Cheese Rolling, Gloucestershire UK
Travel to the bizarre festival in Cooper’s Hill, England in May.
Britain has plenty of wacky events and eccentric festivals, but chasing cheese down a hill at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire every May is up there with the strangest.
Organised by a committee of local residents, no-one quite knows why the event takes place, but as with all the best traditions, it still does anyway. Who needs a good reason for this sort of thing?
On the day, there are four races (one for the ladies), and anywhere between two and twenty competitors line up at the top of the hill. The MC will invite a special guest to sit at the top of the hill, and will then count to three. After three, the guest ‘roller’ will release the eight pound Double Gloucester cheese, which then rumbles down the hill at high pace.
The MC will then shout: “Four to be off!” and the racers will head off down the hill, attempting to catch the cheese. This, of course, is virtually impossible, but it doesn’t stop people going after it at a breakneck speed. The first to make it down the hill is given the cheese as a trophy, although it probably could do with a bit of cleaning before it’s eaten.
Just in case you thought chasing cheese wasn’t silly enough, take one good look at the hill it hurtles down. This is not a gentle little number – it’s excessively steep. Under any normal circumstances, people would be stepping down it gingerly, taking time to ensure that they have got a proper grip, and probably using their hands for balance.
On cheese rolling day, caution gets thrown to the wind, and people try and head after the prize at top speed. This can often lead to a few nasty injuries, as ankles don’t tend to like that sort of thing.
Anyone wishing to take part should possibly see a psychiatrist first, but if you’re determined, there’s no need to fill in any entry forms. Simply turn up on the day, head to the top of the hill and take a massive gulp.
Cooper’s Hill is between the three towns of Cheltenham (about six miles away), Gloucester (about six and a half miles away) and Stroud (about eight and a half miles away). It’s just off the A46, if you’re planning to drive there.
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