Team Marmot
Our dedicated team
Since 2004, the Marmot Tours experience has been crafted and honed by passionate and experienced cyclists, mountain experts, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Over the years we’ve evolved, tweaked, and carefully developed our fully supported European road cycling holidays into a product that we’re immensely proud of. Everything we do is with a personal and attentive touch – whatever you need, we’ll do our very best to help.
We’re incredibly proud of our dedicated team. They are a remarkable bunch of people, from a variety of backgrounds but all with a wealth of experience and passion for the outdoors.
Our guiding team
While we are experts in running group cycling holidays, we recognise that each rider has needs and goals unique to them, and our guides work tirelessly with this in mind. They genuinely care about supporting our riders as individuals on their cycling holiday, regardless of the challenge they have set themselves.
While on the road, our guiding team has the unique ability to know just what you need and go the extra mile (sometimes literally) to deliver – whether that’s parking the van in strategic positions where they know you’ll need a breather or filling your water bottles to help you achieve your target time on the climb. It might be lending you one of our spare jackets if you've forgotten your own, or bringing you a track pump and tools when you need them on the road.
Our cyclists tell us these little touches add up and really mean a lot. Their ability to encourage you up those climbs, advise on tricky descents, support you with mechanical issues, or have a laugh over a few beers – they’re all crucial ingredients in the Marmot Tours mix.
Alan Toogood
Hire Bike Fleet Manager
I was born and grew up in the South West of England. At age 15 I followed in the pedal strokes of both my father and grandfather by starting to cycle regular time trials on a Thursday evening. I also spent many years playing hockey which gave me the opportunity to travel and see many parts of the world. I have always enjoyed the outdoors and every day of holiday from my work as an engineer was spent playing sport or riding my bike.
In 1997, during a cycling trip traversing the Alps, I made the decision that life had to change and I must live in the mountains!
Life did change and in 2000 I gave up my job and set out to find a new home. After 6 months of exploring, I settled down in Ax les Thermes where since 2002 I have been running the Alpage, a B&B providing evening meals. I met James in 2003 and started to host some of the Marmot Tours groups. I also started to lead trips the following year. In order to continue to lead trips and share my passion of the outdoors with others, I set about passing the French walking and mountain biking Qualifications. After 4 years of studying and hard work, I am pleased to say that I am now one of the only English people who have got this set of qualifications.
I still continue to compete regularly in local mountain runs, montain and road bike races, as well as the odd triathlon.
Whilst I'm taking a break from guiding, I have now taken on the role of Fleet Manager, looking after the ever growing numbers of Marmot's custom built titanium hire bike fleet to ensure you have a great ride when hiring one of our bikes.
What our clients say about Alan ...
Alan is great guide, competent and friendly. R Walker
Great, couldn't do enough to help and was very knowledgeable of the area and of riding in general. Peter
Alan was very supportive, always encouraging, giving tips, maintaining and managing the bikes and generally helping were ever he could....couldnt have asked for more.....from a personal perspective when I bonked on the climb to Col De Vars he came back and ensured I was hydrated and fit before proceeding and monitored me on the rest of that ride...generally felt he was safely managing the event. D Martin
Calm, steady, reassuring support throughout, always cheerful and upbeat. T Sutherland
Extremely professional while also being cool and friendly! Nothing was too much trouble for Alan. When we were cold and wet in the rain, there he was. Amazing. N Cavill
Alan excels as a lead guide, he is comfortable and competent and provided the whole group with a great service during the week. S Tobin
True professional, always making sure guests are enjoying their break, top bloke, you could feel his passion for Catalonia too. M Gorshkov
I thought both guides were really excellent. helpful, patient and good fun. The information they gave us was spot on and always timely and the advice they gave us with relation to riding was always valuable. The guides were one of the best parts of the trip. A Saunders
Anna Henly
Guide
I have loved cycling for as long as I can remember. I started on a purple tricycle at age 3 and many years later (eek!), I have five beloved bikes and a Victorian penny farthing. My heart is in the mountains, so I spend my holiday time skiing, hiking, cycling, and photographing in the hills.
Exploring the world is very important to me, and I’m passionate about ensuring Marmot Tours’ guests have the best holidays! Before finding Marmot Tours I went on many cycling holidays as a cyclist, so I have a good idea of where and when guests need reassurance, encouragement, and support. I’m a lifelong skier and have been a Ski Club of GB ski rep, guiding in resorts in the Alps and the Rockies, making sure skiers take home wonderful skiing memories.
I’m originally from Wolverhampton but moved to Bonnie Scotland to study mechanical engineering at Edinburgh University. I worked as a technical journalist in London, then worked offshore as a navigator on a seismic survey vessel in the oil industry. On returning to Aberdeen, I began a career as a professional photographer and drone pilot. I also taught photography workshops and led tours to Iceland. My favourite photography subject is wildlife – my three most well-known images won awards in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum in London: an Arctic fox, a polar bear, and a Hawaiian tree (annahenly.com). I’ll be only too pleased to take photographs of your cycling adventures!
I’m incredibly excited to be joining Marmot Tours in 2025 and can’t wait to meet you!
Claire Balman
Guide
I was born and raised in the Northwest of England, where from an early age our holidays to Castleton and the Peak District inspired a love of beautiful mountains and countryside. As a child I also have early memories of watching the TDF with my grandma and being completely mesmerized by the mountains and stunning terrain.
I cut my professional teeth in the world of hospitality, working for large international hotel chains for over a decade and here I grew my curiosity for travel and enjoyment of meeting new people from all over the world. My work took me to sunny Scotland, where I met my husband and got to discover a whole new playground of awe-inspiring mountains - walking, camping and later learning to rock climb and ski. My first ski trips to the Alps blew my mind and still does.
My passion for health and fitness grew beyond my role in hospitality and I trained to become a Group Exercise instructor and Fitness Professional. My work grew until I could sustain a living from teaching health & fitness fulltime. Teaching Indoor Cycling classes was up there with my favourites when back in 2013 I discovered road biking and started cycling outdoors (following gentle coercion from my super keen spin class participants who were also local bike club members, I think just wanting to get their own back and see me suffer on the road!).
Still considering myself as a rookie rider I am grateful for every chance I get to get out on my bike, explore new routes and challenge myself either alone, or with friends and fellow bike riders I meet on the way. I love riding hills. Something about the air, the space and general epic-ness! I have been fortunate enough to have ticked off a few L’etape du Tours in my relatively short ‘Cycle Life’ alongside a few brutal Scottish sportives, and a Mallorca 312. I love the challenge of course, but I really think the magic is sharing those experiences with everyone else on the road!
Following the challenging years of the pandemic, in 2021 my family and I took the leap of moving our lives to a small town in the Aude region of France where I’m now usually found teaching Yoga or cycling, walking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, and occasionally kite surfing (badly). I am a keen nature lover and thrive on sharing most things energetic & life outdoors.
I am excited to be part of the Marmot Tours Team in 2024 and can’t wait to meet you!
Constantin Bartels
Guide
My adventure in cycling started with commuting to university in Dublin, setting off a cascade of events where the bike changed the course of my life in just about every way; from keeping me upright after realising working in hospitals wasn't for me, to transitioning to spending my winters in sunny Gran Canaria, and most of all, meeting my wife Ewa on two wheels!
Originally from Germany, I spent most of my life in Ireland with a brief spell in the UK, and now I'm based in Gran Canaria for the winter, where I work in a bike rental and offer guided bike tours. I spend my summers in Europe and Ireland, guiding tours, touring, and catching up with family.
My wife Ewa and I love long days in the mountains, chasing sunsets behind jagged skylines, touring, sometimes racing, and meeting all sorts of wonderful people out on two wheels. I love supporting people through personal challenges - big or small - looking after all the little things that we might wish for when out for long days on a bike.
