haunt

A regular haunt

April 07, 2006

The first of many great meals (loading the calories) while we waited for the flight to Camp Barneo.


Wild animals seen from the guest house

Wild animals seen from the guest house

April 07, 2006


Packing the sledge

Packing the sledge

April 08, 2006

Alan Chambers giving a demonstration of how to load a sledge.


Pete Goss getting the skis ready

Pete Goss getting the skis ready

April 08, 2006


The group outside the guest house

The group outside the guest house

April 08, 2006

The group assembled prior to taking a short walk.


Looking back into Spitsbergen

Looking back into Spitsbergen

April 08, 2006


Alan Inglis cutting up the sausage

Alan Inglis cutting up the sausage

April 08, 2006

Alan supplemented the provisions with thirty large sausages that he had brought with him from France.


The only Polar we saw

The only Polar we saw

April 08, 2006

A life size replica of a Polar Bear at the 5 star Radisson hotel - which was not where we stayed!!!


Provisions

Provisions

April 08, 2006

We had to make up ten bags of food for each day that we would be on the ice.


A watering hole

A watering hole

April 08, 2006

Night two and we have exhausted Spitsbergen nightlife.


Back to the Radisson

Back to the Radisson

April 09, 2006

We left on Thursday the 6th and it's now Monday the 10th and we are still waiting to leave. Everyone is fed up.


Away at last

Away at last

April 10, 2006

We are informed just before getting on the plane that the radio has broken at Camp Barneo and that could the pilot borrow a satellite phone if he is unable to locate the airstrip on the ice.


Inside the aircraft

Inside the aircraft

April 10, 2006

Just enough room for passengers and luggage.


Descending to Camp Barneo

Descending to Camp Barneo

April 10, 2006

Low cloud cover so the pilot has to fly very low for a while whilst looking for the air strip. Just as well this is a frozen ocean.


Landed

Landed

April 10, 2006

The plan landed successfully on a run way - only a few hundred metres long.


Ready for the off

Ready for the off

April 10, 2006


Camp Barneo

Camp Barneo

April 10, 2006

Camp Barneo exists for one month of the year for scientific research and supporting expeditions like our own.


Our plane leaves us behind

Our plane leaves us behind

April 10, 2006

Watching the plane take-off in such a short distance is amazing.


First few steps on the ice

First few steps on the ice

April 10, 2006

Cross country skis with a 70kg sledge sliding through inches of fresh snow.


Glorious landscape

Glorious landscape

April 10, 2006


Tackling rough terrain

Tackling rough terrain

April 10, 2006


First Break

First Break

April 10, 2006

Every two or three hours we would stop for a hot drink and a snack.


David starting to feel unwell

David starting to feel unwell

April 11, 2006

David who organised and planned the entire trip over the past eighteen months had started to feel under the weather.


First encounter with open water

First encounter with open water

April 11, 2006

There was much more open water around this year than usual. It was just a matter of luck as to how far you needed to walk to go around it.


Preparing the evening meal

Preparing the evening meal

April 11, 2006

Alan, Andre & Alan melting ice, heating water, filling flasks and adding the boiling water to the dried food for the evening meal. The whole process took 2 - 3 hours.


Another open water lead

Another open water lead

April 12, 2006


Terrain getting rougher

Terrain getting rougher

April 12, 2006


Tough Going

Tough Going

April 12, 2006

We progressed approximately one mile an hour. There was an unusally strong drift against us which meant that we drifted back half a mile per hour. If we slept too long we made no progress at all.


Small Leads

Small Leads

April 12, 2006

It was possible to cross small leads on skis. It was then that you realised that the ice was only a few inches thick.


Crossing a small lead

Crossing a small lead

April 12, 2006

You needed to trust that the skis would take your weight which of course they are designed to do.


The sledge took a bath

The sledge took a bath

April 12, 2006

The trick was to get enough speed to get the sledge across before it fell into the water.


