No cold feet as Darren plans South Pole trek
Mullingar native Darren Slevin and his friend Nathan Lumb from Manchester are gearing up to become the first team from Ireland and Britain to ski unsupported to the South Pole and back.
Their 1,400km round-trip from the western shore of Antarctica to the South Pole is planned for this time next year.
Darren, originally from Clonmore and now living in Edinburgh, spoke to the Westmeath Examiner about the expedition, which has been a dream both he and Nathan had harboured separately for many years. Inspired by famous explorers like Norway’s Roald Amundsen, Britain’s Captain Robert Scott, and Kildare man Ernest Shackleton, the two outdoor enthusiasts decided to make their shared dream a reality when their paths crossed around five years ago.
“I met Nathan on an expedition and we decided to try to do the trip ourselves. We’ve been working on it ever since,” Darren said.
Darren has spent the last few years preparing for the polar challenge, undertaking ski tours in Norway and completing a 400km expedition through the Arctic Northwest Passage in Canada.
“The Northwest Passage was good practice. It was quite cold, with temperatures down to -45°C, similar to what we can expect in Antarctica, where it should be between -20°C and -40°C.”
The expedition will be completely self-supported, and the pair will be pulling sleds loaded with 85 days’ worth of food and fuel. Darren says the initial phase will be the toughest. “The altitude at the start is around 130 metres above sea level, but it gradually rises to about 3,000 metres at the pole. We’re aiming to cover 20 to 25km a day, but in the early weeks, when the sleds are heaviest, it’ll be closer to 10 or 15km.”
Darren estimates he will burn around 8,000 calories a day but won’t be able to carry enough food to fully meet his needs. The plan is put on between 10 and 15 kilos of weight in the months leading up to the expedition.
“We’ll be in calorie deficit for a good chunk of the trip, just like on my previous Arctic trips, where I lost weight despite eating constantly.”
The expedition is set to begin in late October or early November 2025, during the Antarctic summer, the only time of year when such journeys are possible.
Until then, father of one Darren will focus on maintaining his fitness for what will be the greatest endurance test of his life. “The first challenge will be the weight of the sled. As it gets lighter, it’s all about how fast and efficiently we can ski.”
The Westmeath Examiner will have an in-depth interview with Darren in one of our editions over the Christmas and new year period.