Ann Daniels

Ann Daniels first reached the North Pole in 1997 as part of the groundbreaking McVities Penguin Polar Relay, marking the beginning of her distinguished career in polar exploration. Prior to this, Daniels built a strong professional foundation, advancing to the position of assistant bank manager at NatWest. Her transition into exploration culminated in historical recognition in 2002 when she and her team-mate Caroline Hamilton became the first women to reach both the North and South Poles as part of all-women expeditions. These monumental journeys included a challenging 700-mile ski expedition across Antarctica to the South Pole, and a rigorous 500-mile ski expedition from Ward Hunt Island to the North Pole.

During the 2010 Catlin Arctic Survey, Daniels played a key role in supporting scientists studying the changing chemistry and increasing acidity of the oceans, successfully collecting valuable data in remote regions. Following this, her final Catlin Arctic Survey in 2011 concentrated on investigating the thermohaline properties of the Arctic Ocean and their potential global impact on oceans and weather patterns, contributing significant data to climate research. Daniels continues to share her expertise and experiences, notably delivering a compelling TEDxExeter talk in 2014 titled ‘Our corrosive oceans,’ which highlighted critical environmental concerns. As an acclaimed polar explorer and motivational speaker, Daniels remains a leading voice on environmental stewardship, resilience, and the invaluable lessons learned from navigating the world’s most extreme environments.