Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake 2024

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© reway2007

Racing for cheese may be considered nonsense, but the English call it "tradition." The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is held on the day of the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper’s Hill, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. It is worth noting that the hillside is steep and uneven but that doesn't stop those who wish to participate in competitions, and thousands of people gather to check out this fun action.

The Race

The cheesy "chase" takes off after the judge gives a start and throws a wheel of cheese weighing 3 kg from the slope. After cheeserolling begins a crazy pursuit for the desired head of the Gloster cheese. Participants run, roll, collide with each other, fall, and so on until the finish. Catching the cheese is challenging because it speeds up to 100 km/h on the mountainside. So, the victory goes to the first one who reaches or rolls to the finish. The winner receives the head of the "Double Gloucestershire Cheese."

Schedule of Competitions

The initial race starts at midday. The schedule for 2024 is outlined as follows: There will be a men's Downhill Race, a Women's Downhill Race, and an Uphill Race (a safer choice for children). The first race is scheduled for noon, and the last will conclude around 1 pm. Afterward, there will be a series of casual races, closing the event at approximately 1:30 pm. Preregistering is unnecessary; it's enough to come on-site on time. There are risks involved since the competition is highly traumatic.

Location, Parking & Pricing

The event runs at Cooper's Hill near Brockworth in the county of Gloucestershire, which is 38 miles away from Bristol. You can reach Brockworth from London via the M25 in a couple of hours (108 miles or 173 km). It's a 40-minute drive from Birmingham (63 miles or 101 km) and Oxford (45 miles or 72 km). The best viewing location is halfway up Cooper's Hill. Since the nearest roads to the event will be closed on the day to prevent unauthorized parking, you'll need to park for £5 at Toby Carvery and walk for approximately 20 minutes. There is no cost to attend, spectate, or participate.

History of the Cheese Rolling Gloucester

The Gloucester Cheese Rolling event was initially held on Whit Monday before transitioning to the Spring Bank Holiday. The earliest documented mention of cheese rolling dates back to 1826, found in a message addressed to Gloucester's town crier. This suggests that the tradition had already been established for quite some time, even by that period.