Why This Route? And Why It’s So Damn Hard

When we first began dreaming of Antarctica, we didn’t just look at maps, we looked at history. We read the journals of Captain Scott, pored over the icy epics of Shackleton, and followed in the frozen footsteps of modern-day polar explorers like Cass and Jonesy. For us, this journey isn’t just about reaching the South Pole—it’s about returning from it.

Why the Return Matters

In 1912, British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott stood at the South Pole, only to find the Norwegian flag already planted by Roald Amundsen. Amundsen and his team had made it there five weeks earlier, and crucially, made it back safely.

Scott’s party, on the other hand, never made it home. Their return from the Pole was plagued by bitter cold, hunger, exhaustion, and failing health. Just 12.5 miles from their next food depot, and 162 miles from base, they perished on the Ross Ice Shelf. Captain Lawrence Oates famously sacrificed himself to try and give the others a chance. It was an extraordinary story of courage and tragedy, one that echoes through polar history.

Scott’s journals were found months later, alongside the frozen remains of his team. They became a symbol of both the dangers of Antarctica and the enduring human spirit in the face of impossible odds.

A Century Later - The Return Completed

In 2012, a century after Scott’s death, Australians Cas and Jonesy, along with Aleksander Gamme, became the first to complete a round-trip journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole without assistance. It took Cas & Jonesy 89 days and 2,275 km of skiing. They dragged every ounce of food and gear behind them in sleds, suffering frostbite, hallucinations, and hunger. Their journey set the bar for what we’re attempting.

Others have tried and stopped at the Pole. Very few have returned the way they came, unassisted. And fewer still have done so with a British & Irish connection.

Why We Chose This Route

Darren and I (Nathan) feel a deep sense of connection to this legacy. We’ve studied the historic routes. We’ve trained in the Arctic. And now we’ve chosen to attempt what Scott could not: a return journey to the South Pole.

This isn’t just about achieving a personal milestone, it’s about honouring those who went before us. Completing this journey, especially in the traditional unsupported style, feels like the most fitting tribute to Scott, Shackleton, and the countless others whose ambitions were written into the snow with every step forward.

Our expedition will be modern in its planning, but historic in its spirit.

And if we succeed, it will be a first for a British & Irish team.