David Sota
Lead Guide
Born and raised in Santander, Cantabria, surrounded by mountains and sea (my beloved Picos de Europa and the Atlantic Ocean), I have loved mountains for as long as I can remember (my first climb was actually in my mum’s belly). I have been hiking since I was 3 years old when my parents used to take me to the mountains (although that was more piggybacking than hiking for me, haha). As a kid, however, I mostly played football like all the other kids my age. I had an introduction to MTB when I was 12 but did not really take it up until 2010, my legs tired from 30 years of football but in shape from winter hiking and snowboarding on my white mountains.
I studied Business and Management and worked in a Consultancy Office for 10 years, until I had enough (just 20 vacation days plus weekends for travelling and the outdoors—no way!) I quit my old life and started a new one, beginning with the trip of a lifetime: India, Nepal, New Zealand and Australia. The main part consisted of biking NZ from the North of North Island to the South of the South one, camping freely or sleeping in random strangers’ houses. That was life-changing!!!
I had trained and competed in some long MTB races before this trip, but they never took me anywhere—after 13 hours of pushing my bike I always ended up in the same place. Touring on my bike showed me another way of travelling and experiencing places and local people. I also found, on another biking trip through the Alps, from Milan to Prague, heading to Germany for a wedding (not mine!!!), that I enjoyed joining and encouraging other bikers that I met along the way. So, here I am to support all you achieving your happiness.
What our cyclists say about David ...
David was incredible. Considering this is his first year with Marmot, he showed initiative at every stage. Highly supportive, very positive, exceptionally helpful and always there when needed. He is hardworking and a great team-mate to Christel. Whatever it is that Marmot does to select, develop and keep guides motivated - please keep doing that. David was highly positive about the entire Marmot team and clearly loves what he is doing with Marmot - he is DELIGHTED to be on the team. J Ruszka
Both guides did an excellent job dealing in a caring way with a number of problems that could not have been foreseen. Their use of the support vehicles was thoughtful and most helpful. R Chandler
David was super friendly, full of enthusiasm and very helpful. He was happy to hang back and support me to do the bonus climb of Tre Cime di Lavaredo on day 1. Conversations over dinner were always entertaining! C Bloomer
David's passion for the area was great and really came out in his descriptions of places, foods, etc. He gave us a few tips on extra places to visit slightly off the route, which was great. He was super-dedicated, including on top of the Angliru in the rain, when his spirited cheering helped us get to the top, and then he managed to get all the bikes into/onto the van, with frozen hands, and get us all down safely. It was evident how much he cared about ensuring we all had the best possible week. M Phipps-Taylor
David was brilliant. He gave us tremendous encouragement, help and support throughout the ride. Great fun too. J Fryza
David was absolutely superb - he went above and beyond in delivering first class support, guidance and encouragement throughout the whole journey - First Class. I Nichol
David has all the qualities I want in a guide. Knowledgable, helpful, enthusiastic and hard working. He even went out of his way to take a rider to the hospital even when he was not in our group. N Crowther, 2019
David went out of his way to ensure that I felt well supported during the holiday. Lots of encouragement at every stop. He even drove down one of the climbs to find me slowly climbing up, to take an order for a (late) lunch at a mountain top cafe before they shut - truly above and beyond the call of duty! Thank you, David, for everything! O Negyal
Outstanding! So friendly and accommodating, nothing was too much bother. Very knowledgeable and approachable. A fabulous guide. A Stafford
David's ability to maintain his enthusiasm level at 101% for the whole week was impressive! He was there with the van when you needed him, full of good humour and always willing to share his knowledge of the area. On the toughest section of the Angliru, he was there for me, glorious in his Viking hat and cowbells, yelling at me that I could do it when I was having very severe doubts... I did make it, though I only claim some of the credit for myself; the rest belongs to David. J Burke
Emma Tiptaft
Guide
Oi oi ….. I’m Em. I am a Kentish bird, born and bred in the garden of England and live in Medway, north Kent. I have been an active and enthusiastic cyclist for over 14 years before which I was a road runner completing 4 London Marathons. In 2008 a dodgy knee forced me to swap my running shoes for a bike and I haven’t looked back since. I have cycled all over the UK and as a client of Marmot have cycled many of their trips including the Pyrenees, Alps, Dolomites, Picos, Andalusia and Catalonia.
I spent 29 years working in London as an office manager but cycling has always been my passion and in 2019 I decided to make a change and a leap of faith and joined the Marmot guiding team.
When not guiding I work part time for the Royal Mail, go open water swimming, cycling, walking my 2-year-old whippet and pottering in my garden.
Really looking forward to meeting you and supporting you on your cycling adventure.
What our cycling clients say about Emma ...
Very eager to help, friendly and attentive. P Margetts
Fantastic support. Very hard working and enthusiastic. Always keen to help out or answer any queries. A great guide! S Tobin
Although this was her first trip as a guide, it certainly wasn’t apparent. Great support and humour and will undoubtedly go far as a guide. K Anderson
I was amazed by the level of support and encouragement from James and Emma. First up, last to bed but always cheerful, encouraging and gave clear and practical information. Thank you both. Paul Ingram
Enthusiastic, supportive and friendly. Emma’s cheery disposition, banter and constant encouragement was always welcome before and after a daunting col. Thank you Ems! M Molloy
The fact that Emma had done a number of Marmot Tours as a participant (including the Raid Pyrennes) meant she was able to offer some tips on how best to deal with the upcoming Cols. Em's enthusiasm and incredible energy was something we all commented on and was something we all fed off, especially when things were getting really tough. M Grolimund
Ewa Bartels
Guide
Originally from Poland, I lived in Ireland for 16 years, exploring hiking trails and enjoying Irish nature whenever I got a chance. From the solitary flower to the vast stretching mountain range, snapping pictures and creating memories to cherish over and over.
In 2017 I fell in love with cycling. When by the end of 2018 I discovered one doesn’t have to be cold and wet in the winter to ride outside, it was only a matter of time to wake up my inner migratory bird and start spending winter months in Gran Canaria (oh, and falling in love with an adopted Irish-Canario may have something to do with it too 😁). Now I spend less and less time in Ireland, and together with my life companion Constantin, I highly enjoy exploring all the wonderfulness Europe has on offer during the summer months - whether guiding groups of cyclists, bike packing (in ultra-light fashion), or sharing rides and hikes with friends and family.
When I’m not dancing on the pedals, smiling and laughing my way across the landscapes and cooking healthy meals, chances are I’m supporting others in their journey to feel their best, not only on the bike but in everyday life. Apart from being a cycling guide, I am also a registered BrainWorking Recursive Therapy practitioner, helping others overcome whatever obstacles their lives put on them.
Fiona Jackson
Lead Guide
Born in Scotland and spending holidays being made to walk up many a Scottish mountain developed my love and passion for the great outdoors, even if I might not have appreciated it at the time!
Coupled with a desire to travel and live abroad I chose my degree on the basis that I could live and study in Italy for 4 years. This merely cultivated my passion to travel and whilst cycling around Cuba I discovered that travelling by bike was the best way to see a country. After a couple of years living and working in London, my travel itch got the better of me and I found myself in the jungles of Belize with a youth development charity. I had taken my bike so I could explore the country and decided to cycle across the border and ended up cycling across Guatemala and into Mexico.
My love for travel had been ignited. I went to Ecuador to learn Spanish and from there to Chile where I spent a year living in Patagonia and working in the Torres del Paine National Park.
Returning to the UK I knew I wanted to work in travel so spent a year running gastronomic walking tours in Tuscany before joining an adventure travel company for whom I have led biking and hiking trips all around the world for the past 20 years.
