Adventurous Kate contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s the last Monday in May on Cooper\u2019s Hill in Gloucestershire, England, and I\u2019m standing on a frighteningly steep slope, ready to watch 25 daredevils hurl themselves down after a wheel of cheese.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling.<\/p>\n \u201cOne to be ready!\u201d calls out the master of ceremonies at the top of the hill.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo to be steady!\u201d <\/p>\n The competitors, laser-focused on the route ahead, steel themselves for the descent. As for me, spectating on the side, my shoes are sinking into loose dirt and I\u2019m hoping I can stay upright long enough to photograph them.<\/p>\n \u201cThree for the cheese!\u201d<\/p>\n At this point, the master of ceremonies throws out a seven-pound Double Gloucester cheese, wrapped in red and blue ribbons. That cheese may reach speeds of 70 miles per hour before it hits the finish line.<\/p>\n \u201cFour to be off!\u201d<\/p>\n And with that, the men leap off the hilltop and race down \u2014 slipping, falling, somersaulting, and getting up again before they\u2019re taken down a second, a third, a fourth time.<\/p>\n Not one of them will catch the cheese. Nobody ever catches the cheese.<\/p>\n This blog post was published in May 2026, based on attending the cheese rolling in May 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n The Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling is an epic event that has been taking place for at least a few centuries. <\/strong>On the UK\u2019s spring bank holiday (the last Monday in May), people line up to watch people hurl themselves down the steepest hill in the region, vying to chase the cheese.<\/p>\n Contrary to popular relief, they are not trying to catch the cheese. It\u2019s a race to the finish line. <\/p>\n (And for most competitors, the finish line is where they are grabbed and tackled by a local rugby player so they don\u2019t end up running into the crowd.)<\/p>\n So how did this crazy event start? Nobody knows for sure, but there are plenty of theories out there. Some speculate the tradition has pagan roots and was a celebration of the beginning of the summer.<\/p>\n You should know that despite its fame, the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese-Rolling is technically an unofficial event, due to the safety risk.<\/strong> Broken bones are common. In 2025, the hospital sent multiple land ambulances and one air ambulance for victims.<\/p>\n And because of this, there is no official organizer, as they would have to take responsibility for the injuries. Consequently, there isn\u2019t an organized safety plan, either \u2014 just written warnings that you put yourself at risk by taking part of this race or even by being a spectator.<\/p>\n There are several rounds of races: four downhill races (three for men and one for women, as some people say, because men are three times more stupid than women), and three much safer uphill racers: for kids (under 11s and age 11-17) as well as mixed adults.<\/p>\n So what does the winner get? The first person to cross the finish line gets to keep the cheese. And, you know, the ETERNAL GLORY that comes with winning!<\/p>\n And the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling got a lot more famous in the last few years, when it was featured in the first episode of the Netflix documentary We Are The Champions<\/em>. My husband Charlie and I loved the episode so much, we immediately decided to attend it ourselves!<\/p>\n Cooper\u2019s Hill is located in the town of Brockworth in Gloucestershire, England. <\/strong>The two closest main cities are Gloucester and Cheltenham, which are easily accessible by bus.<\/p>\n To get to Brockworth, you can either drive or take public transportation. For driving, street parking is strictly prohibited, but there is parking available behind the Toby Carvery, costing 10 pounds for the day. This is right across from the entrance to the public footpath leading to Cooper\u2019s Hill.<\/p>\n For public transportation, there are two main bus lines that run from Cheltenham down the A46 (Painswick Road\/Shurdington Road), which has a bus stop right at the public footpath leading to Cooper\u2019s Hill. These bus lines are the 10 and 166.<\/p>\n Yes \u2014 there is a footpath. This is important.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you ask Google Maps how to get to Cooper\u2019s Hill, it will take you from the A46 up Green Street, a very steep and extremely narrow street, eventually leading you to the hill. It will get you there, but it\u2019s a longer, steeper, and less pleasant journey.<\/p>\n Instead, take the Cooper\u2019s Hill Footpath, which is about three quarters of a mile and mostly uphill. It takes around 30 minutes, but expect it to take longer on the day of the cheese rolling.