Monkey Mountaineering Management Team

Who are Monkey Mountaineering?

Monkey Mountaineering is family owned and run by:

Sam Marshall

Founder and Managing Director of Monkey Mountaineering

Sam is a member of the Alpine Club and a Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor (MCI) previously known as the Mountaineering Instructors Award - MIA. He also holds the Winter Mountain Leader award.

Sam’s interest and enthusiasm for mountaineering developed from an early age, nurtured initially through the Scouting movement it was then consolidated and further established whilst serving in the Army.

Working up through the ranks and balancing the demands of family life and a military career, Sam was fortunate enough to be involved in expeditions to some of the most extensive, remote and often hostile mountain regions on the globe, spanning all seven continents.

Completing his service holding the highest military mountaineering qualifications, mountaineering has taken Sam on adventures to some amazing places, from first ascents in remote Northern Greenland, attempts at technical and challenging Himalayan peaks, sun baked rock climbing in Thailand and Spain, trekking in Canada, North America and New Zealand through to harsh and demanding ski mountaineering in the Antarctic as well as numerous crags and mountain venues in the UK, European Alps and Norway.

Realising that the mountaineering objective is only a small part of the overall journey, Sam has always tried to learn more about local customs and traditions. It was through these journeys and a desire to share his experiences that sowed the seed for Monkey Mountaineering. Partnering with Jo and Becky has allowed that idea to turn into a reality.

Becky Lindley

When Becky was asked by Sam and Jo to be part of a brand new adventure travel business, her first thought was ‘why me?’ Becky admits to having no mountaineering and trekking experience or training and she’s never really holidayed beyond North Africa, but the idea of a new company offering new experiences through adventure, personal challenges and fun was very appealing to her and she believed in Sam’s commitment, passion and expertise.

Becky loves the outdoors, particularly walking with her family, the Lake District being her personal favourite. For Becky, a weekend spent in her campervan, with her family, walking in the hills is her idea of perfection.

Becky’s professional background and experience is in business administration, management and secretarial. Her role within Monkey Mountaineering is ensuring everything behind the scenes runs smoothly.

Open to new challenges and adventure Becky is keen to learn along the way, but don’t worry, you won’t find her leading an expedition to Everest Base Camp just yet!

Jo Marshall

Jo has always had a passion for sport and the outdoors and, like Sam, was introduced to more adventurous outdoor activities like climbing, canoeing and hiking through Scouting.

Her love of the outdoors rose to the next level when Sam introduced her to mountaineering ensuring that she always felt safe whilst encouraging her to achieve climbs she thought were impossible.

Travelling has taken Jo to wonderful places both locally and worldwide, where she has met amazing people and experienced fun, exhilaration, exhaustion, fear, happiness and achievement along the way.

Time spent travelling and mountaineering have left Jo with fantastic memories and she hopes that, through Monkey Mountaineering, along with Sam and Becky, she can help you make your own memorable moments by providing opportunity for you to have your own challenging adventures.

Jo’s role is to ensure that Monkey Mountaineering offers that little bit extra, that personal touch, so that you get the most out of your time with us and feel safe and cared for whilst having a truly memorable adventure.

Dr Adrian Mellor MD Dip MM FRGS

Medical Advisor and Expedition Doctor

Adrian currently works as a consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist at James Cook University hospital, Middlesbrough, is Visiting Professor at Leeds Beckett University’s Research Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure and a Reader within the Academic Department of Military Anaesthesia and Critical Care.

His research interests include aspects of high altitude physiology and illness, investigating acclimatisation strategies and endocrine biomarkers for disease.

Joining the Royal Navy as a medical student Adrian has had a varied career serving aboard submarines and aircraft carriers as well as at field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A lifelong mountaineer, he has climbed in Nepal, North and South America, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and the European Alps as a military mountaineering instructor and leader of medical research trips.

Glenn Bloomer

Technical Advisor and Chief Instructor

Glenn’s interest in the Outdoors was initially kindled as a child on Dartmoor, walking and climbing with the Scouts before being further developed when he joined the British Army. He quickly realised a deep seated passion for the mountains and adventure which influenced his career decisions for the next 24 years. Transferring to the prestigious Royal Army Physical Training Corps helped him achieve his goal of having a hobby that was his job. Specialising as an Adventure Training Instructor, Glenn held instructional positions at military adventure training centres throughout Europe and the Americas. During this time he led expeditions to Mediterranean ‘hot rock’ venues, the Alps, the Norwegian Arctic, the Canadian Rockies and the Yosemite Valley.

Glenn completed his military Service holding the highest military mountaineering qualifications and the civilian Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (WMCI).

He can now be found on his local gritstone crags of Nidderdale passing on his love of the Outdoors to his children, whilst finding the time to continue his long term love affair with the mountains and in passing on his accrued knowledge and expertise to others.

Who else works for Monkey Mountaineering?

At Monkey Mountaineering we pride ourselves on delivering faultless adventure travel experiences and for that reason our team is handpicked. All our staff, no matter what role they are employed in, are professionally qualified with extensive experience and first-rate customer focus.