'OVERWHELMED'
I’m the youngest woman to reach the South Pole solo — it was gruelling
MOLLIE Hughes is a motivational speaker from Edinburgh who has put her name in the record books.
The inspirational 29-year-old describes the journey that led to her becoming the youngest woman ever to reach the South Pole solo.
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“Pulling my sled behind me, I summoned every bit of energy I had – there was no way help could reach me.
The blizzard was so bad I hadn’t seen more than a few feet in front of me for eight days, while -45°C winds felt like they had chilled me to the core.
It was a far cry from life in Edinburgh, where I worked for an outdoor clothing company.
I’ve always loved adventure. At 21, I climbed the south side of Everest.
Five years later in 2017, I scaled the north side, becoming the youngest woman to ascend both.
Then, by chance, I ended up living in a houseshare with a guy who worked for the British Antarctic Survey.
He showed me pictures of a vast, frozen landscape, and I began to research expeditions to the South Pole – a journey of 700 miles that has even claimed lives.
Just six women had successfully made the journey, and I was determined to become the youngest.
To make it, skis are essential but – ironically, given my girlfriend Tegan, 26, is a downhill instructor – I’d never been skiing before.
It would cost £75,000 for the kit, flights and insurance, so I began to send out sponsorship requests to hundreds of companies each week.
I got a lot of rejection letters at first, but slowly businesses began to sign up.
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In January 2019, I flew to Norway to spend several weeks training with British explorer Hannah McKeand, 46, who broke the world record for her South Pole expedition in 2006.
Training was gruelling, with many hours a day out on our skis.
For the two-month expedition, I realised I’d need 105kg of supplies, including a tent, sleeping bag, a small stove and satellite phone.
At 5ft 4in, I knew this would be a physical struggle.
Back home I started a strength-training program, which included dragging huge tyres across my local beach.
I also ate as much chocolate as I wanted, as I knew I’d lose loads of weight on the trek.
On November 4 last year, I waved goodbye to my parents at Heathrow Airport and, after a stop off in Chile, flew to a tiny camp called Hercules Inlet in western Antarctica, where the expedition begins.
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Family and friends were used to supporting my adventures, but they worried about me going alone.
On the morning of November 13, with a compass in hand, I pushed off.
There was nothing but miles of bright snow and blue skies before me.
But within hours, I found myself in an extreme blizzard and couldn’t see further than a few feet, battered with winds of 55 knots.
At night, I huddled in my tent with a hot water bottle that I’d filled with snow I’d boiled on the stove.
When the weather cleared two weeks later, the relief was huge.
I was seven days behind schedule, but I tried to stay positive, listening to Drake songs on my phone, which I charged using mobile solar panels.
Once I’d pitched my tent each evening, I’d use my satellite phone to call base camp at Hercules Inlet to tell them my location.
Although calls were expensive, I rang Tegan once a week.
I skied for 11 hours a day, but had to stop to eat every 11/2 hours, as I was burning 5,000 calories every 24 hours.
I survived on sachets of dehydrated meals, such as spaghetti Bolognese and porridge, heated on my stove.
I melted a pack of butter into every one, but I still lost 11/2st. I’d fantasise about fresh fruit and veg, and had days where I thought of nothing but my mum’s roast potatoes.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
On Christmas morning, I opened cards that loved ones had given me before I left, and ringing home to hear my mum’s voice spurred me on.
Then, on January 9, 57 days in, the South Pole finally came into view.
I could have sobbed with relief when I saw the camp’s low building and tents.
I thought I’d feel overwhelmed by human contact after so long on my own, but it was lovely to see the staff, who cooked bacon and eggs for me.
My reunion with my parents and Tegan in the UK was emotional, but I’m already looking for my next adventure.
Now I give talks at schools and I want kids to know that if you want something enough, you can make it happen.”
BTW
Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole in 1911.
The first woman to get to it solo was Norwegian Liv Arnesen, now 66, in 1994.
Six women and 17 men have completed the solo trek.
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