I look forward to sharing my passion with like-minded people and exploring new places.
What our road cyclists say about Fiona ...
Fiona is a top guide. Her extensive experience in the adventure tourism industry shows and along with Gav made a first-rate team. Also a great sense of humour etc. B Thatcher
Great support throughout the days riding. Always there with words of encouragement and a smile on those hard rides. A top guide. S Woods
Super enthusiastic and helpful. Provided all of the necessary information to help us plan for each day. Managed to work well with all members of the team. Went out of her way to make life easy for us all and a true ambassador for Marmot. C Scott
Fiona was a real star, very supportive of the group and worked well with David. Nothing was too much trouble for Fiona, she supported the group and was always in the locations she stated she would be in which is a welcome sight when struggling up the climbs. Attentive to the groups needs and personally assisted me when I was struggling at the start of the week due to the heat. D Humphreys
Friendly supportive motivational experienced - fantastic guide. H Thomas
Great energy, very insightful, very helpful, really made the trip for us. J Leavesley
Fiona was lovely and calm and always ready to help and encourage. Nothing was too much trouble and she always had a smile on her face. Both the guides worked really hard and went above and beyond what I would have expected. Really made our holiday the fantastic experience that it was. C Rank
Fiona is amazing - again, another really generous and enthusiastic guide - I really enjoyed her company and all her help and support last week, especially on the ride when I was literally in the bin and spent most of the day in the van with her. She is also to be cherished. S Rodger
Fiona and Tim were both absolutely brilliant. Literally 10/10. Service level though the roof, always anticipating needs, and worked brilliantly together. P Flynn
So caring, professional, approachable and a wonderful, fun person. Could not have asked for more from the Raid support crew. J Croft
I cannot praise Fiona and Tim enough for their constant attention and guidance throughout our tour. They went above and beyond and were always in the right place offering support and succour with good humour at all times. The whole Marmot experience was superb and your attention to detail exemplary. S Bland
Fiona was excellent, professional & personable and always on hand for friendly help and advice. Provided a great balance of ensuring health & safety and practical stuff taken care of and given us the freedom to ride to our ability and pace. J Pix
Our tour guides Fiona and Christel were exceptional. They worked tirelessly to ensure our holiday experience was perfect in a professional, caring and fun way. Keep up the fantastic tours Marmot! D Cowan
Fiona was brilliant and she was also knowledgable about the route, very calm and great company. Again, a real asset for Marmot. R Wood
Brilliant. Very clear leadership, organization and knowledge with a fun/light touch. Appreciated being treated like an adult. Set the tone for the week. A Cribb
Heidi Payton
Lead Guide
I grew up in Cheshire and was lucky enough to travel with my parents from an early age to far flung places, that most of my friends had never heard of. I went to university in North Wales to study music, but after four weeks (and much socialising), realised that if I changed to a joint degree in French and Russian, I could spend at least a year studying somewhere exciting overseas and hopefully then use languages to work abroad. So, I did exactly that!
This is where my love of the mountains and outdoors began, probably spending more time up in Snowdonia or in the sea attempting to learn to windsurf (never mastered that one), than I did in lectures. In my year out, I lived and worked in France and Russia and on finishing my degree, headed off to Japan to teach English for a few years. I eventually moved back to North Wales to set up my own event management business, whilst bringing up my family.
A few sensible jobs later, the need to travel again returned and I began to work for an outdoor adventure company, leading treks and bike rides all around the world. This led to me training as a mountain leader, kicked off my new-found interest in road cycling and also to start learning Italian at night school. In between trips, I work as a leader at a children’s outdoor residential centre in North Wales, running activities for 7–11 year-olds.
If I ever have any spare time, you can find me in my veg garden, dancing or doing yoga (not in the veg garden), or volunteering for a local cycling charity - tinkering with bikes and helping people with different abilities and health conditions to be able to exercise.
I really look forward to meeting you all and to some new adventures with Marmot Tours!
What our cyclists say about Heidi ...
Great fun, very approachable and helpful. K Stannard
Always on hand to provide the support and nutrition required throughout the day. P Coleman
Heidi was always there with a smile and encouragement when things got tough. Very knowledgeable and her language skills came in handy when needed. Heidi and Gav worked really well as a team, providing the backup that we needed throughout the week. M Tiffany
Unfailingly cheerful and helpful. I Martin
So caring and attentive. No task was too difficult. Friendly, cheery and helpful face. Even got laundry dried! A Coia
A very warm, patient, encouraging and capable soul, Heidi brightened up my every day. E Bull
Heidi was wonderful, ever smiling, super supportive with great sense of humour. B Oxley-Brown
Heidi provided excellent support - always cheery and able to encourage/reassure both individuals and the group as a whole. S Watt
Absolutely lovely and it's clear her priority is to make sure we have a good trip. Heidi is a great addition to the Marmot family. K Anderson
Heidi is a superstar, we were really impressed. She is a great addition to the guides you have. I'd rate her as one of the best we've come across in 5 trips now. A Bromfield
Special thanks and praise also for our two guides, Heidi & Tim, who were outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble for them, their support was exceptional, their attention to detail and the needs of all the cyclists was absolutely first class. They were friendly, helpful and totally professional throughout. It made for a very memorable trip. J Clapp
Helen Snell
Operations Manager and Lead Guide
I’ve been working as a Marmot Tours Guide for over a decade and also full-time as Operations Manager since 2018. It is such a privilege to be part of the incredible team at Marmot Tours and to have the pleasure of supporting our cyclists in their mountain adventures.
My career history is strongly entwined with both physical work and the outdoor life, and it includes scientific fieldwork and project management in Alpine and UK mountain ecosystems, sales & customer service in the Pyrenean snow sports industry, and also site management, stone conservation and rope access work in the historic building conservation trade.
I am also a scientist with a solid training in skills such as critical thinking, communication, and data collection & analysis. I hold a 1st class bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, an MSc in Aquatic Biology (Distinction; University of London), and a PhD in Biogeochemistry (University of Aberdeen); I have worked as a post-doc research scientist studying climate change effects on Austrian Alpine ecosystems (University of Manchester).
Despite being born in Somerset, flat places make me feel a bit unsettled and I am happiest when out in the mountains! Whenever I am not busy working on the logistics and health & safety of your next holiday, or refining every single detail of the Marmot product to improve the customer experience, I am usually out in the hills either mountain biking, road cycling, rock climbing, hiking or telemark-skiing.
What our clients say about Helen...
Helen, what a woman, what a personality, always calm and considerate. The group is her main objective, going from safety, van organization during the day, organizing the hotels, the departure, the arrival, making sure everyone made it, making sure no one forgot to eat and drink or forgot to put warm clothing on the descents ... Her nature makes her doing this all not using an impersonal manager style but in warm friendly humane style. P Verhoeven
Happy, friendly, approachable, supportive, organised and other great adjectives. A Stephens
Helen kept everyone well informed and moving along with minimum fuss and great humour. She is clearly a very experienced guide. Even better, she cured my knee pain with some well applied sports tape. Is there nothin' that she cannae do? C Bloomer
Fantastic attitude, great knowledge and incredibly supportive. Made the trip an absolute pleasure. I would not have got over the Tourmalet without Helen. D Crawford,
I already miss Helen. Helen was smart and funny and had a great capacity to enjoy the clients. I expect I am one of the harder to manage, but Helen has a remarkable way of “reading” the situation. If you want to “give it” on a ride, Helen understood and supported that. Helen provided cycling and emotional guidance in a wonderfully deft and professional manner. She is a wonderful ambassador for Marmot. E Boomer
Jacci Wilkie
Lead Guide
From my first year of life I have had an itinerant existence. Throughout my childhood my family moved location every two or three years, then, after graduating from university, I chose to explore the world my own way: studying, volunteering and working in various countries around the globe. A small sample of my portfolio of unusual experiences includes: collecting ovine faecal samples for nematode infection analysis in Australia, hosting Scottish country dancing evenings for students in Mexico, learning tae-kwon-do in South Korea, walking the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain and nursing baby zebras at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in South Africa.
