COP26: From Cornwall to Glasgow by horse and cart
- Published
Michael Ransley and Tarateeno the Marvellous stopped for a break on Victoria Road in Glasgow
Michael Ransley and his partner Dr Phoebe Beedell set off from Cornwall for COP26 in the spring of 2019 in a horse and cart.
Along the way to the UN climate conference they travelled on country roads to avoid disrupting traffic.
By the time their horse Tarateeno the Marvellous reached his final destination on Saturday he had averaged 1,500 miles a year.
The 15-year-old cob celebrated by grazing on Glasgow Green.
Over the next fortnight the activists aim to raise awareness of the climate crisis throughout the host city.
We met on Victoria Road, on the south side, just over two miles from the Scottish Event Campus.
Mr Ransley, 59, told BBC Scotland he bought Tarateeno when he was a three-year-old.
Since then they have meandered all over the UK and even crossed the Channel to France.
They originally set off for Glasgow more than two years ago but delayed their arrival until the summit was rescheduled due to the Covid pandemic.
The couple's cart draws inspiration from celebrated teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg
Asked why he had made the journey, Mr Ransley told BBC Scotland: "We feel the politicians are behind the times and are impotent.
"We need to wake them up."
As Tarateeno enjoyed a rest next to a set of traffic lights on one of Glasgow's busiest roads, his owner told me he wants to see a complete end to the extraction of fossil fuels.
Mr Ransley added: "We are standing in a street that is very noisy and polluting.
"I want my grandchildren to grow up in a clean planet where cities are vibrant.
"Look at how much space these cars take up."
Mr Ransley said the couple have wandered round the country, from Shropshire to Stranraer, talking to people about global warming.
They even branded their cart a "climate crisis emergency response vehicle", although he joked: "We don't have to worry about parking."
They have enjoyed spectacular views on their travels and savoured simple pleasures, such as smelling honeysuckles.
Mr Ransley added: "I don't earn a lot of money but I still feel like I am the richest man in the country."
This is the first time they have targeted a COP summit but the couple will be avoiding mass events as they said Tarateeno's welfare is paramount.
The horse attracts admirers everywhere he goes and as we spoke locals asked if they could pet him while others requested a picture with the four-legged activist.
One woman even crossed the road to feed Tarateeno an apple.
Dr Phoebe Beedell has been campaigning for environmental issues for more than 30 years
Dr Beedell, 60, said the significance of the UN summit is unprecedented.
She said: "This is probably the most important meeting in the world ever."
The academic researcher has been involved in environmental protests for more than 30 years and believes a wartime mentality is need to combat the greatest threat of our times.
She added: "I am doing this for my children and grandchildren.
"Action on climate change is a really unifying and liberating process which is what we really need in these divisive times.
"It is something that can bring us all together."
Dr Beedell said the couple have talked to people from all walks of life since they set off for Glasgow.
She added: "We really hope to inspire people and to reach out to people who might not really have climate conversations.
"We capture people's imaginations."
The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.
