It's a Knockout ... at -27C

Political correspondent Tania Branigan is trekking to the Arctic with a team of MPs. Read all entries

The Arctic sun. Photograph: Tania BraniganDay six, Kilpisjarven, Finland: Forgive any typos - my hands have thawed but are still aching. It's been a very long, very tiring and somewhat painful day. It was -27C when we set out, and the first 30km or so were hard work - uphill almost all the way.

Imagine trying to run in the padded suits and huge boots they used to use on It's a Knockout. Except you're going up a steep gradient, you're sinking knee-deep into snow, you're clinging for dear life to the sled (the huskies go at full speed once they don't have to pull you) and, in my case, your suit is weighed down with around 8kg of batteries and equipment.

But it was worth it. The top of the mountain felt like the edge of the world - remote, frightening, but beautiful. We're elated as we set off again for what we hope will be an easy ride downhill.

Oh boy. The temperature is dropping rapidly, the wind is howling and it's beginning to snow. It's impossible to feel your hands or feet. We hang on grimly, knowing we only have 30km to cover, and cheer as we reach the meeting point and are told to anchor our sleds.

Except ... the vehicles that were due to meet us can't do so, because - get this - it's too cold for them to start. Which means it's another 12km to our stop for the night, in -35C (plus windchill). I have never, ever been this cold in my life. To paraphrase Scarlett O'Hara: "I will get through this. I'll go back to London. And I'LL NEVER BE COLD AGAIN."

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