A COUPLE from just outside Brampton will cycle more than 300 miles to attend the next big Extinction Rebellion disruption.

Today, Peter Lloyd and his wife Chris will embark on an epic journey from Carlisle to London to take part in Extinction Rebellion’s October Rebellion.

“My wife and I thought we would cycle down to the Extinction Rebellion in London because it is a low carbon way of travelling,” Peter, 67, from Hallbankgate, said.

On the way, they will be staying in the homes of generous people who wish to support the pair on their road to rebellion.

They are also hoping to pick up many more cyclists along the route, which will take them from Carlisle to Birmingham to Oxford and then finally London.

Since putting the word out on social media, they have heard from families and other cyclists who would like to join them for part of the way.

“What we’re hoping to do is travel down to London like a snowball gathering people on the way.

“There are a lot of people between here and there, it would only take a dozen here and half a dozen there joining us on the way down.

“It will be fantastic,” he added.

The pair are veterans when it comes to long bike journeys having travelled via bicycle from Hadrian’s Wall to the Great Wall of China.

Peter likens the climate crisis to a building that is on fire - a comment borrowed from climate activist Greta Thunberg - but nobody knows what to do.

He remarked: “What is so annoying is that everyone is just sort of standing around saying ‘the building is on fire, what are we going to do about it?’.

“The fire alarms are all ringing and people are standing around wondering what to do.”

This is the first large scale disruptive action that Peter will have taken part in.

He feels compelled by a sense of paralysis to take part in the non-violent direct action that Extinction Rebellion has become known for.

“I think like a lot of people I feel very powerless so I just thought what can I do?”

This can be a little daunting as Extinction Rebellion has become well-known for blocking roads, gluing themselves to trains, and locking onto buildings.

“It’s all new to me, and I’m a little bit nervous about it, to be honest,” he admitted. “But, I think it is that important.”

Extinction Rebellion hosts seasonal rebellions which disrupt major cities as they believe the government can’t ignore their demands that way.

Peter remarked: “I think marches are fine but governments take very little heed of marches.

“History has shown that governments, and politicians, do take some notice when people take non-violent direct action like the Suffragette movement.

“If that is the only way to make the government listen well so be it.”

Criticism is often hurled at climate activists for travelling to action days via car or train, when some people are physically able to take to their bicycles for the journey.

“It seemed fitting to travel to that kind of thing by bike,” Peter added.