<\/p>\n The entrance to the Cooper\u2019s Hill Footpath is located to the right of the Shell Station in Brockworth. You can see the sign above.<\/p>\n This is a link to the exact spot on Google Maps.<\/a><\/p>\n There is only one Shell station in Brockworth, but just know it\u2019s across from the Toby Carvery and the Subway. And the 10 and 166 buses drop you off at this intersection.<\/p>\n How early should you get there? <\/strong>We got to the footpath entrance at 9:45 AM and were on the hill by 10:20 AM. It worked out, but I think leaving 20 minutes earlier for a 10:00 AM arrival would have been optimal.<\/p>\n Guess what \u2014 even if you\u2019re only going as a spectator, you will be climbing uphill as well!<\/strong> Cooper\u2019s Hill is just one hill perched on a series of hills.<\/p>\n Once you start on the footpath, you\u2019ll be walking along a flat area next to farmland. Up next, there may be a bottleneck at the gate, as only one person can go through at a time. When walking through the gate, you climb over a rock.<\/p>\n And from there, it\u2019s time to climb, climb, climb up the first of a few hills. The terrain is steep but mostly smooth, though once you get higher, there might be some gnarlier pathways. <\/p>\n (And if it\u2019s a rainy or recently rainy day, expect there to be a lot of mud.)<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t much shade along the route, though you\u2019ll hit some trees closer to the top. This is a good spot to catch your breath.<\/p>\n The good news is that the scenery is absolutely stunning along the way, especially if you get a sunny day like I did.<\/p>\n The bad news is that this path is not accessible to wheelchair users or people with mobility difficulties. <\/p>\n Frankly, I\u2019m not sure if wheelchair users can attend this event in any form, though it would probably be easier for all people with mobility difficulties to avoid the footpath and get dropped off on the road as close to the top as possible. Keep in mind that this road too is very steep.<\/p>\n As soon as you reach the bottom of Cooper\u2019s Hill itself, get ready for pandemonium!<\/strong> Everyone is clamoring for a good spot on either side of the hill.<\/p>\n We arrived on site at about 10:20 AM. Just before getting to the base, there were a few people selling water, ice cream, and a few food items, shouting that this was the last chance to get any food or drink. Further on, there are people selling cheese rolling merch, mostly t-shirts and hats.<\/p>\n We even came across a man giving away free samples of Double Gloucester cheese!<\/p>\n And then comes the hard part \u2014 where is the best place to watch the cheese-rolling?<\/strong><\/p>\n From what I read beforehand, it\u2019s better to watch closer to the bottom than the top. You get a better vantage point that way. And with my goal of getting photos and videos of the event, I decided to stay relatively close to the bottom and stand on the left side (as seen from the bottom of the hill).<\/p>\n Things were more complicated because it was a sunny day. The left side was in the shade, but part of the right side was right in the sun, and looked like it would be miserable standing there on such a hot day (it was a record-breaking 31 C or 88 F that day).<\/p>\n Now this became the toughest part of the day: climbing the side of the hill.<\/strong> I hadn\u2019t realized just how difficult it would be!<\/p>\n The hill was covered with dry dirt, with a thick layer of leaves on top of it.<\/strong> It was like climbing scree on a mountain \u2014 every time I put my foot down, it would sink behind me, and I couldn\u2019t get a good grip.<\/p>\n Before long, I was climbing with my hands as well as my feet, getting so much dirt under my fingernails. I reached out for trees to hold onto.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, I lost my sunglasses on this climb. I knew the general area where I had lost them and ordinarily I would have retraced my steps, but it was so steep and so covered with leaves that I just decided to leave them.<\/p>\n Charlie and I immediately sat down in a spot about 20 feet from the orange fence creating the spectator section, but I moved to the edge just before the races to photograph them.<\/p>\n And while Charlie and I had traction where we were sitting, there was almost no traction where I ended up by the edge. I would switch back and forth between sitting and standing, using the fence to hold myself up. <\/p>\n Eventually, I stood on a tiny tuft of grass, and believe me \u2014 for 90 minutes, my feet held onto that tuft for dear life!<\/p>\n But then came the races. <\/strong>And while each of them were over in seconds, it was so exhilarating being surrounded by people, cheering for the competitors, chanting, \u201cCheese! Cheese! Cheese!\u201d and watching them do the most uncomfortable-looking flips and slides you\u2019ve ever seen!<\/p>\n All in pursuit of cheesy glory.