A graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge has just become the first British woman to walk unsupported to the North Pole.

Amelia Russell completed the extraordinary feat on April 25th at 11:20 am. At 27, Russell is also the youngest woman to accomplish the feat.

Accompanied by boyfriend Dan Darley, also a Trinity graduate, Russell began the epic 500-mile journey from Cape Discovery in Northern Canada on February 26th, arriving at the pole 58 days later. Russell and Darley join just 45 others to have previously reached the North Pole unsupported.

The duo undertook the expedition to raise funds for the charity ‘Help for Heroes’, but were also motivated by their interest in the area.

Unlike the South Pole, the North Pole is not on a continental landmass. The northern-most point on Earth is on constantly drifting ice which has challenged explorers since the 1800s. The couple reported that they could drift two nautical miles on the ice while sleeping at night.

The unique challenge was further complicated by bitingly cold temperatures (-40 to -50 degrees Celcius was typical during their expedition), polar bears, and mountains of ice.

Throughout the trip, before and after, Russell and Darley posted regular dispatches on their progress toward the pole on their website, painting a vivid picture of life in the Arctic wilderness. Their dispatch on April 25th, after reaching the pole, described them as crying “tears of joy, tears of relief”.

Russell and Darley are now at home in London and are enjoying the attention that the media has given to their trip. During the trip they received many messages of support. To remember their exploits, they are now asking for people to post comments or letters to them, which they plan to make into a book.

To find out more about their trip, or to leave a comment, readers are invited to visit: www.northpolechallenge.co.uk