A Cumbrian climber and adventurer is taking his next expedition to new heights as he aims to be whisked 1,000 miles across one of the world’s largest ice sheets.

Leo Houlding is preparing to snowkite across the Greenland Ice Cap, from Kangerlussuaq, in the south west of the country, to Qaanaaq, one of the most northerly towns on Earth.

The 35-year-old said: “Traditional polar travel has never really appealed to me: lots of suffering, little excitement, not much of a view. 

"However, throw modern snowkites into the mix and suddenly the balance of fun rapidly tips.

“It’s not as easy as it looks. There is a lot of power in those big kites and a lot to be mindful of when travelling over terrain at speeds up to 50mph with all kind of obstacles and hazards to manage.”

Leo, from Eden, only tried his hand at snowkiting a few years ago but now feels competent in his ability. 

He will be joined by snowkiter Bruce Corrie who has 28 years experience.

In contrast to Leo, Bruce, 51, who lives near Kendal and describes himself as a stay-at-home dad, has never been on an expedition.

He said: “I do wonder how I got myself into this situation. I am experiencing a mixture of trepidation and fear with a very small amount of excitement.

“We have a good plan, great equipment, appropriate skills and a flexible mind-set to cope with the inevitable problems that will occur.

“Somewhere between a nightmare and a walk in the park is where it will be, and I am hoping for the latter.”

Leo and Bruce will post updates of the expedition on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and people can also track their progress on the Berghaus website.

They can also be followed via a live tracker from tomorrow at www.community.berghaus.com/greenland-snowkite/map/ .