<\/p>\n This year, German YouTuber Tom Kopke won the first men\u2019s race for the third year in a row. He beat Chris Anderson, a local legend who holds the Guinness world record: 23 wins between 2005 and 2022. Anderson actually came out of retirement to run again this year.<\/p>\n And Anderson\u2019s son William was the boy winner of the Under 10s race! Ariadne won the Under 10s for the girls, while the older kids\u2019 race winners were Xander (also part of the Anderson family) and Dotty.<\/p>\n The women\u2019s race was won by Alix Heugas from France. The other men\u2019s races were won by Niels of the Netherlands and Otto of Florida in the US (am I surprised Florida Man won a race like this? NOT ONE BIT!).<\/p>\n And let\u2019s not forget the mixed adults uphill race \u2014 Jamie won for the men, and Ariel Dempsey for the women. And they\u2019re both local.<\/p>\n The Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling is one of the most difficult-to-photograph events I\u2019ve ever experienced.<\/strong> More difficult than Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Songkran in Thailand, Up Helly Aa in Shetland.<\/p>\n You will be shooting people at breakneck speeds, so you\u2019ll need to optimize your camera settings. Either shoot in sports mode, if your camera gives you that option, or shoot at a shutter speed of 1\/1000 or faster in order for it not to be a blurry mess. Make sure your focus settings are correct, as well.<\/p>\n Use a good zoom lens, but you don\u2019t need a safari-like wildlife lens. My lens went from 17-70, and I was happy with the length.<\/p>\n If all you have is a smartphone, you will definitely get photos, but it\u2019s tough to get good ones \u2014 especially at a distance. It\u2019s easy for everything to end up looking grainy and blurry.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, as any photographer knows, sunny weather conditions make things far more complicated.<\/strong> At noon on the very sunny day when the race started, half the hill was in sunlight and half was in shade.<\/p>\n This made it exceptionally difficult to get the light right \u2014 in most of my photos, half of the photo is blown out too bright, and the other half is way too dark.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, a lot of my photos were not salvageable \u2014 but I did the best I could with what I had.<\/p>\n One last thing \u2014 a few friends asked if I brought my Insta360 camera<\/a>, which I love and use often on my travels. I didn\u2019t use it for the Cheese Rolling because the camera is best for selfies and close-up shots with a cool background. It\u2019s not a camera I would recommend for an event like this.<\/p>\n I was glad I was sitting in my position at 10:30 AM<\/strong> \u2014 the fanfare began at 10:40 AM with a woman carrying a maypole, followed by a drummer and a group of dancers, each of them twirling with handkerchiefs in their hand. One of them held up the cheese, wrapped in its blue and red ribbons.<\/p>\n That was it for the pre-festivities. The race started at 12:00 noon sharp, and races took place every 15 minutes, alternating between the downhill and uphill races.<\/p>\n This is the schedule:<\/p>\n And once it\u2019s over, everyone just leaves. Since I was standing next to the fence, I just hopped it and trotted down the hill.<\/p>\n The most important thing is to dress for the weather. <\/strong>I attended the cheese rolling in 2026, which sadly was a record-breaking day for heat in the UK in May, with temperatures hitting 31 C (88 F).<\/p>\n Because of that, I dressed lightly but for sun protection. I wore a light merino wool dress from Wool&<\/a>, topped it with a long-sleeved light button-down I bought in Bristol, and added a baseball cap. I also wore plenty of sunscreen.<\/p>\n (FYI: Don\u2019t be shocked if you see a lot of Brits dressed skimpily and turning bright red. Soaking up every bit of sun you can is a national pastime. But I urge you not to do this. It\u2019s a good way to end up burned and miserable.)<\/p>\n Know that the weather is often cool and rainy, and the hills get VERY muddy. <\/strong>If this is the case on the day you\u2019re attending, dress warmly and wear a hooded raincoat<\/a> (much easier than climbing with an umbrella) and rain pants<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wear good sneakers, ideally hiking sneakers<\/a>.<\/strong> You\u2019ll be climbing a steep hill with very uneven terrain. And once you get to the actual Cooper\u2019s Hill, you\u2019ll be standing on a steep hill of loose dirt if it\u2019s a dry day, or a lot of mud if it\u2019s a wet day.<\/p>\n Bring a water bottle<\/a> \u2014 and perhaps a bit of food.<\/strong> Water is essential, especially if it\u2019s hot out. I ate a decent-sized breakfast and didn\u2019t feel the need for food, but you may want some. Protein bars are great for sudden hunger pangs!