British explorer Camilla Hempleman-Adams has made history as the first woman to complete a solo journey across Canada’s Baffin Island.
At the age of 32, she endured a grueling 150-mile trek, dragging a sledge through temperatures plunging to -40C and battling winds that reached speeds of up to 47mph.
Baffin Island, located in the far northwest of Canada between the mainland and Greenland, is the fifth largest island in the world and largely uninhabited.
Speaking from Pangnirtung, an Inuit village on the island, Ms Hempleman-Adams shared her physical exhaustion and the relief of returning to civilization.
“It’s been a really tough two weeks, but an incredible two weeks,” she said. Emphasising the resilience needed for such a feat, she added, “When you go in by yourself, you just have a mindset to keep going. You adapt, you have the mindset that you can’t give up. There is no giving up in those conditions.”
The explorer also confessed her anticipation for a hot shower after the arduous journey.
Her father, the renowned adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, met her at the finish line, expressing deep concern over the challenging conditions and the increased risk of frostbite due to the intense winds.