In 2015 I moved from Catalonia to the south of France for a six-month sabbatical. I have been here ever since, unashamedly seduced by the mountains, an abundance of space and a tantalising sense of freedom. When I’m not renovating houses or bamboozling students of all ages with the complexity of the English language, I cycle, hike, snow-shoe, climb big rocks and breathe deeply of the heavenly air here.
New to the team in 2021, I’m delighted to be part of the Marmot Tours family. I enjoy working with passionate people – both colleagues and clients – who appreciate the great outdoors and find the fun in life. I look forward to supporting you and applauding all your achievements on our fantastic European tours.
What our cyclists say about Jacci ...
Hard to believe this was Jacci’s first tour. She was very organized, friendly, and encouraging. I think her performance is a testament to Marmot’s training and hiring practices. She’s a keeper. Jonathan S, 2021
We felt like we were being very well looked after. Lovely person. Christopher A
Jackie was great at anticipating needs and providing support and assistance. Peter H
Very supportive, friendly, energetic, knowledgable, generous, thoughtful, organized. Jennifer H
Great encouragement given when out on climbs and passing in van en-route. Very well organised in tracking and accompanying cyclists , especially on optional climbs. Great company at evening meals. Always helpful, jolly and friendly Clear communications given. Very well organised with food offerings at van meeting points. Geoff S
She was always there when you needed her and a great ambassador for Marmot. Andrew V
She was always fully engaged with the group, always cheery and helpful. Jacci was keen to ensure the trip ran smoothly and was proactive in sorting out any minor problems. She will be a great guide for Marmot. Paul C
Great addition to the team, very attentive and supportive. Justin M
She went above and beyond, coordinated a lot of competing priorities at different times. She was pleasant and professional and a delight to be around. Is a natural. Kat H
James Thompson
Founder & Director
I have had many an adventure on a bike, both road bikes and mountain bikes. I can't remember not having bikes in my life as they offered me independence when I was younger - a free way to travel around the countryside. Cycling from Nottingham, where I was studying Environmental Engineering, home to my parents' place in Cornwall, never seemed like a mad idea at the time. My greatest cycling adventure was a 4000 miles tandem tour from the UK to Jordan.
So you could say that I am passionate about cycling. But this pales in comparison to my passion for providing the best possible cycling holidays for Marmot clients. I love cycling up a col, but I love seeing a client arrive at the top of a col with a huge grin on their face even more. To share in their achievements and to take pride in providing our clients with a constantly evolving and improving the product is my goal.
I love maps and exploring as well as carefully crafting routes that showcase an area. I am a perfectionist and take pleasure in the detail. I still don't know if I am cut out for a desk job, but I do have a head for logistics; getting your support vans, hire bikes and guides to the right place at the right time is like a giant and satisfying game of chess.
I created Marmot Tours back in 2001 as a multi-activity holiday company based in the Pyrenees. I never expected Marmot to grow into what it has become, but I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and will continue to evolve the company to be the best it can be.
What our cyclists say about James ...
Outstanding, as you would expect! Anon
Great sense of humour and wonderful organisational skills. C Gillham
Worked hard. Always seemed to be there when needed. Informal yet treated you like a customer, wanting to ensure we all enjoyed our experience. Sorted out a mechanical issue I had, and quickly got me back on the bike. He really loves what he does and that helps to give a positive and friendly environment. I McKenzie
Fun, knowledgeable, and just so damn competent. Great bike and tech know-how. No minor detail was ignored or forgotten in delivering an amazing trip. G Fleming
Top guy, can see he really enjoys running a tour and loves his cycling. N Gain
Also went above and beyond- great sense of humour, bought extra snacks that were vegetarian, made sure I was eating enough, encouraged me up Angliru, overall really positive person, took great photos and really well organized. K Hall
Well, what can I say, faultless? It's clear James still has a huge passion for cycling and his business. As a business owner myself, it was great to see James take a back seat and let Alan and David get on with it, proper leadership. It's good to see that growth in the business has not diluted the core spirit of a tour with Marmot. M Gorshkov
His passion for cycling and Marmot and its guests is clear to see. Simply, just a real pleasure to have had the boss lead us around, always supportive, always willing to go one step further to make the trip memorable. A Roberts
A fantastic person and guide. Always very supportive and encouraging. An excellent organiser - everything worked according to the plan. D Eilat
Knowledgeable, professional and adaptable. Nothing was too much trouble for James who maintained his calm and friendly attitude throughout the week, regardless of anything that was thrown at him. M Molloy
James made sure that everyone felt included, and was very careful with everyone's allergies and meal preferences - that was very much appreciated! James also has a great sense of humour, is very organized, and is approachable. I feel we were very lucky to have James on our Raid Pyrenean. M Barnet
Levi Crocker
Guide
My name is Levi, and I spent most of my childhood in the United States. I grew up on a horse ranch in Oklahoma, but life quickly took me in other directions after school. I attended a Maritime Academy and became a sailor. With a keen desire to explore the horizon and passion for the sea, I spent 12 years working on different sailing boats and finally moved onto motor yachts. Eventually I would sail around the world twice and finally made my home in Girona, Spain.
Cycling has always been a passion of mine, from a hyperactive little kid roaming around town on a BMX to racing road bikes as a young adult. You could say I traded in my horse for a Cannondale! I started guiding cycling holidays almost a decade ago, first in the U.S. and the last several years I have been showing people the best cycling Europe has to offer. I really enjoy road biking and the stunning tarmac we see in the big mountains, but I also ride a lot of gravel to get back into nature.
Neil Morris
Lead Guide
I was born in the city of Bath in 1977 and grew up in the small town of Nailsworth, where one of my childhood friends introduced me to road cycling. I had previously been a keen BMX’er but soon saw the error of my ways. At the age of 9, using money saved from a paper round starting at 5am, with a heavy bag and involving a 3 mile hill of severe gradient (on said BMX!), even before the first drop, I saved up and bought myself my first racer, as we called them, a Raleigh Winner. Steel framed and heavy, my trusty steed not only made the paper round easier but also took me all over the Cotswolds and, predictably, I started following the Tour de France.
My family later moved to Stroud, a town a few miles away and when I was 18 I decided to go to college and study outdoor pursuits. This led me to the great outdoors, in turn to rock climbing and mountain sports. Cycling took a back seat until 2011 when I began leading groups overseas on trekking and biking tours and I rediscovered my love of cycling.
I worked my first season with Marmot in 2014, interspersed with rope access work, leading groups overseas and working as a safety consultant in northern Iraq. This consultancy work continued full time for most of 2015 and in September that year I left Sheffield, where I had been living for 15 years, and moved to Chatel, where I spent the winter season snow boarding and skiing and generally enjoying living in the mountains. I currently live near Courchevel in the Savoie region of the French Alps, working as an electrician, guiding for Marmot during the summer and leading the occasional overseas trip or nipping back to the UK for a bit of rope access work or to visit the family.
I still rock climb regularly, as it was my main sport for 20 or so years but living so close to so many great climbs (and descents!) gives me a unique opportunity to enjoy some of the best bits of road France has to offer and believe me, I am!
Hope to see you on the road!
What our cyclists say about Neil ...
