Member Article

Getting their skis on for wildlife

A Northumberland couple will very shortly be embarking on an expedition to Norway which will celebrate a 35 year love affair with the country whilst, at the same time, raising money for Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

For Conrad and Hilary Dickinson, Norway has provided them with some of their fondest memories, so when they were thinking of ways to raise funds for the wildlife charity, the idea of somehow uniting their love of nature and Norway became paramount.

But, unlike most couples, Conrad, who is Patron of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, and Hilary, have chosen to ski Norge på langs, a route that spans the entire length of Norway, from Lindesnes in the south to Nordkapp in the north - a mere (!) 2700km, and their Norway ‘End to End’ campaign is very much a pilgrimage through this stunning country.

The Norge på langs has only been completed approximately 64 times in winter in its 64 year history, and, should they be successful, they will be the first British couple (and possibly the oldest) to complete this epic route

Their aims are simple: to enjoy, engage and explore the delights of Norway, whilst raising funds for Northumberland Wildlife Trust which operates throughout Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.

Their epic journey begins on Tuesday 5 January 2016 with an expected arrival in Nordkapp on Saturday 30 April 2016.

Members of the public will be able to follow the epic pilgrimage on their website www.norwayendtoend.com which will feature a tracking page, regular blog and regular picture updates and via Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s website www.nwt.org.uk and Facebook page and Twitter feed.

The intrepid skiers have also set up a page on the Virgin Money Giving site, so, if you have a few £s spare, you can make a donation at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Conrad_and_Hilary_Dickinson

Between them, Conrad and Hilary have completed over 60 expeditions with some of them the most challenging in the world, and visited Norway in winter over 30 times.

They have traversed Greenland , skied to the South Pole and kite skied back, skied to the North Pole and skied to Lake Baikal in Siberia without support.

Hilary is the first British woman to ski to the South Pole and back unsupported, and, as many may recall, Conrad was Team Leader for the British Team: Team Glenfiddich as part of the Walking with the Wounded 2013 South Pole Allied Challenge with HRH Prince Harry.

Hilary Dickinson said: “This expedition is about Conrad and me experiencing the wonderful nature, people and challenges that Norway has to offer and is the journey of a lifetime.

“During our Arctic and Antarctic expeditions we have seen the effect of climate changes on our environment and realize we must all get more involved to preserve and protect our fragile surroundings.

“As Northumbrians, we are delighted to have had sightings of otters, barn owls and red kites in recent years so it is only by embracing and involving as many people as possible that we can preserve our natural beauty in this changing world.”

Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive said: “Everybody here at the Trust wishes Conrad and Hilary all the very best for their expedition of a lifetime - they are such brilliant ambassadors for our charity, Northumberland, its wildlife and the environment and we will be plotting their progress every step of the way.

“We complain about having to drive to work during the bad weather this country has to offer, so to ski 2700 Kms really is an inspiration to everybody.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Bishop .