Epic solo polar trip is on for Strathspey charity man
Today Carrbridge, next week Chile, Boxing Day the South Pole – alone.
A remarkable solo mission is under way to turn a tragedy into triumph, as Strathspey adventurer Ben Weber heads off into the vast Antarctic wilderness in the fight against the disease which killed his mother, Marian, four years ago.
“She was misdiagnosed until far too late,” Ben told the Strathy as he prepared for his epic expedition in aid of Cancer Research UK.
“I was devastated because she had spent so long being unwell while doctors told her it was arthritis, it was diabetes, it was always something other than what she was actually dying of.
“It was terrible for the whole family when the reality of the situation, the extent of the spread of the disease, finally become clear.
“I want to avoid that happening to as many other families as I possibly can.
“Essentially, I want to give medicine more ammunition in the fight against cancer, I want to see a dramatic increase in detection rates. That’s why I’m going.”
Ben is due to arrive in Punta Arenas in Chile next Thursday (November 3). He will have seven days to finalise his preparations before flying to the Union Glacier base.
If the conditions are good, on November 11 he will fly to Hercules Inlet on the Antarctic coast – 702 miles (1130 kilometres) away from the South Pole – where he will be dropped off, alone.
And the adventure will begin.
Ben, a freelance business consultant who settled in the village last September after a career in Brazil and India, has spent months training for the expedition, with gruelling foreign training trips.
He skied 570 kilometres across Greenland from west to east in May, earlier this year, pulling all his food and equipment in the bulk behind him – and recording an average distance travelled around 20 kilometres per day.
More recently he has become a regular talking point in the strath’s local woodland, pulling four massive tractor tyres as a makeshift sled as he gears up his fitness levels
“I got some very funny looks!” he confessed, “but all was well when I explained just what was happening.”
An Orcadian by birth, the 41-year-old compliance adviser has been around the world, but in his heart of hearts always wanted to settle in the Cairngorms.
“I’m feeling absolutely fine, no injuries after all the training,” he assured the Strathy.
“I actually can’t wait now to get out there and get started.
“The only disappointment has been the slow start financially.
“I had hoped by now to have raised about £5000 and have fallen way short of that with some £850 having come in so far but there’s time yet to get the money coming in.
“I’m hopeful that interest will peak once the trek begins in earnest.
“We have rigged up a website which will enable everybody to follow my every step.
Ben’s daily progress will be recorded with a pin along with a short audio diary of the day and image.
He will be sending the regular updates to his friend and neighbour in Carrbridge, Alan Rankin, who will help the message get out to the wider world.
Mr Rankin said: “I’m delighted to be posting updates to Ben’s website and on Facebook and Instagram during Ben’s 55-day trip, which is expected to climax on Boxing Day.”
Anyone wanting to support Ben on his epic journey can donate and his tracker map will be available at https://polarweber.com/