Very well organised, clear and concise. Good sense of humour and a credit to Marmot. E Graham
Excellent in so many ways and a great sense of humour, clear instructions re routes and tricky descents. S Germon
Neil was great. Calm, just managed everything effortlessly which is the true hallmark of someone who is very good at what they do. I blew myself up on the first day on the first climb (brake caliper rubbing and I didn't know it) It was a big day and I suffered for the rest of it coming in last and not being able to make it down for dinner. Neil came up to my room to check on me and organised a meal in the room which allowed me to recover and then complete the Raid. Great guy and I needed the help. J Carpenter
Excellent knowledge of the area and routes, very accommodating to all requests and helped make it a wonderful and enjoyable trip. L Robinson
Approachable and friendly, and with excellent knowledge of the route which came across along the route and during our evening briefings. Brilliant support, was always where he said he would be on the road. Tremendous workload, seems like a guide's working day is 7am - 10pm. T Dooley
Neil came across as being very knowledgeable about the itinerary and was able to quickly gauge the strengths of the individuals in the group. He was always helpful, always smiling despite some very difficult circumstances. He was able to offer alternative suggestions if I wasn't feeling up to some of the hills and suggested great pick up/drop off points. All in all a very supportive guide. His daily briefings were always great! H Wright
Neil always always calm and ready to help. Like Graham nothing seemed to phase him and another great asset to Marmot. Z Elliott
Sam Parkes
Lead Guide
I'm from the West Midlands, UK.
I'm all for exploring and excitement.
From an early age, I've always loved the mountains and the great outdoors and fortunately my two hobbies fit into that description. Skiing is my oldest hobby; I learnt to ski in French Alps as a toddler... fast forward two decades and I'm now a BASI instructor working in Zermatt for the winters.
Cycling is a more recent interest: a few years ago I was introduced to the sport and purchased my first road bike. Since then, I have enjoyed riding several sportives, building a bike and watching the Tour.
Now I have the opportunity to share my passion with you... see you on a tour soon!
What our cyclists say about Sam ...
Sam provided really great support to Christel and was a welcome face at the top of many a climb. C Golby
Sam is great. Friendly and good fun, very enthusiastic. Although newer to Marmot he has all his ski teaching experience so well skilled at group management and support to individuals. D Junghans
Sam was also great with suggestions and reminders and even knocked on our door once when the alarm failed. I think he hauled a ton of luggage, as did Helen. Sam had the van there at all kinds of spots for water and food and clothing. Anon
Support was excellent, willing, biddable. His ability to play guitar and sing is an extraordinary talent - should be encouraged to do more, earlier on the trip! J Matthews
Again very good, enthusiastic and encouraging, knew exactly what he was doing. Very aware of the difficulties posed by the weather conditions and made sure we were looked after as soon we arrived in the freezing cold at the top of the cols. K Gunning
Fantastic support and good humour throughout. Very flexible and good problem solving when presented with unexpected road closures due to car rally. Worked extremely well with partner guide. Could not have asked for more. T Walter
Sam was great. Kind, considerate, always willing to help, nothing too much trouble, anticipated what we needed and made sure it was there. Sam helped me out on the road. He pulled over on a long climb as I couldn't shift the front chainring. He put the bike into the holder, several minutes later had the issue sorted and I was good to go. I was out on my own with no-one around so it was a little unnerving and a relief to see him hove into view and able to help me. Great guy. J Carpenter
Outstanding. Nothing too much trouble. Always available and enthusiastic. Must be hard at the end of a long season. S Muller
They did a fantastic job in a very difficult week due to the weather. N Brazier
Super enthusiastic and helpful. Provided all of the necessary information to help us plan for each day. Managed to work well with all members of the team. Went out of his way to make life easy for us all and a true ambassador for Marmot. C Scott
Positive, friendly and encouraging. Helpful. Good knowledge about the routes. K Sercombe
Scot Tares
Lead Guide
My dad put me on a bike without stabilisers (there were no balance bikes in the '70s) when I was two years old. I immediately fell off. Undeterred however I got back on and as I grew up bicycles were always part of my life.
I cycled to school, I cycled on my newspaper delivery round and I cycled everywhere in between: bikes were my ticket to adventure and exploration. As kids, my friends and I organised mini-races, built jumps and rode down (on a Raleigh racer) the steep slopes of our local, disused quarry. I joined my first cycling club when I was 14 and did my first race (a 25-mile time-trial) the following Sunday; I came last but loved it all.
Since then I have raced time-trials and road-races, hill climbs and stage races, velodrome and grass-track, XC and Enduro. Over the years I have had so much enjoyment, met so many people and learnt so much from riding bikes that I decided I wanted to give something back. Moving to Highland Perthshire I joined a new cycling club and started organising road races for them. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was organising all sorts of races including multi-stage MTB Enduros.
I am now a British Cycling qualified road and time-trial, track and mountain-bike coach and since 2009 have coached countless young people and adults. I am the head coach at my local youth cycling club and it is fantastic to see so many children getting on bikes and having as much fun as I did at that age. My favourite aspect of coaching is going into schools and running sessions with pupils who haven’t had the same opportunities to get out and ride and see how they engage with the activities. At one school the teacher warned about one pupil who could be very disruptive. During the session, he had a big smile on his face and at the end was one of a few pupils who came to thank me and tell me “I didn’t know that riding a bike could be so much fun”.
And for me, that is why I cycle.
It is great fun and I love coaching, guiding and supporting others to get as much fun out of cycling as I do. See you out on two wheels very soon!
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that I also run my own cycling holiday company, Skinny Tyres, in my homeland Bonnie Scotland.
What our road cycling clients say about Scot ...
One day when it was raining heavily Scot, having already passed us in the van, turned around and dropped back down so that we were able to get our wet weather gear out of the van. This and other similar touches just reinforced the level of support provided on this trip: really first class. G Borton
Scott waiting for me on Madeleine on the last day (as the other riders had long gone as I had fitted in an extra climb), was so kind and appreciated. His "it is important to have someone waiting for you to see you finish your last climb" was very touching and not something I will forget. N Mullet
A real gem that everyone really liked. Energetic and enthusiastic and extremely personable. Always ready and prepared - nothing is too much trouble. We would all like him and Merv when we do the Raid Sardinia next May, please. R Parsons
Very positive at every hour of the long rides. Dealt with some minor problems ( slow puncture, squeaky transmission) with my hire bike. Scott was very helpful by providing first aid kit when I fell off on some gravel early in the week. A Staniforth
Knowledgeable & v supportive. Good at mixing with guests and helping with any mechanical issues. H Gibbs
As ever Scot provided great support and good humour, thanks. R Hart
A great combination of someone you have total confidence in, unflappable, enjoyable to sit and talk with and nothing is too much trouble. Sliced tomatoes and salt were brill. Scott has become a brilliant ambassador for Marmot Tours. N Gillespie
Scot was brilliant, very experienced and friendly and super helpful. The perfect guide really. I Threadgold
Great, he was very knowledgeable on the route and responsive to any questions. Super friendly guy, just what you want in a tour guide. Always in the right spot when needed without having to ask. B Murray
Scot and Katia were helpful, supportive, encouraging, practical etc. etc.etc. In other words, they were excellent. I often thought that they went above and beyond what I would have expected. Without a doubt, their efforts and commitment were a significant help to all the riders in the group. A Taylor
Very passionate guy, honest and very forthcoming with himself as a person, we got to know him well and were the better for it. He knows the climbs and has excellent recall of fun facts and things to look out for both for pleasure and interest but also for safety. He helped us immensely getting set up in the mornings and keeping things working from a tech perspective which is very important when you don't know where you are going. M Rogers
Knowledgeable about the area and always did his best to make the rides interesting and well serviced. Good company in the evening. Nothing seemed too much trouble. R Hall
So much knowledge, encouraging, great natured advice when suggesting someone should not do something... salty tomatoes were a godsend! I've never experienced someone so accommodating and whilst I know it's his job, he genuinely exudes real passion to enable people to achieve their goals in a really enjoyable manner. Amazing fella. J White
Tim Myers
Lead Guide
I was fairly young when I realised I enjoyed helping people & encouraging them to achieve. My mum was a progressive social worker and she organised days out for kids who otherwise spent too much time indoors. I enjoyed the shared experiences and witnessed the benefits of their time in the outdoors. I saw it made made me happy and everybody else too. It was definitely the start of something.