<\/p>\n Bring a waterproof picnic blanket<\/a> or something to sit on.<\/strong> Everyone was sitting in the dirt and everyone had telltale dirt marks on their butts by the end of the day. (Except for me. Charlie told me every bit of dirt on my Wool& dress<\/a> brushed right off!) If it\u2019s a rainy or muddy day, you\u2019ll want something waterproof.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget wet wipes.<\/strong> I was constantly brushing dirt off my hands and scraping dirt out from beneath my fingernails. Wet wipes would have been heaven-sent.<\/p>\n A walking stick would have been helpful. <\/strong>Not just for climbing the hill at the beginning, but for holding yourself in place while standing on that steep hill during the competition.<\/p>\n A backpack is easier to carry than a purse.<\/strong> Keep in mind you\u2019ll likely be climbing the hill on your hands and knees.<\/p>\n So you actually want to enter the cheese rolling?<\/strong> Well, okay! Understand that you are risking grave injury and it\u2019s not uncommon for people to break bones at this competition.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s something that gets left out of the Cooper\u2019s Hill cheese rolling coverage: not everyone who plans to race actually gets to race.<\/strong> There are four downhill races \u2014 three for men, one for women \u2014 and they are each capped at 25 participants.<\/p>\n In 2026, more than 250 people showed up wanting to race. Inevitably, it led to disappointment.<\/p>\n If you want to race, show up at the top of the hill and make yourself known to the organizers. I would recommend getting there by 10:00 AM at the latest.<\/p>\n And if you don\u2019t get to race, you\u2019ll be allowed to run down the hill independently at the end. Plenty of would-be entrants did that instead.<\/p>\n And be sure to dress for hurling yourself down a hill.<\/strong> Dress comfortably for athletic activity. Some of the more serious competitors wore athletic onesies, and they looked very comfortable.<\/p>\n You may want to wear a helmet \u2014 plenty of people wore them. Wear shoes that are tightly fastened to your feet; a bunch of racers lost shoes along the way.<\/p>\n And please don\u2019t carry a camera while running. Everyone who did that looked ridiculous and really struggled. If anything, wear a GoPro with a chest strap<\/a> so your hands are free.<\/p>\n Do people wear costumes for the cheese rolling?<\/strong> Only a few did. Apparently someone wears Borat\u2019s mankini every year. This year he had shorts on over it. BRING BACK THE FULL MANKINI!<\/p>\n As soon as the final race took place, that was it \u2014 there was no ceremony or anything else, and everyone began to leave.<\/strong> A tiny bit anticlimactic.<\/p>\n Since I was standing on the edge of the hill, just behind the orange fencing, I hopped over it and headed down the hill, trotting a bit at the end. There! I technically rolled, too!<\/p>\n Charlie and I rejoined the hordes at the bottom of the hill and slowly made our way past the fencing, the merch sellers, and the ice cream sellers, until we began heading down the hill.<\/p>\n And from this angle, we really appreciated just how beautiful the view was. Gloucestershire is SO beautiful!<\/p>\n Once we had finished the path, we decided to hop on the bus to the Cheese Roller\u2019s Pub<\/a>, located in the town of Shurdington. Both the 166 and 10 buses were running regularly, so we hopped on the 166 bus and were there a few minutes later.<\/p>\n The Cheese Roller\u2019s Pub is not the official after-party for the racers, despite its name \u2014 but lots of cheese-rolling spectators headed here after, which gave it a convivial atmosphere. <\/p>\n Plus, there was some cheese rolling memorabilia there, including a cheese rolling-themed beer on tap and a tribute to Chris Anderson!<\/p>\n As it was a beautiful day, the back garden was in full swing, with tons of picnic tables out.<\/p>\n At one point a little boy came in with his family, his eyes wide, clutching a ribbon-wrapped wheel of cheese. It was so cute!<\/p>\n By then we were quite hungry, and we immediately mauled some chicken fingers, fried mac and cheese bites, and chunky chips. After a few hours, a few ciders, and two waffle cones from the ice cream truck, we headed back to our hotel.<\/p>\n There are plenty of hotels close to Cooper\u2019s Hill \u2014 some within walking distance, and a great many within a short bus ride.<\/strong> My top recommendation is to stay in a place where you can either walk or take the bus to the Cooper\u2019s Hill footpath so you don\u2019t have to worry about driving.<\/p>\n On my trip I stayed at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel and Spa<\/a>, which was SO close (just a five-minute walk from the Shell station and the start of the walking path). Unfortunately, I can\u2019t recommend it.