Newcastle boy bids to become youngest to walk to pole

Newcastle boy bids to become youngest to walk to pole

By Ciara Colhoun

A NEWCASTLE man is hoping to help his teenage son become the youngest person to walk unaided to the North Pole.

Father and son Niall and James Carton are in Norway to undertake last minute training before beginning their potentially record-breaking three week expedition to the earth's most northerly point.

If successful, James, who turned 15 in December, will be the youngest person in the world to reach the North Pole on foot.

The duo, who are currently based in Moscow due to Niall's job as a banker, set off for Norway on Sunday and will travel to the Russian ice station at Barneo on Friday to begin the trek.

Speaking from their hotel yesterday, both men said they felt well equipped for the task ahead after four months of intensive training, pulling sledges and tyres through the Russian winter to prepare for 10 hour daily treks with all their own equipment.

Although James is much fitter than his father due to his youth, 45 year-old Niall hopes his endurance and experience will stand him in good stead throughout the challenge.

He has already successfully conquered both the south and north poles over the past three years, although both experiences were marred, one by altitude sickness and the other by a serious injury.

"The south pole was pretty boring because it was like a flat desert and it was very tiring as I had head aches due to the high altitude," he said.

"The north pole was magical in comparison but unfortunately I hurt myself climbing over a ridge of ice.

"I kept walking through intense pain to reach the pole but after it was all over I realised I had broken three ribs and punctured my lung.

"I am really looking forward to enjoying the experience more this time, although obviously having my young son with me will be very different."

Niall has already told James about the dramatic icy terrain they will cover, with constantly shifting ice underfoot and ridges, built up like walls, that they will need to negotiate with their equipment in tow.

The moving ice can work either for or against the trekkers depending on how it moves. On a good day, it could bring them 20 miles closer to the pole without them even moving, while on a bad day they could walk for 10 hours and end up back where they started.

Despite the hostility of the terrain, James says the experience is life-changing.

"It is a fantastic place, the colours of the ice are fantastic, bright and vibrant," he says.

"There are gaps in the ice, sometimes there are rivers as wide as the Liffey, but if the ice is going to break apart it creaks so you have plenty of warning. You would have time to move your camp if that started happening underneath.

"When you get a sunny day it is stunning, and then of course the storms come in and you park in your tent until they pass.

"We are hoping we will not see any wildlife. The most likely animal we will come across is a polar bear, which you do not want.

"Occasionally birds fly into camp but other than that there is nothing. You would need to be extremely lucky to come across whales."

James says the idea to attempt the trek was his father's although he was immediately keen to try.

"I can't wait to set off," he said.

"The training was hard but we are ready now. It is also nice to get off school for a couple of weeks.

"It will be great to be the youngest person to reach the north pole on foot."

James' mother Sarah, who will stay in Moscow with the rest of the family during the adventure, said her teenage son had spent a lot of time shopping in extreme sports stores, looking for the best equipment, from sleeping bags suitable for temperatures that plummet to -40 degrees to extra reflective goggles.

"He picked a host of other necessary items to ensure their safety and hopefully success," she said.

"They will walk the last degree, which is 60 nautical miles.

"When I say walk I mean walk on skies, they wear shorter, wider skies with skins on the bottom to stop them sliding backwards.

"They are as ready as they ever will be."

Niall and James are raising money for Barnardos in Ireland, which supports children who face hardship, whether it is from abuse, neglect, bereavement or poverty.

Sarah said they chose the children's charity because they felt grateful that James has led a very happy, lucky life.

Once the trek to the Pole starts, on Friday you can follow their progress on the blog http://polarexplorers.com/polarexplorers-media/blog/north-pole

To support the trek, which has already raised almost €9,000 for Barnardos access the website http://www.mycharity.ie/event/the_youngest_person_to_do_the_north_pole/