Another passion were maps & atlases which nurtured a strong urge to be nomadic, see the world and meet it's people. Any notions of a career, pension schemes and stability were consigned to the back seat. I travelled, studied and threw myself into a wide range of jobs, exploring all manner of wild places, trekking, climbing, cycle touring. The usual mix of adventure, campfires and personal growth, with a sprinkling of mishaps along the way.
A return to study brought me into the sphere of outdoor leadership & facilitation. I added some qualifications to the kit bag and indulged my passion for personal development, the great outdoors and working with people. Since then I have had the pleasure to work with diverse groups of people - young, old and in between, in some of the most mind-blowing locations on earth, sharing their, growth, experience & achievements… a true win, win situation.
I have been happily settled in France since 2007 juggling life as a carpenter in the Limousin with guiding work for myself & other tour companies. I look forward to meeting you this summer. Although you are spinning the pedals, I will be oiling the cogs to make sure you have a smooth and enjoyable experience.
What our cycling clients say about Tim ...
Fantastic cool, calm, competent, cheerful, charismatic. Couldn't be better. A lovely guy. R Hirst
Tim was brilliant, nothing was ever a problem for him and to meet him halfway up a Col with the back of the van open with all sorts of goodies ready to get you up the second half will live in the memory. P Devine
Professional, encouraging, aware, able, thoughtful.......a whole lot of good things to say. I simply would not have completed the ride without Tim and Graham. Very impressive logistics to seemingly always be around for James & I in our own two-person peloton far behind the other riders and yet also be available for the front peloton. M Yeates
Not only very supportive but had a lot of local knowledge as well. J Wilson
Absolutely brilliant! So relaxed, friendly, thoughtful, motivational and fun. I'd love to know his secret for keeping everyone's spirits up when it starts to rain. Also an inspiring and interesting life story. Thank you so much. M Guy
Very knowledgeable of the island, it's background, culture and language. In addition, Tim was an excellent bike and van mechanic. S Stodart
Spot on, attentive and proactive but at the same time relaxed and fun. R Sharam
Tim is an excellent guide and a wonderful ambassador for Marmot. He anticipates every need, almost before we need it. He kept the whole show rolling beautifully with support available at all of the key points that made the rides spectacular. He managed organization and expectations extremely well. On top of that, he is a fabulous guy who led the show but seamlessly also became "one of the guys". E Boomer
Fantastic support. Very hard working, went above and beyond to ensure our holiday and ride went seamlessly (including a trip to a local; bike shop to fix my bike!). Brilliant guide! S Tobin
Tim was superb throughout the trip from first thing in the morning right through to the end of the day. He was a constant source of encouragement and was calm and cheerful throughout. Nothing was too much trouble for him. G Borton
Tim is simply a lovely man. Very helpful with great communication. Patient, knowledgeable and with a great sense of humour. P Clark
Passionate and enthusiastic. Nothing too much trouble. Worked like a demon and always in good humour! The patience of a saint! S Charles
Special thanks and praise also for our two guides, Heidi & Tim, who were outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble for them, their support was exceptional, their attention to detail and the needs of all the cyclists was absolutely first class. They were friendly, helpful and totally professional throughout. It made for a very memorable trip. J Clapp
Tom Mutton
Lead Guide
I just bloody love bikes - I always have and I always will. Everything about them and everything they bring!
I have worked in the cycle industry for all of my career, from the education sector, working with Sustrans, the national sustainable transport charity, through managing a UK wide cycling brand as a National Cycling Manager in the Leisure industry to working as a Partnerships Manager for the National Governing Body for the sport, British Cycling.
As an experienced club rider and traveller, I am equally happy on a road or MTB and have guided tours all over the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Italy, Sardinia, Mallorca and more.
I am also a tutor and assessor for British Cycling, delivering their L1 & L2 Ride Leadership Awards and their Bikeability National Standards qualifications. I hold a 1st Class Hons degree in Sport & Exercise Science (BASES Cert) and am a qualified Personal Trainer & Coach in Running & Fitness and am the Trainer for GoodGym in Sheffield, a charity that combines getting fit with doing good in your local community!
One of my favourite things about the guiding work I do is the people I meet, helping them along the way and sharing my love of the bike with them.
Qualifications:
British Cycling L2 Ride Leader
British Cycling MTB Leader L2
British Cycling L2 Coach (QCF)
British Cycling L2 MTB Coach (QCF)
Cycling UK Club Ride Leader
Cycling UK Ride Manager
Bikeability – National Standards Instructor Trainer (NSIT)
Cytech L1
ITC Outdoor 1st Aid (SQF L5)
British Red Cross – 1st Aid for Leading Rides
What our cycling clients say about Tom ...
Tom was excellent and really encouraging. As I struggled to the top of Hautacam in the most dreadful of conditions and after coming off Tourmalet - he practically carried out a full service on my bike - tightened the brakes, cleaned the wheel rims etc. Really above and beyond also! Tom R
Tom was an absolute star, very supportive, calm and helpful. Paul D
The crew worked tirelessly throughout and given how long some riders took, they deserve a medal themselves. They are the reason folks book with Marmot and do your company proud. Gary W
Tom was cheerful and helpful at all times. He was always available when needed and nothing was too much trouble. Karen R
Tom was a fabulous guide. Friendly, helpful, excellent in bike maintenance and making sure we had everything we needed for the days ride. I highly recommend him. Julia M
Just - thank you! Always in total control of everything in a completely friendly way. Many thanks for the mech tweaks, bike prep and bag coordination! Ian S
I really appreciated Tom's calm, fuss-free, ego-free manner and found him totally approachable, charming, kind, polite and professional. His qualifications and experience speak for themselves - he's a great asset to your team. Emma J
Tom can never do enough for you. His support on a red route was exceptional. Couldn’t have done it without him. Top man! G Treacy
I arrived with my mech hanging off, Tom took the time to examine fix it. Always there with good humour and a few supportive words of encouragement. Top man!! C Kingsley
Really knowledgeable and friendly and always having a laugh to brighten our day. If all your guides are like these two, then I can't wait to go on another trip. J Beale
Outstanding technical expert. Willingly helped with any problem. N Downing
Tom was a star. Very organised and reliable and a real help with technical support. K Woolley
They're when you needed them, very efficient, and didn't flap when the road was closed. Always approachable and helpful. Think they're the best guides we've ever had on a group holiday. E L
Tom's very calming and reassuring delivery of encouragement was very welcomed at van stops. Always on hand with help and advice with any mechanical issues, all full of praise for his brilliance in getting them through the week. Everyone also appreciated Tom's one liners and magnificent beard. M Howard
Fantastic leader, brilliant mechanic. Tom was completely on it each day and adapted to circumstances. Very personable and supportive. I Nelson
I was impressed by his efficiency in dealing with situations and his quiet confidence and ability to articulate clearly with the group. A great ambassador for the Marmot brand. P Balding
Extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and kept encouraging. Constantly trying to make the trip go smoothly for us all with his hard work ethic. A great, great guide. D Holt
Xavi-Pol Quintana Torres
Guide
I was born in Barcelona in 1991 and moved to Costa Brava with my family in my early days. I studied graphic design and after two years in the field, I realised that my true passions are cycling and hospitality.
