Though the winner used to be decided by the first person to catch the runaway dairy, nowadays the victor is simply the first person to cross the line – and they’re awarded the cheese as a prize.
This Gloucestershire tradition takes place annually on Cooper’s Hill, near the village of Brockworth, on the spring bank holiday. Officially an extreme sport, it consists of several participants who chase a three-kilogram wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down an almost-vertical hill. Though the winner used to be decided by the first person to catch the runaway dairy, nowadays the victor is simply the first person to cross the line – and they’re awarded the cheese as a prize.