Joop Lekkerloop’s Manifesto
Joop Lekkerloop isn’t just about hiking; it’s every bit as much about people. The hikes are simply where we learn the important lessons.
Every hike teaches us something practical. Things like…
- Patience.
- Humility.
- Resilience.
- Gratitude.
- Perspective.

We learn some lessons faster than others, but Joop believes these qualities deserve to be celebrated. That, and things like…
- Lending a hand by where it’s needed.
- Sharing a cup of coffee.
- Telling the story honestly.
- Walking a little further than you thought you could
- Leaving things behind better than you found them.
A Joop isn’t the strongest person on the hike – it’s the person you’re glad they’re there!
Joop has a few rules:
Respect the trail.
The route doesn’t owe you anything.
Not good weather.
Not beautiful landscapes.
Not a nice or easy hike.
Respect the trail. Respect nature and respect the people who share the trail with you – including those who will walk it after you. The trail was there before you, and it’s your responsibility to ensure that there is still a trail after you’ve walked it.


A true leader walks at the back.
Leadership isn’t about who finishes first.
It’s about ensuring that everyone completes the trail.
The greatest of leaders:
- Encourages.
- Supports.
- Shares knowledge.
- Waits when necessary.
Every trail has a story! (And it usually starts with “That wasn’t part of the plan, but…”)
The stories are the reason why we hike!
Long after hiking a trail, we rarely remember things like the distance, the pace, or the statistics.
What we do remember are things like the people who hiked the trail with us, the surprises (the good and the bad), the mistakes we had made, the campfires, and the moments that changed us forever.
That’s why Joop celebrates the stories people tell.


#BeMoreJoop
Being Joop doesn’t mean you have to own expensive equipment, have amazing adventures or walk extraordinary distances.
It means being a little…
- Kinder
- Humbler
- Tougher
- Wiser
…than you were before.
It means respecting the trail.
It means helping someone.
It means telling the story.
…and ultimately, leaving the world a little better than what you had found it.