Alan keeping a watchful eye

Alan keeping a watchful eye

April 12, 2006

At tricky points Alan & Pete would ensure that everyone got across safely.


Another testing crossing point

Another testing crossing point

April 12, 2006


On the lookout

On the lookout

April 12, 2006

Visibility was often poor and Alan & Pete would take every opportunity to scale a high point in order to try and navigate as smooth a path as possible.


Single File

Single File

April 12, 2006

In rough terrain and visibility we were forced to travel single file.


Camp Three

Camp Three

April 12, 2006

The best weather was often just after we set-up camp. We tried to stay on the UK clock as much as possible despite the fact that it was 24 hour day light.


Nature Calling

Nature Calling

April 12, 2006

Something that we all looked forward to every morning!!


Evening meal

Evening meal

April 12, 2006

The trouble with cooking in the tents was that all the steam eventually condensed and you would have water dripping on you all night.


Michael sneaking a quick cigarette

Michael sneaking a quick cigarette

April 12, 2006

He never said that he had given up.


Ian & David making camp

Ian & David making camp

April 12, 2006

David is really suffering now and is doing really well to keep going. He is not eating and the little food he has will not stay down.


Odds against us

Odds against us

April 13, 2006

The drift continues and yet more open water leads


Single file most of the day

Single file most of the day

April 13, 2006


Another look out point

Another look out point

April 13, 2006

Pete getting a helping hand to join Alan and survey the landscape


Waiting to hear their verdict

Waiting to hear their verdict

April 13, 2006


A huge lead

A huge lead

April 13, 2006

Unclear what to do as the large lead is wide in both directions as far as you can see.


Another tricky crossing

Another tricky crossing

April 13, 2006


Plenty of support

Plenty of support

April 13, 2006

People on hand incase anyone slips.


A maze of small leads

A maze of small leads

April 13, 2006


Impossible to cross

Impossible to cross

April 13, 2006


Testing the skis

Testing the skis

April 13, 2006


Camp Four

Camp Four

April 13, 2006

We camped up knowing that we had to find a way across a massive open water lead in the morning. The drift also continued against us and we knew that by the time we woke up that the would hardly have made any progress in the last three days.


Team meeting

Team meeting

April 14, 2006

David was so weak now that he had now choice but to get air lifted off the ice. We had a team meeting and decided to see if we could get the helicopter to drop us over the large lead infront of us. The helicopter was due at mid day the following day. The only good news was that we were substantially ahead of all other groups on the ice. Everyone really felt for David who had organised the entire expedition.


Graham at the office

Graham at the office

April 14, 2006

I was determined to send live updates to the website and I took a lap top to the North Pole (yes I am mad!). The only problem was that I had to sleep with the lap top each night to warm it up before it would work. Still I managed to send a number of live pictures to the blog which numerous friends & family left messages against which made it all worthwhile.


Farewell to David

Farewell to David

April 14, 2006

We bid David a sad farewell. We did all manage to board the helicopter but our hearts sank when the captain decided to jump us a shorter distance than we were hoping.


More open water

More open water

April 14, 2006

Global warming is definitely happening.


Another small lead negotiated

Another small lead negotiated

April 14, 2006


Rubble field

Rubble field

April 14, 2006


Somebody help us

Somebody help us

April 14, 2006

And low and behold the negative drift stopped.


But the open water leads continued

But the open water leads continued

April 14, 2006


Difficult terrain

Difficult terrain

April 14, 2006


We camp just in front of another open water lead

We camp just in front of another open water lead

April 14, 2006

Our luck has turned. The large lead closes up over night and we are able to get across. Most of the other groups are so far behind that they are waiting for helicopter drops to jump them 30 miles forward. Determined to get to the pole first - we push on - no it's not a race!!


The stove

The stove

April 14, 2006

What would we do without it.


The lead we crossed in the morning

The lead we crossed in the morning

April 15, 2006


Alan Chambers

Alan Chambers

April 15, 2006


Morale Improving

Morale Improving

April 15, 2006

For the first time we start to believe that we will make it. We had a great day covering over 10 miles.


