Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling 2026

Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling is one of the most gloriously insane events in the British calendar. Every Spring Bank Holiday Monday, competitors chase a 9lb Double Gloucester cheese down an almost vertical hill in Gloucestershire. The gradient is roughly 1:1 in places, which means nobody runs down it — they fall, tumble, cartwheel, and bounce to the bottom while the cheese hurtles ahead at up to 70mph. The event has been happening since at least the 1800s (probably much longer) and attracts thousands of spectators and competitors from around the world. It's free, completely unofficial (there's no formal organiser, safety certification, or insurance — participants compete at their own risk), and utterly magnificent. The St John Ambulance team at the bottom stays very busy. The hill is near Brockworth, outside Gloucester. Get there very early — the hill fills up fast and viewing positions are limited. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy. The atmosphere is festive, funny, and slightly bonkers. There are usually several races — men's, women's, and children's (on a less lethal incline). If you catch the cheese, you keep it. British eccentricity at its absolute finest.