The South Pole is at an altitude of 2,835m metres (9,301 ft) above sea level.

The ice is estimated to be about 2,700 metres (9,000 ft) thick at the pole, which means that the actual land surface under the ice sheet is close to sea level. The nearest open sea is located about 800 miles away at Bay of Whales.

Below: Dr Mike Stroud (left) and Sir Ranulph Fiennes (right) at the South Pole in 1993

Stroud at South Pole with Fiennes