Two Inverness friends have completed a gruelling challenge, travelling 155 miles across freezing Sweden to raise funds for Highland Hospice.
David Philips and his best friend Francesca Marchetti endured frozen temperatures and bitter conditions to raise more than £9,000 towards hospice care.
When the duo arrived in Sweden, they joined a group of 15 other participants to traverse the rugged Arctic landscape with the help of their trusted band of husky dogs.
While the group first started with 17 people, only 12, including Mr Philips and Miss Marchetti, completed the 155-mile journey due to the extreme conditions.
Mr Philips described the experience as “incredible”, and he was able to take “so much away from it”.
While it tested the duo to their limits, Mr Philips, an avid extreme adventurer, loved every moment of it even when things got tough.
He said: “There were definitely a lot of challenges faced along the way. Probably the most extreme was that the temperature plunged to -25C on two of the nights.
“When you are not used to the freezing cold temperatures, keeping yourself warm throughout the night is very difficult.
“We started off with 17 people in the group and finished with only 12, which shows you how difficult the conditions were.”
Mr Philips and Miss Marchetti were able to complete the full journey in seven days as part of the Highland Hospice Husky Challenge.
The group was initially due to travel across Sweden and Norway, but due to tensions with Russia, they remained in Sweden.
While it tested his mental and physical strength, Mr Philips was happy that the experience brought him and his best friend closer.
‘Hardest part of challenge was leaving dogs behind’
He said: “That was probably one of the biggest things to come out of this experience. When you have a large group that’s kind of thrown together some people can be a bit unsure.
“For myself and Francesca, the friendship did come into play with just helping each other out on a daily basis and making sure everything is alright.
“I know within the group there were other people from Scotland, and for both of us, we feel like we have known these people 10 years. That’s how close the relationship is now.”
While the humans grew closer, so did the bond between the group and the 60 husky dogs pulling the sledges.
Mr Philips and Miss Marchetti had five dogs pulling their sledge; Kisa, Blade, Cavinni, Arctic and Nikolini.
The guides on the journey were adamant that the dogs were a priority when it came to feeding and taking care of them.
Mr Philips added: “Everything was centred around the dogs, so before you did anything, you had to get up and tend to the dogs, get them harnessed and get them ready to go.
“Initially, I didn’t think you would get to interact with the dogs, but when they weren’t working, they are the most affectionate dog, so you develop a bond with them.
“I am quite a dog person, but that was one of the most special things from the whole thing was the bond between us and the dogs at the end.
“I think one of the hardest parts of the challenge was actually leaving the dogs behind.”
Mr Philips says that while the challenge was difficult he would jump at the chance to do it again as it tested him mentally but was incredibly rewarding in the end.
He and Miss Marchetti set out to raise £4,000 each for Highland Hospice but smashed that target collecting more than £9,000 between them.
Conversation