<\/p>\n The bed was extremely soft and sloped strangely, pointing up like a triangle. I\u2019ve had soft beds before, but never sloped and pointing like that, and I was a bit uncomfortable after one night and in pain after two nights.<\/p>\n We showed up at 5:00 PM and housekeeping still hadn\u2019t been done; we could finally check in at 6:00 PM and the hallway was covered with trash and dirty linens. One night we had a dinner reservation at 7:30 PM, but an hour after we were seated, our server sheepishly told us they hadn\u2019t even started cooking yet.<\/p>\n For what it\u2019s worth, the hotel did refund us 30% when I brought these issues to their attention, and the pool and spa area was nice, if basic. But I wouldn\u2019t want to stay there again, and for that reason I can\u2019t recommend it to you.<\/p>\n Here is where I would recommend staying instead<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Premier Inn Gloucester (Little Wicombe)<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 This would be my first choice of where to stay. I am a big fan of Premier Inns and have stayed at many across the UK. They are affordable and simple, but consistent with decent beds (though you\u2019ll want to spring extra for the fast wifi). This one is an 11-minute walk from the entrance to the Cooper\u2019s Hill Footpath.<\/p>\n The Greenway Hotel & Spa<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 If you want a luxurious place to stay, this is an absolutely gorgeous manor with an indoor pool, jacuzzis, a fine dining restaurant, and beautifully appointed rooms. It\u2019s right on the bus route to the Cooper\u2019s Hill Footpath.<\/p>\n The George<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 If you\u2019d rather stay in the nearby city of Cheltenham (which is lovely, especially if you want spa time or shopping time!), this chic, modern design hotel is close to the bus that takes you to Cooper\u2019s Hill Footpath.<\/p>\n Where else should you go near Cooper\u2019s Hill to make it a full trip?<\/strong> You could stay in London the whole time if you wanted to, but I suggest you explore southwest England instead! There are SO many wonderful places to visit that can be tacked on to the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling.<\/p>\n And while some of these places are best experienced by rental car, like the Cotswolds, and South Wales, you can also explore Bristol and Oxford perfectly well by train!<\/p>\n Here are a few of my suggestions:<\/p>\n The Cotswolds are an absolutely gorgeous region a stone\u2019s throw from Cooper\u2019s Hill. <\/strong>If you\u2019re attending the cheese rolling but also want to experience some of the most beautiful small villages in England, the Cotswolds is the place you should prioritize.<\/p>\n In terms of towns to visit, I love the beautiful waterside area and outdoor pubs in Bourton-on-the-water; the busier, more local feel in Cirencester (SIREN-sester); the quiet of Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter; and the quiet elegance of Moreton-on-Marsh.<\/p>\n The Cotswolds are best explored by a rental car<\/a>. We stayed overnight at the Slaughter Country Inn<\/a> in Lower Slaughter and liked the property and appreciated staying overnight somewhere nice and quiet. <\/p>\n On an earlier trip to the Cotswolds, I stayed at The Manor House<\/a> in Moreton-on-Marsh, which was beautifully appointed and located right in town.<\/p>\n In terms of small-town village life, you can\u2019t do better than the Cotswolds.<\/p>\n Bristol is such a cool city \u2014 and it really flies under the radar compared to other British cities!<\/strong> If you\u2019re a city person who loves dining and shopping and nightlife and exploring neighborhoods, I think you should take the time to explore Bristol!<\/p>\n The absolute highlight of our time in Bristol was eating at Wilson\u2019s<\/a>, a Michelin-starred restaurant featured in the Apple TV+ series Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars<\/em>. Charlie and I do a decent amount of fine dining and this was one of the best meals either of us has EVER had. Every course had us saying, \u201cWow.\u201d Advance reservations are essential; we booked months in advance.<\/p>\n In addition to Wilson\u2019s, we enjoyed checking out the Clifton Suspension Bridge and its observatory before hiking beneath it in Leigh Woods, wandering the indie shops on Gloucester Street, enjoying some ciders on patios, and checking out the waterfront, including touring the S.S. Great Britain. We also had a great modern Indian dinner at Nutmeg Street Kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n We stayed at the Novotel Bristol Centre<\/a>, which was comfortable, in a decent location, and had its own parking garage.<\/p>\n Bristol is a place we will definitely be visiting again. If only to eat at Wilson\u2019s!<\/p>\n Bath is a city located close to Bristol, and it has one major attraction: the Roman Baths!