A Kent explorer is aiming to become the first woman to ski across Antarctica alone.

The 1700km trek to the South Pole will take 65 days and will follow a previously unexplored route, pulling a sledge heavier than her own bodyweight.

Felicity Ashton, 33, from Birchington has been helped on her way by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Ian Thomas, and the Rotary Club of Chestfield, who have donated money for vital equipment to help her team keep track of her movements.

Felicity, 33, said: “Pulling an expedition like this together is really difficult.
"You need lots of different things and lots of support. It’s lovely to have the support of my local community, and lovely to have support from the Rotary Club of Chestfield and the Lord Mayor of Canterbury."

Launching the trek at a special breakfast meeting at Tower House in Canterbury, the explorer said: “I know you will be checking in on the website to see where I am going and that will be my motivation to get up and get out of the tent every morning.”

"thoughts of crevasses are what make me wake up with sweaty palms." – explorer felicity aston

Felicity will set off on November 2 and will be in Antarctica for Christmas and New Year, hopefully returning in early January.

There are two resupply points along the route and she will check in with her support team daily via satellite phone, but will have no human - or animal - contact until the end of the trip.

Felicity said: "I won’t see any life, not even a bird or a fly, during the trek.
"It’s quite a thought.

"People who have done long solo trips tell me their friends and family say they are different when they come back and that is my biggest worry at the moment.

"Thoughts of crevasses are what make me wake up with sweaty palms though.

"If I fall in one of them there’s a chance my beacon won’t be able to send a signal and I’ll be completely alone, with no one even aware of a problem for up to 24 hours."

To follow Felicity’s journey, and to find out more about how to sponsor her visit www.transantarcticsolo.com