The things we do for cheese

“Spring Bank Holiday,” which falls on the last Monday in May, is a United Kingdom institution unfamiliar to many Americans … And then there’s the way some of the English choose to spend it: In Gloucester, they’re gearing up for the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake. The annual event is marked by chasing a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese as it tumbles down a 200-yard meter hillside. The trick is staying upright — the hill is at a 50% slope and most contestants wipe out as they pursue the cheese wheel, which has a one-second head start and the advantage of being the optimal shape to pick up momentum on the journey (the above image is from 2017, a particularly wet and muddy year. The first person to cross the finish line is awarded the cheese in a tradition that might date back to the 15th centuries but has certainly been around since the 1800s.

The race is not without risks; in some years, there have been injuries beyond just bumps and bruises. One winner was awarded the cheese even though she technically was unconscious by the time she crossed the finish line. The event itself has taken its lumps as well — the inherent danger has put the tradition at risk, along with race overcrowding in some years as the festival grew in popularity. Organizers have tried a ticket system and a substitute foam “cheese” wheel (the real thing tends to pick up enough momentum to put bystanders at risk), and the race’s future is uncertain. But it’s on the calendar for May 25, and if you’re not in the Gloucester neighborhood, you can check the community’s Facebook page for updates and results.