| Fiona and her Dunfermline-born Ernst & Young colleague Craig Mathieson, both 35, face a gruelling 730-mile slog across a vast tundra of snow and ice in temperatures that can dip to -70C.
But the pair are confident they will succeed in the two-month charity expedition and plant a Saltire at their destination on New Year’s Day.
The accountants left from Glasgow today for South America, and will strike out from the Antarctic, each pulling a 150lb two-metre sledge, on November 1.
They received £100,000 of funding from Ernst & Young, and further sponsorship from outdoor specialist Tiso. All the money raised from the charity challenge will go to Cancer Research, Childline, the MS Society and the Huntington’s Association.
Mr Mathieson, from Bo’ness, who is married with three young children, said the toughest part of the journey would be the first fortnight.
“The hardest bit will be the first two weeks,” he said.
“We’ll be getting used to the cold, it’s the steepest part and it’s crevasse-ridden.
“If we survive that then there’ll be no stopping us, so if all goes well we’ll be spending a nice Hogmanay at the South Pole.”
The pair, who have been climbing for 20 years, have been in training for 18 months and concocted the idea for the expedition while climbing in Skye eight months ago.
Relishing the challenge, Ms Taylor said reaching the South Pole would be the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
“It will be absolutely fantastic,” she said. “It will be the end of a long journey, not just the 730 miles but the last 18 months. It’s been a roller coaster.
“We’ll be feeling a number of mixed emotions from complete elation to feelings of achievement. We’ll just be very proud to have done this for Scotland.”
Mr Mathieson added, “This has been a dream of mine since I was a wee boy looking up to heroes like Captain Scott.
“My wife has been a great support and I suppose she knew one day I’d come home and say, ‘I’m going, I’m going to do it’.
Their expedition coincides with the centenary of the first Scottish Antarctic Expedition by explorer William Spiers Bruce, who never reached the pole.
Their adventure is recognised by the Scottish National Geographic Society as the first dedicated Scottish land man-haul expedition to the South Pole.
The pair’s progress can be monitored via a dedicated website at www.scot100.com. |