<\/strong> Yes, these baths have been here since Roman times!<\/p>\n If you want to actually bathe in Bath, be sure to visit the Thermae Bath Spa, as it\u2019s the only place in the UK where you can bathe in naturally hot spring water. Beyond that, Bath has beautiful Georgian architecture and is a lovely place to wander around for a bit.<\/p>\n I personally haven\u2019t been to Bath since I was 17 years old and on my first trip to England EVER (I\u2019ve now had dozens if not hundreds of visits and a few stints living there too!), but I remember enjoying it quite a bit.<\/p>\n Bath is a popular choice for day trips from London, but you can enjoy it much more if you stay overnight. I personally enjoy staying overnight in popular day trip destinations; it really shows you a different side of the town once everyone else goes home.<\/p>\n Oxford is in the perfect position \u2014 it\u2019s right between London and Cooper\u2019s Hill, making it a great place to check out for the day or even overnight. <\/strong>And it happens to be easy to get to by train.<\/p>\n I visited Oxford a few years ago and really enjoyed my overnight there!<\/p>\n Oxford is a university city, and the place has a fun youthful air and lots of cool shops, food markets, and restaurants. It\u2019s also a filming location for many of the Harry Potter films, and if you\u2019re a fan, you\u2019ll recognize a lot of it! You can also tour some of the colleges of Oxford.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss punting down the river Cherwell. You can punt yourself, or hire a driver to take you down the river.<\/p>\n Now, this might be a bit unexpected \u2014 but Cooper\u2019s Hill is actually a short drive from the south of Wales!<\/strong> I really love this part of Wales. <\/p>\n You can visit the city of Cardiff, but even closer is one of my favorite places in the UK \u2014 Hay-on-Wye, the used bookstore capital of the world! It\u2019s a delightful town, and you will be in heaven if you\u2019re a reader!<\/p>\n If you feel like going further afield, the Pembrokeshire coast is absolutely gorgeous. I really enjoyed the town of Tenby but would like to see much more of that region. And if you\u2019re going further afield than the cities, it\u2019s best to have a rental car<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can read about my full South Wales road trip here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Charlie and I planned an extra-long weekend, flying into London Heathrow on Thursday and flying out on Tuesday.<\/strong> We visited a lot of places at a very fast pace \u2014 faster than what I usually recommend to people \u2014 so I am going to show you what we did, with the caveat that I\u2019d recommend most travelers go a bit slower.<\/p>\n Thursday: <\/strong>We landed at 11:00 AM, picked up our rental car, and drove to the town of Henley-on-Thames, where we got lunch at a pub overlooking the Thames. We drove to the Cotswolds next and visited Stow-on-the-Wold and Burton-on-the-water before getting to Lower Slaughter, where we stayed overnight at the Slaughter Country Inn<\/a>.<\/p>\n Friday: <\/strong>After breakfast, we walked from Lower Slaughter to Upper Slaughter and back (about an hour), drove to the lively Cotswolds city of Cirencester, and briefly checked out the town of Tetbury before driving to Bristol and checking in at the Novotel Bristol Centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n That evening, we ate at the Michelin-starred Wilson\u2019s<\/a>, which is one of the best meals either of us have EVER had in our life, and I recommend to any foodie. <\/p>\n Saturday: <\/strong>We spent the whole day in Bristol, checking out the Clifton Suspension Bridge and its observatory, hiking through Leigh woods, eating food, shopping, and checking out the cool shops on Gloucester Street before getting a fabulous modern Indian dinner at Nutmeg Street Kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Four](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Women-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x697.jpg\"\/)
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<\/figure>\nWhat is the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling?<\/h2>\n
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How to Get to Cooper\u2019s Hill<\/h2>\n
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Walking the Path to Cooper\u2019s Hill<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Food-and-water-stand-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x781.jpeg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Food-and-water-stand-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x781.jpeg\")
