Two Irish adventurers are about to embark on what could be the last ever land expedition to the North Pole.

The 500 mile trek, only completed by 132 people previously, is to be undertaken by Kerry mountaineer Mike O’Shea and Cork adventurer Clare O’Leary.

They told website TheJournal.ie that this could be the last ever such crossing to take place due to global warming and the melting ice-caps.

O’Shea told the Journal, “That’s the big thing – the ice is just getting so unstable it’s getting more and more difficult to make it across every time. In a few years it may not be possible.”

The Munster pair are experienced adventurers. As part of their preparation for Friday’s departure to Canada, they completed a 640km trek across a frozen lake in Russia, an expedition to Mt Kilimanjaro and a gruelling 19-day trip across the North Patagonian Icecap.

O’Leary became the first Irish woman to climb Mount Everest in 2004 and has skied to the South Pole, according to the report.

O’Shea added,“I suppose the North Pole is a natural progression. We’ve been wanting to do it for a long time – it’s a bit like the World Cup of expeditions.”

O’Leary and O’Shea previously attempted the trek in 2012, but had to abandon the trip after plans to share charter logistics with another team fell apart.

The report says the journey will take around 50 days to complete.