40 SUMMITS - ABOUT
It was once said “The glory of God is man fully alive” - And for many of us it’s the wide open spaces, the mountains, the challenge, the pushing of ourselves to go that little bit further that awakens that sense of wonder and adventure within us... It’s here that we begin to discover more about who we are and what we’re made for, it’s here that we connect with our fellow travellers and the One who created it all in the first place, It’s here that we begin to discover life in all its glorious fulness...
That is why I’ve challenged myself to climb as many mountains as I can in my forties and beyond - to embrace that spirit of adventure, to push myself that little bit further, to connect with fellow adventurers, to discover more about myself and my creator, and to encourage others in their journey too…
That’s what 40 summits is all about.
For those looking for a little more detail, please read on… In 2018 I had the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest freestanding mountain in the the world - at 5895 metres it’s one of the ‘Seven Summits’ and the highest mountain in Africa. I’d never done anything like it before, in fact before I began my training, the only mountain I’d climbed was Snowdon as a teenager… But much to my surprise - climbing Kili was an incredible life changing experience… It was the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done, and it awakened the adventurer within me. Something came alive in me while out on that mountain; the challenge and sense of wonder was exhilarating.
A year on from that expedition, I realised I had a decision to make - as I approached my 40th birthday I asked myself if the Kilimanjaro experience was a one off, something I’d never do again, just a conversation starter that would slowly fade into memory? Or was it the start of something new…
And so, 40 summits was born - a challenge to climb as many mountains as I can in my forties!
As I embarked on this adventure it quickly became apparent that this is more than just a personal challenge… I realised it would be about finding fellow adventurers and connecting with others on the journey, it would be a catalyst for creativity and stories of lessons learnt along the way, it would aid the equipping and enabling of others as well as promoting wellbeing, healing, and personal growth. And lastly it would increase our capacity for wonder, adventure and discovery…
Yet at the same time I’m not really sure where all this goes… all I know is it’s something I’ve got to do…
I’ve got dreams and ambitions - big mountains I’d like to climb, places I like to go, challenges I’d like to complete… and a belief that this will impact more than just my own life but the lives of those who connect with 40 Summits in some way.
If you’d like to find out more, please do get in touch. We’re looking for partners, sponsors, charities to work with, individuals with stories to tell… If you’ve got a favourite mountain or hike and would like to share it with me, I’d love to hear from you.
Hope to see you on a mountain sometime soon!
Check out the ’Start of a Vision’ video here - VISION VIDEO
[To find out more about me personally and some of what I do you can visit - lukehamlyn.com]
// 40 Summits - a Luke Hamlyn Adventure //