Before jumping in to the guiding field I completed a tourism and accommodation management degree in Girona.
I'm a man of many hats: multiple Ironman finisher, photographer, surfer, trail runner, credit card packer, mushroom picker, swimmer and Spanish cuisine specialist. I currently live in Costa Brava during the warmer months and I move to Siberia during winters where I live in a wooden house with my fiancée, embracing some of the coolest winter conditions on the planet.
I'm a passionate Spanish cycling leader with over five years experience in guiding cyclists through Europe’s diverse landscapes. I'm known for my love of cooking paellas, extensive knowledge of local routes, history and culture. I also care deeply about ensuring you have a memorable and safe ride, regardless of your cycling level. I hope my enthusiasm will inspire you to explore European destinations like never before and I'll look forward to supporting you this year!
If you’d like to know more about guiding for us, head over to our page Working as a Marmot Tours Guide.
Our office team
Our office team is no less committed in their quest to find you the perfect cycling holiday experience. We’ve made a deliberate choice to not operate a transactional website: we strongly believe that the personal touch we offer in finding you the right cycling holiday is more valuable than if you clicked ‘BOOK’ from your phone in the middle of the night. Our client liaison team knows our itineraries like the back of their hand, and they’re on hand to answer all your queries by email. They're also at the end of the phone if you'd prefer a personal chat, whether that's because you're wondering whether you're fit enough, or had specific dates in mind and wanted to check availability.
We take planning seriously, and we mean, REALLY seriously! We leave no stone unturned in the preparation of your holiday. Our operations team are total planning ninjas – they live and breathe logistics – so that every eventuality is covered in the crafting and delivering of your cycling holiday. From the carefully planned airport transfers to the re-stocking of snacks and mechanical spares in our support vehicles. From our col profiles detailing elevation gain so you can prepare yourself with sufficient pre-trip training, to the RidewithGPS files and the Marmot app detailing all your daily route options and where you’ll see the next coffee stop. It’s our goal that all you need to think about is turning the pedals and enjoying the ride – we will have thought of everything else, so you don’t have to.
Catherine Cook
Hotel Liaison
It was a love of Natural History that first brought us to the Ariège, France, with our two daughters, then 6 weeks and 2 years old. Many years later we are still here, still rising to the challenge of living and working in France. When I run along trails in the mountains past half a dozen species of orchids or walk by a hay meadow amongst clouds of butterflies I’m reminded of how truly lucky I am.
I hope to meet some of you this year as you pass through the area on your Raid Pyrenean or Classic Cols of the Pyrenees.
What our cyclists say about our holiday admin team ...
The holiday was extremely well organised and the Link was really useful for receiving updates on the trip including road conditions, GPS files, hotel information, airport transfers etc. E Smith
The information provided in advance of the trip e.g. kit lists was most useful. This info & its presentation showed great attention to detail that inspired confidence in how the tour would be organised & run. Rightly so, the organisation was indeed excellent. B Roberts
Excellent - Everyone in the Marmot office has always been so friendly and accommodating with us. Fantastic service, keep it up. Andrew H.
Helen Snell
Operations Manager and Lead Guide
I’ve been working as a Marmot Tours Guide for over a decade and also full-time as Operations Manager since 2018. It is such a privilege to be part of the incredible team at Marmot Tours and to have the pleasure of supporting our cyclists in their mountain adventures.
My career history is strongly entwined with both physical work and the outdoor life, and it includes scientific fieldwork and project management in Alpine and UK mountain ecosystems, sales & customer service in the Pyrenean snow sports industry, and also site management, stone conservation and rope access work in the historic building conservation trade.
I am also a scientist with a solid training in skills such as critical thinking, communication, and data collection & analysis. I hold a 1st class bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, an MSc in Aquatic Biology (Distinction; University of London), and a PhD in Biogeochemistry (University of Aberdeen); I have worked as a post-doc research scientist studying climate change effects on Austrian Alpine ecosystems (University of Manchester).
Despite being born in Somerset, flat places make me feel a bit unsettled and I am happiest when out in the mountains! Whenever I am not busy working on the logistics and health & safety of your next holiday, or refining every single detail of the Marmot product to improve the customer experience, I am usually out in the hills either mountain biking, road cycling, rock climbing, hiking or telemark-skiing.
What our clients say about Helen...
Helen, what a woman, what a personality, always calm and considerate. The group is her main objective, going from safety, van organization during the day, organizing the hotels, the departure, the arrival, making sure everyone made it, making sure no one forgot to eat and drink or forgot to put warm clothing on the descents ... Her nature makes her doing this all not using an impersonal manager style but in warm friendly humane style. P Verhoeven
Happy, friendly, approachable, supportive, organised and other great adjectives. A Stephens
Helen kept everyone well informed and moving along with minimum fuss and great humour. She is clearly a very experienced guide. Even better, she cured my knee pain with some well applied sports tape. Is there nothin' that she cannae do? C Bloomer
Fantastic attitude, great knowledge and incredibly supportive. Made the trip an absolute pleasure. I would not have got over the Tourmalet without Helen. D Crawford,
I already miss Helen. Helen was smart and funny and had a great capacity to enjoy the clients. I expect I am one of the harder to manage, but Helen has a remarkable way of “reading” the situation. If you want to “give it” on a ride, Helen understood and supported that. Helen provided cycling and emotional guidance in a wonderfully deft and professional manner. She is a wonderful ambassador for Marmot. E Boomer
James Thompson
Founder & Director
I have had many an adventure on a bike, both road bikes and mountain bikes. I can't remember not having bikes in my life as they offered me independence when I was younger - a free way to travel around the countryside. Cycling from Nottingham, where I was studying Environmental Engineering, home to my parents' place in Cornwall, never seemed like a mad idea at the time. My greatest cycling adventure was a 4000 miles tandem tour from the UK to Jordan.
So you could say that I am passionate about cycling. But this pales in comparison to my passion for providing the best possible cycling holidays for Marmot clients. I love cycling up a col, but I love seeing a client arrive at the top of a col with a huge grin on their face even more. To share in their achievements and to take pride in providing our clients with a constantly evolving and improving the product is my goal.
I love maps and exploring as well as carefully crafting routes that showcase an area. I am a perfectionist and take pleasure in the detail. I still don't know if I am cut out for a desk job, but I do have a head for logistics; getting your support vans, hire bikes and guides to the right place at the right time is like a giant and satisfying game of chess.
I created Marmot Tours back in 2001 as a multi-activity holiday company based in the Pyrenees. I never expected Marmot to grow into what it has become, but I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and will continue to evolve the company to be the best it can be.
What our cyclists say about James ...
