Mold explorer to tackle Arctic trek for children’s hospice

Minus 40°C temperatures, 300km of tundra, Polar Bears, sea ice, frozen glaciers and a 75kg sled to pull.

That’s the daunting task facing Mold-based explorer James McCorkindale when he attempts to cross the High Arctic on a never done before route across Svalbard.

Setting off on in a team of three on March 27^th, James will be raising money for local children’s hospice Hope House Tŷ Gobaith.

James, a 44 year old father of three, who is a personal trainer and former contestant on TV’s SAS Are You Tough Enough, said: “This is an unsupported journey – no resupply points, no safety net.

“If anything goes wrong, rescue could take days.

“But no matter how tough this is, it’s nothing compared to what some families face every day.

“I lost a full stone on the last expedition so have gained a lot of weight for this on purpose as bodyweight is crucial when pulling a sled – plus the extra insulation from body fat is handy.

“You burn in excess of 6,000 calories a day but only consume around 3,000 that includes porridge breakfast, 500 – 1,000 calorie ration packs twice a day including a few snacks during the daily distances with stops every 45 min to replenish energy levels and hydration.”

James’ friend Lee Graham will be joining him on the trip and the pair are no strangers to the dangers of the Arctic having previously completed a 200km trek across the Finnmark Plateau in Norway’s Arctic Circle in March 2024. The third man making up the team is their Danish friend Kasper, an experienced Arctic leader.

Visiting Hope House in Oswestry before the journey begins, James said: “It’s such a lovely place. So bright and cheerful and not clinical like I expected.

“My youngest is just 9 months old and I had a bit of a moment seeing the children in the hospice.

“Let’s make this trip count.

“Every penny we raise will help give children and families living with a life-threatening condition access to the care that they deserve.”

You can sponsor James and Leigh on their epic trip for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith here.