We were delighted to welcome back OC Sam Farr (2025, Swift), who returned to share his incredible experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro over the summer. Sam’s story is a remarkable example of the determination, ambition, and adventurous spirit that defines the Cokethorpe community.
Reflecting on his journey, Sam explained: ‘I have always been a big mountain climber. Hiking Mount Etna when I was nine, and Mount Toubkal when I was eleven. Kilimanjaro seemed like a natural step up in difficulty from those two. Also, it coincided closely with my 18th birthday, marking it both as a personal achievement and as a way to commemorate turning eighteen.
We took the Northern Circuit Route, which coincides with the Lemosho, Machame, and Rongai routes. This makes it the longest route up Mount Kilimanjaro (around 100km in eight days), but also one of the least travelled, so we spent a lot of time alone. It also allowed for superior acclimatisation compared to the more traditional five-day routes.
We hiked through dense jungle, steep heathland, alpine desert, ancient magma flows, and glaciers – a cathartic journey from the bright greenery of 1,600 metres to the barren, icy emptiness of 5,800 metres. The best moment was seeing the sun rise over the clouds (which we were above by a couple of thousand metres) after hiking in the dark for five hours. The sky was empty, then suddenly all the colours exploded, and you could see all the way down into the crater of the volcano.’
Sam is now preparing for his next adventure – a solo hike across New Zealand – before deciding which mountain to conquer next. Nepal, perhaps!
We are immensely proud of Sam and wish him every success in his future expeditions. His story is a wonderful reminder that with determination, curiosity, and courage, there are no heights too great to climb.