Outstanding, as you would expect! Anon
Great sense of humour and wonderful organisational skills. C Gillham
Worked hard. Always seemed to be there when needed. Informal yet treated you like a customer, wanting to ensure we all enjoyed our experience. Sorted out a mechanical issue I had, and quickly got me back on the bike. He really loves what he does and that helps to give a positive and friendly environment. I McKenzie
Fun, knowledgeable, and just so damn competent. Great bike and tech know-how. No minor detail was ignored or forgotten in delivering an amazing trip. G Fleming
Top guy, can see he really enjoys running a tour and loves his cycling. N Gain
Also went above and beyond- great sense of humour, bought extra snacks that were vegetarian, made sure I was eating enough, encouraged me up Angliru, overall really positive person, took great photos and really well organized. K Hall
Well, what can I say, faultless? It's clear James still has a huge passion for cycling and his business. As a business owner myself, it was great to see James take a back seat and let Alan and David get on with it, proper leadership. It's good to see that growth in the business has not diluted the core spirit of a tour with Marmot. M Gorshkov
His passion for cycling and Marmot and its guests is clear to see. Simply, just a real pleasure to have had the boss lead us around, always supportive, always willing to go one step further to make the trip memorable. A Roberts
A fantastic person and guide. Always very supportive and encouraging. An excellent organiser - everything worked according to the plan. D Eilat
Knowledgeable, professional and adaptable. Nothing was too much trouble for James who maintained his calm and friendly attitude throughout the week, regardless of anything that was thrown at him. M Molloy
James made sure that everyone felt included, and was very careful with everyone's allergies and meal preferences - that was very much appreciated! James also has a great sense of humour, is very organized, and is approachable. I feel we were very lucky to have James on our Raid Pyrenean. M Barnet
Kate Burgess
Finance
Says yes to everything, then works out how on earth to manage it!
I live in rural Devon with my husband, 3 sons, 3 dogs, 2 horses, various chickens, eleventy billion doves and about 14 complete bikes, plus extra bits and pieces everywhere and a new eBay delivery seemingly every other day. My husband and I were tour leaders with James for Exodus in the years before Marmot Tours was born and have been friends ever since. My hubby is a lifetime cyclist who builds retro steel beauties and whose passion means that I shamefully rarely clean my bike or fix a puncture. I took up cycling to see more of him, but usually only see his back and rear wheel, that’s if he’s within sight at all! I love the Dartmoor countryside and hills, walking the dogs, growing veg, working for Marmot (of course), Tae Kwon Do training with my sons, and painting my toenails with all that free time on my hands!
What our cycling clients say about our admin team ...
Very helpful and cheerful. It made booking the holiday easy and a pleasure. Chris
Whenever contacting the office staff by email, whoever I have dealt with, they have always been friendly, helpful and efficient. Terry D
Excellent - Everyone in the Marmot office has always been so friendly and accommodating with us. Fantastic service, keep it up. Andrew H
I have been involved both as a participant and organiser, on both counts, the support from Kate and Sabine has been superb, attentive, good-natured and created a really good connection. Jon W
Kerstin Grunwald-Hope
Client Liason
I have always dreamt of living abroad and left my home country of Austria for pastures new soon after my baccalaureate. Having spent three wonderfully hectic years in London, I moved to Bath for a more relaxed pace of life and to undertake a BA degree in English Literature & Sociology at Bath Spa University.
After my undergraduate studies, I started my professional journey within the travel industry whilst working for a school tour company organising trips to Germany, France and Spain for the next eleven years. During this time, I also left city life behind and have since been taking full advantage of the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, walking and cycling whenever I can. Not too long ago, I combined my love for the great outdoors with my passion for all things literature by completing a part-time MA in Literature, Landscape and Environment for which I looked at the portrayal of animals in science fiction novels of the 1960s (a bit niche, I know :). I am now working on a part-time PhD in Early Modern Literature (maybe even a bit more niche :).
Having joined Marmot Tours in November 2018, I now very much enjoy getting to know our riders and helping them plan their cycling adventures.
What our clients say about our admin team ...
Kerstin was excellent. Responsive and very helpful with my numerous questions. I booked very late, just a few days before we started riding, and yet everything was in place and organised with minimal fuss. Top service.
Responsive and great with the details to help with our prep. Annie & Jem
Always quick to respond to queries no matter how minor they were. Emails very detailed. Lillian
Excellent - Very quick responses to all enquiries I sent to the office and all answers were positive too! Vicki
Excellent - Everyone in the Marmot office has always been so friendly and accommodating with us. Fantastic service, keep it up. Andrew H.
Excellent - Replied quickly to queries. Website is excellent, providing a good resource for information. Alex H.
The office staff were very helpful and responsive to all my questions. Michelle B.
Sabine Depner
Office Manager
Originally from Austria, I came to the UK in my early twenties and have been here ever since, first enjoying a few years of the London hustle and bustle, then, with the arrival of my daughter, opting for a bit more countryside here in the rolling hills of Somerset. I've got a long career in all things admin and organising and have held positions as a Secretary, PA, Administrator and Office Manager in various industries over the years. I joined the Marmot Team in January 2017 and love the company and what we do. We also seem to be having the nicest clients! Generally up for anything that's being thrown at me, I look forward to helping you have a great experience with us!
Outside of work I am passionate about natural health, hiking, bell ringing and baking. Whilst not a regular cyclist myself, I'm proud to say that I've managed to cycle some pretty big hills since working for Marmot, including Mt Ventoux and the magnificent Stelvio (don't ask me how long it took!).
What our cyclists say about our admin team ...
Efficient and accommodating. Flawless. David
Fantastic, swift, prompt and always clear and concise. Couldn't be better. John
Excellent - Everyone in the Marmot office has always been so friendly and accommodating with us. Fantastic service, keep it up. Andrew H.
Very efficient, effective and friendly. Tjalling Y.
Excellent - Always friendly and prompt replies. Penny P.
The support we had from the office was excellent - especially so when we had to change our hotel and routes following road closures. We were provided updates and new accommodation / GPS files with such a quick turnaround. Very impressed. Jake H.
I have been involved both as a participant and organiser, on both counts, the support from Kate and Sabine has been superb, attentive, good-natured and created a really good connection. Jon W.
Sophie Baker
Marketing and Communications Manager
Hailing from North Yorkshire, I spent many happy times walking in the Yorkshire Moors, the Dales, and the Lake District when I was younger, and I’ve loved being outdoors ever since, whether it's in the hills or on the water.
I read English & Linguistics at Bangor University, which gave me plenty of opportunities to explore Snowdonia. After graduating, I spent two years at uni in Newcastle, converting to law and completing my solicitors’ training to follow a legal career. But three months of backpacking on the east coast of Australia at the end of it convinced me that going back to law until retirement would send me to an early grave, so I decided to retrain in marketing via the Chartered Institute of Marketing, allowing me to connect more easily with my creative soul. I began working life in B2B, then moved into the charity sector, working for a couple of national charities and then back to SMEs, where I feel most at home. I initially began working for Marmot Tours in 2017 as a freelance consultant, but in 2019 I jumped in with both feet and I've headed up the marketing and communications ever since.
I'm a married mum of three teenagers and we live in the village of Rode, near Frome in Somerset. When not ferrying kids to rugby or tennis matches, we enjoy family time outdoors, especially walking and bike riding in the Somerset and Wiltshire countryside, and surfing when we get the chance. I love keeping fit and also play regular club tennis, enjoy running, open water swimming as well as a variety of fitness classes, as long as they’re accompanied by some old skool rave tunes. I came to road biking quite late in life and now that I've got more used to the saddle, it's something I'm inspired to spend more time doing, hopefully on Marmot Tours trips! My first epic climb was Mont Ventoux and since then, I've been bitten by the bug. When not keeping fit and being active, I play the ukelele, I love comedy gigs, I fight with the garden, I'm an avid reader and I love tinkering on creative projects.
The best thing about working for Marmot Tours? The people. I'm thankful to be part of such an energetic, passionate, and truly remarkable bunch. The service level and acute attention to detail are quite exceptional, plus the total dedication of everyone who works here, ensuring every single client’s holiday is the very best it can be, in every single way.
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Your feedback helps us get better…
The feedback our cyclists provide is really important to us - yes, really! Whether it’s about the booking process, the hotels we use, the routes cycled, or how our guides supported you - we listen to all comments to ensure the Marmot Tours cycling holiday experience just keeps getting better. To see what our clients say about us, you can check out our page on Trip Advisor.
