Cheese Rolling
Cheese Rolling is an annual event which is held on the Spring Bank Holiday at the Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester, which is in the Cotswolds region of England. This event is traditionally by and for the people who reside in Brockworth, which is a small village, however these days people from all over the world enjoy the festival. The festival got its name “Cheese Rolling“ from the name of the hill which the event happens each year.
This is quiet a risky event in a way, the event was cancelled due to various injuries and safety concerns in the year 2010, however the event still took place during this time, however unofficially, and no major injuries were actually reported this time. The Cheese Rolling is expected to be held again in the year 2011 again.
From the top of the hill a round of Double Gloucester Cheese is rolled, and people who compete, race down the hill after the cheese, well the first person to reach down the hill actually wins the cheese. Well however the competition in theory is to catch the cheese, however it is about one second head start and the speed can also reach up to the speeds of 70 miles per hour, which is good enough to knock the spectators down.
Well it is quiet difficult to get the accurate information about the festival in the history, however the tradition has continued for over 200 years. Every year the feat actually became more and more popular, as the people from all over the globe came to enjoy the event and also to compete.
Well there is a pub which is actually situated near Shurdington, the name of the pub is also Cheese Rollers, it is situated approximately three kilometers from the Cooper’s Hill, however the nearest pubs are The Cross Hands and the Victoria, and both are situated in Brockworth. You can see the competitors, gather in one of these pubs both pre events and also post events, to discuss the tactics or for the discussions of tactics, and also after the event for some convalescence. Cooper’s Hill is also a stop on the Cotswold Way. Well the chess used during the event is actually Double Gloucester, which is a hard cheese and it is manufactured in a typical way in the shape of cylindrical blocks. Well the current supplier for the event is the well known local cheese maker Diana Smart, who has been supplying the cheese for the event since the year 1988.Well at the time of Second World War, the rationing was introduced, and this prevented the use of cheese during the event. However between 1941 and 1954, the wooden block was introduced, instead of the cheese, and instead a piece of cheese kept in hot block for the contestants to chase after.
Well due to steepness of the hill and also the uneven surface of the hill during the event several injuries are reported ranging from sprained ankles, to bone fractures and even concussion during Cheese Rolling. There is always a first aid service during the event, which is situated at the bottom of the hill, which is equipped with volunteer rescue group on hand to carry any casualties down the hill. Several numbers of ambulances are present at the location during the event, as there is more than one injury during the event and require the hospital treatment. Cooper hill Cheese rolling has been summarized as close to twenty young men chase the cheese off the cliff and tumble two hundred yards all the way to the bottom, where they are scrapped by the paramedics and they are packed off the nearest hospital. It was one of the most well known events for quiet a while already, the number of contestants has increased each year and more and are able to run all the four races.
Well the event is all about say cheese, and eat cheese, and when you are an adventure junky and you can experience the ‘milk’s leap to the immortality’, you can literally chase the cheese too. During the May each year, Cooper’s Hill, in Gloucestershire, in England, comes into its own- well in a very big way, the fest attracts hundreds and thousands of cheese lovers, from different locations in England, and also from abroad, most of them are keen to participate in the festival. This festival has been here for a very long time and it is said that the festival actually originated from the Roman fertility rites, even though it is contradictory about how the Romans are related to the festival in England.
At the time of Cheese festival lots of events are organized, during the afternoons on the day of the event, a large mellow, approximately seven pounds wheel of ripe Gloucestershire cheese is rolled to from the top of the hill and eager participants chase down hill to get the cheese. The tracks down the hill are quiet rough and injuries are very frequent in this event. The participants push through and shove in order to reach the downhill first. There are four races and one of them is specially organized for women. Well winners of the race take back the cheese along with them; runner ups get some case award of small cheese. A scramble for cheese, there is a race which is also organized for children, with sweets scattered all across the hill for children as they run around.
For the race there are no entries rules apply, all you have to do is reach the venue and just participate by reaching the top of the hill at mid-day on the day of event. After that it is down race, and well if you will, you own the big cheese.
