image: Glastonbury Tor is illuminated in the University of Reading's climate stripes
Credit: University of Reading and National Trust
One of the UK’s most iconic landmarks has been illuminated in the climate stripes, inviting people up and down the country to start conversations about the impact of a warming world on British landscapes and farming.
St. Michael’s Tower, the 14th-century National Trust landmark which stands atop the 521-foot Glastonbury Tor, has been transformed into a display of the world-famous blue and red stripes, shining out over the historic landscape of Glastonbury and Somerset.
The illumination marks Show Your Stripes Day (Saturday 20 June), an annual day of climate awareness. The installation comes as the UK faces extreme heat over the coming days and weeks, bringing additional warming to Somerset and the rest of the country.
The stripes have been projected at the Tor during Glastonbury Festival's fallow year, when the nearbyg landscape is being given time to rest and recover. The installation serves as a reminder that while landscapes can pause and renew, climate change does not take a break. As weather becomes more extreme, climate change is increasingly affecting communities, landscapes and the food we depend upon, including here in the UK.
Professor Ed Hawkins, creator of the climate stripes at the University of Reading, said:
"The Climate Stripes were created as a simple way of showing how temperatures have changed over time. Each stripe represents a year, and together they tell the story of our warming world.
“Projecting them at Glastonbury Tor, one of England's most iconic landmarks, is a reminder that climate change affects all of us and the places we care about.
“But the future isn't fixed. Every fraction of a degree matters, and the choices we make today will influence the climate experienced by future generations.
“One of the things that gives me optimism is seeing so many young people engaging with climate science and sustainability. The next generation of climate leaders is already here, asking questions, seeking solutions and helping shape what happens next.
“Show Your Stripes Day is an invitation to start conversations about climate change and our warming world. Because understanding the evidence is the first step towards responding to it."
Keith Jones, senior climate specialist at the National Trust, said: “Climate change is putting the UK's natural and built heritage under more strain than ever before – and it’s essential that we act now, before the problem worsens. Here in Somerset, like in many parts of the country, we’ve seen what can happen when the weather lurches from drought to deluge.
“But there are reasons to be hopeful. We have the evidence, the solutions already exist, and the British public are strongly in favour of taking action to combat climate change.
“Having conversations about these issues is an important step in tackling the climate crisis, and this initiative from the University of Reading is a brilliant way of getting people talking.”
The climate stripes show the change in average annual global temperatures since 1850. Red stripes indicate hotter years and blue stripes indicate cooler years, against the average of the period 1961-2010.
The climate stripes have become one of the world's most recognised visual representations of climate change, appearing on famous landmarks, public buildings, bridges, festival stages, sports kit, racing cars and artwork around the globe.
Stripes for cities, countries and continents have all been updated using 2025 data and can be downloaded for free at showyourstripes.info. Share images and use #ShowYourStripes on social media on Saturday, 20 June to see other planned Show Your Stripes activities.