A SURVIVAL instructor, based in North Yorkshire, took on a gruelling solo dog-sledding expedition, travelling over 500 miles in just nine days.

Brad Parsk, of Selby, took on the challenge of travelling across Scandinavia’s Frozen North, spanning Norway, Finland and Sweden.

The explorer chose to take on the ‘mushing’ expedition on a sled pulled by four huskies.

Brad, 33, said: “I love the dogs, of course, but mushing is about so much more than that for me. It’s the coming together of all the elements.

“The wonderful landscapes, the crisp clean air, the silence, the mountains, the boreal forests, the sound of the paws crunching snow underfoot and - if you’re lucky - the northern lights.”

Brad, who lived in South-East Alaska for three years, said that he took on the challenge to “live fully, to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and to embrace the arctic wilderness in all its glory.”

Brad arrived at the finish line in Nikkaluokta, Sweden, on the March 4, exhausted but happy.

The whole journey took approximately 9 days, during which temperatures reached as low as minus 40 degrees.

Brad, who has also served in the British Army, went on to say: “This was no walk in the park, but we made it through. What an experience.

“This was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But was it worth it? Absolutely.”

During the route, Brad was lucky enough to encounter the “wondrous,” Northern Lights. He also dislocated his shoulder after a mix-up with the sled. “Under duress, we all make mistakes but this one cost me dearly. The final two days were immensely painful,” he said.

The explorer now sets his sights on bigger challenges for 2021 and is currently accepting corporate sponsorships.