How to Watch the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling as a Spectator<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Man-with-Gloucester-cheese-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpeg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Man-with-Gloucester-cheese-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpeg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/People-in-a-crowd-watching-the-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/People-in-a-crowd-watching-the-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-and-Charlie-Cheese-rolling-seat-1024x770.jpg\"\/)
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-and-Charlie-Cheese-rolling-seat-1024x770.jpg\")
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-cheese-rolling-position-1024x795.jpeg\"\/)
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-cheese-rolling-position-1024x795.jpeg\")
![\"Kate's](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Tuft-of-grass-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-768x1024.jpeg\"\/)
![\"Kate's](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Tuft-of-grass-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-768x1024.jpeg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Adults-uphill-race-cheese-rolling-Coopers-Hill-1024x683.jpg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Adults-uphill-race-cheese-rolling-Coopers-Hill-1024x683.jpg\")
Photographing the Cheese Rolling<\/h2>\n
![\"Racers](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bad-Light-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x683.jpg\"\/)
![\"Racers](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bad-Light-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"Women](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/May-Day-Dancers-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"Women](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/May-Day-Dancers-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\")
Cheese Rolling Schedule and Timing<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-at-Cheese-Rollers-Sign-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-at-Cheese-Rollers-Sign-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\")
What to Wear and Bring to the Cheese Rolling<\/h2>\n
![\"Several](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Men-racing-down-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x673.jpg\"\/)
![\"Several](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Men-racing-down-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x673.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nHow to Enter the Cheese Rolling<\/h2>\n
![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Gloucestershire-view-near-Coopers-Hill-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Gloucestershire-view-near-Coopers-Hill-1024x768.jpg\")
Leaving the Cheese Rolling<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheese-Roller-Pub-1024x745.jpeg\"\/)
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheese-Roller-Pub-1024x745.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheese-Rollers-Pub-Chris-Anderson-1024x756.jpeg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheese-Rollers-Pub-Chris-Anderson-1024x756.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheltenham-Chase-Hotel-and-Spa-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cheltenham-Chase-Hotel-and-Spa-Coopers-Hill-Cheese-Rolling-1024x768.jpg\")
Where to Stay For the Cooper\u2019s Hill Cheese Rolling<\/h2>\n
Top-Rated Hotels near Cooper\u2019s Hill<\/h3>\n
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-Phone-Booth-UK-768x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-Phone-Booth-UK-768x1024.jpg\")
Beyond Cooper\u2019s Hill: Your England Itinerary<\/h2>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cotswolds-Lower-Slaughter-England-1024x667.jpg\"\/)
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cotswolds-Lower-Slaughter-England-1024x667.jpg\")
Cotswolds<\/h3>\n
![\"Row](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bristol-England-Colorful-Houses-1024x672.jpg\"\/)
![\"Row](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bristol-England-Colorful-Houses-1024x672.jpg\")
Bristol<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bath-England-1024x684.jpg\"\/)
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bath-England-1024x684.jpg\")
Bath<\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Oxford-Tower-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Oxford-Tower-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nOxford<\/h3>\n
![\"Rows](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/image20-1024x683.jpeg\"\/)
![\"Rows](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/image20-1024x683.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\nSouth Wales<\/h3>\n
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-and-Charlie-with-drinks-1024x768.jpg\"\/)
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.adventurouskate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kate-and-Charlie-with-drinks-1024x768.jpg\")
Our Long Weekend Itinerary<\/h2>\n