Memorial cross to explorer Shackleton bound for Dundee

The memorial cross to Sir Ernest Shackleton at Hope Point, South Georgia

A memorial to polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton will travel more than 7,000 miles to Dundee to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The wooden Hope Cross will be displayed at Discovery Point where the RRS Discovery, which first carried Shackleton to Antarctica in 1901, is kept.

Shackleton died in 1922 on board his expedition ship, the Quest, in South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

The memorial is expected to arrive in Dundee in August.

The cross will be displayed later this year at Discovery Point

The cross, which is almost 3m (9.84ft) tall and weighs about 30kg (66lb), was loaded on to the RRS Sir David Attenborough earlier this year to begin its journey.

The Quest's crew had erected a memorial in 1922 at Hope Point, near Shackleton's final resting place in Grytviken Cemetery.

The Hope Cross was constructed at nearby Grytviken whaling station by crew members unable to attend the funeral of their expedition leader.

Shackleton died in 1922 on board his expedition ship the Quest

Laura Willis, chief executive of the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands said: "This unique object embodies the spirit of exploration and endurance that has defined these islands since their discovery almost 300 years ago.

"We hope that its display to a wider audience will inspire visitors, enthusiasts and future generations to contemplate and appreciate the enduring legacy of one of the world's greatest explorers, as well as the indomitable strength of human spirit."

Dundee Heritage Trust is fundraising £10,000 for the care of the cross at Discovery Point.

Emma Halford-Forbes, the trust's heritage and exhibitions director, said: "We have exciting plans for a capital redevelopment of Discovery Point, including a new permanent polar exhibition, Drawn to the Pole.

"Our plan is to display the Hope Cross as part of this new gallery, to make it accessible to a wider audience and create a respectful and reflective opportunity to pause and remember not just Shackleton, but all past Antarctic explorers."