Harsh terrain but not far to go

Harsh terrain but not far to go

April 16, 2006


So near yet so far

So near yet so far

April 16, 2006

The final lead to cross. We camped up after a long day just three miles from the pole. In the morning we walked for half an hour south but the lead just got wider. We retraced our steps and crossed our fingers.


Crossing a frozen lead

Crossing a frozen lead

April 16, 2006

We came across the tracks of the husky dogs that Prince Albert of Monaco had used - a stoke of luck that helped us safely navigate some large frozen leads where the ice was very thin.


Nearly there

Nearly there

April 16, 2006


The moment we reached the pole

The moment we reached the pole

April 17, 2006

The welcome end of a very strenuous trip.


Spot on the North Pole

Spot on the North Pole

April 17, 2006


St' Albans Girls High School mascot at the pole.

St' Albans Girls High School mascot at the pole.

April 17, 2006

Chris Heminway carried four outfits for the High School mascot - one for each house.


Graham's mascot.

Graham's mascot.

April 17, 2006

One of Graham's sons asked him to carry his furry friend with him to the North Pole.


Graham Howe with his Promethean hat

Graham Howe with his Promethean hat

April 17, 2006

Graham is raising money for the 'Specialist Schools & Academies Trust'. Promethean - the interactive whiteboard company of which he is chairman have made a major contribution to the appeal.


Clifford Chance Boys

Clifford Chance Boys

April 17, 2006

Alan Inglis, Michael Bates & Mark Stewart


Pete Goss & Alan Chambers

Pete Goss & Alan Chambers

April 17, 2006


The team posing in their warm Bask clothing

The team posing in their warm Bask clothing

April 17, 2006

The red jackets came out whenever we stopped to keep us warm. The gear was fantastic.


The top of the world

The top of the world

April 17, 2006

A proud moment.


Chris Heminway

Chris Heminway

April 17, 2006

Chris Heminway's only short coming is his choice of football team.


Alan Chambers, Graham Howe & Pete Goss

Alan Chambers, Graham Howe & Pete Goss

April 17, 2006

We highly recommend you to go on an expedition with Alan Chambers & Pete Goss. They inspired confidence throughout the entire trip.


Alan Inglis proudly posing with his newly build tower.

Alan Inglis proudly posing with his newly build tower.

April 17, 2006

Alan attaching the banners of the charities supported by Clifford Chance ('The Place2Be & Keech Cottage')


Alan Chambers & Pete Goss at the pole.

Alan Chambers & Pete Goss at the pole.

April 17, 2006

A little advertising from Landmark Adventures.


Helicpoter arriving to collect us.

Helicpoter arriving to collect us.

April 17, 2006

The helicopter turned up five hours after we reached the pole.


1st man from Kazachtstan to reach the North Pole

1st man from Kazachtstan to reach the North Pole

April 17, 2006

The helicpoter that picked us up from the North Pole was carrying a gentleman from Kazachtstan who planted his flag at the North Pole or was it the Alan Inglis tower.


Alan chancing his arm

Alan chancing his arm

April 17, 2006


It went straight to my head - 'Michael Bates'

It went straight to my head - 'Michael Bates'

April 17, 2006

Copious amounts of Vodka were drunk to celebrate our success.


A bed at last

A bed at last

April 17, 2006

The living accommodation at Camp Barneo


How royalty get to the North Pole

How royalty get to the North Pole

April 18, 2006

Prince Albert of Monaco was on the ice at the same time as us but travelled slightly quicker.


Sign post showing the distance to London

Sign post showing the distance to London

April 18, 2006


Flight back to Spitsbergen

Flight back to Spitsbergen

April 18, 2006


What a fantastic adventure

What a fantastic adventure

April 18, 2006


The journey to the top of the world

The journey to the top of the world

April 27, 2006