SIDEBAR

The Wrekin Barrel Race

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Jun 16 2009

Over two centuries ago beer barrels would have been hauled up The Wrekin (a very big hill in Shropshire) to oil the rowdy wakes celebrations at the top. These days they are part of a local sporting challenge as both individuals and teams battle it out to be the fastest to the top with a full firkin.

Unfortunately the race is a much less drunken affair, with ale replaced by water. Shame really, because if I’d carried a 9 gallon barrel, filled to a weight of approximately 50kg, up a vertical distance of 240m (800 feet) and a path distance of 1.8km (that’s over a mile), I’d want a pint when I got there! Especially if I’d just done it in a pair of pants, or jock-straps as was the most outrageous (lack of) fancy dress worn by the boys below on Sunday. Nice.

 

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About this blog

The vast majority of posts in this blog are about quirky & eccentric competitions & festivals. I started it in 2006 in France with a competition I’ll never forget. Where contestants battle it out to become the World Champion Pig Squeeler, or ‘Cri du Cochon’. I had little knowledge back then of quite how far my pursuit of these kind of events would lead me. I’ve travelled all over Britain (and occasionally further afield) to capture our curiosities and quirks. There’s nothing uniquely eccentric about the British, you’ll find people all over the world up to all sorts of weird and wonderful activities, but we do have a remarkable capacity to embrace the madness. ‘A Brit Different’ is the book that was born from it, my labour of love! So what next? There’s always something interesting going on, so watch this space, only time will tell!

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