An intrepid West Lothian woman has raised over £4000 for charity by braving freezing conditions in the Arctic Circle.
Claire Johnston raised the cash for the When you Wish upon a Star charity after completing a 70km Arctic Circle trek.
The journey, which took over three days from Rovaniemi into the Arctic Circle and finishing at the Arctic Snow Hotel, saw 42-year-old Claire, her sister-in-law Nicola Johnston and 12 other hardy souls face temperatures that hit minus 20 degrees.
Organised by Breaking Strain Events, the trek raised £28,000 for When you Wish upon a Star and thousands more for a variety of other good causes.
In total the Artic treks have raised almost £2million for charity over the years.
Claire, who lives in Whitburn, and is regional HR manager at Cairn Hotel Group, trained for the epic journey by walking many miles, particularly on the beach which is the closest surface to snow. Each participant pulled their own sled, laden with 25kg of essential kit.
She said: “I have completed other charity events in the past including the Edinburgh Moonwalk, abseiling off the Forth Rail Bridge and walking overnight from Glasgow to Edinburgh but none of that even comes close to the challenges of the Arctic trek.
“The scenery was amazing, and being off grid for three days and camping overnight was a real experience. The one thing that struck us all was the silence, snow absorbs sound and it took a little bit of getting used to.
“It was totally exhilarating though, and the physical pain was soon forgotten and replaced by a huge sense of achievement. Everyone was incredibly supportive and we helped each other through the tough times.
“I am delighted to have raised £4268 for a fabulous charity which I have previously worked with, but I think my next adventure might be somewhere a little warmer.”
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