How very British!

Quirky, idiosyncratic, and often a fine excuse for a pint or two, Britain's annual events and festivals illustrate the richness of the country's history and the depth of its diversity. Indeed, few things give such an insight into what it is that makes the British tick

Rough Guides have rounded up ten of the most weird and wonderful local British celebrations:

  1. Burning of the Clavie - a burning tar barrel is carried through the town of Burghead, Moray, and then rolled down Doorie Hill. Charred fragments of the Clavie offer protection against the evil eye (Jan 11th).
  2. Whuppity Scoorie - local children race round Lanark church, beating each other with home-made paper weapons in a representation (it's thought) of chasing away of winter or warding off of evil spirits (March 1st).
  3. World Coal-Carrying Championship - annual race to carry 50kg of coal a mile through the village of Gawthorpe, West Yorkshire to be crowned "King of the Coil Humpers" (Easter Monday).
  4. Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle-kicking - barmy and chaotic village bottle-kicking contest at Hallaton, Leicestershire (Easter Monday).
  5. Padstow Obby Oss - processions, music and dancing through the streets of Padstow on May Day that can be traced back to fertility rites in the distant past (May 1st).
  6. Brockworth Cheese Rolling - pursuit of a cheese wheel down a murderous Gloucestershire incline (late May Bank Holiday Monday).
  7. Man versus Horse Marathon - held in Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales, 22-mile race between runners, cyclists and horses: a human won for the first time in 2004 and pocketed a cool £25,000 (Mid-June).
  8. World Worm Charming Championships - annual world championships of worm-charming and other zany pastimes, held at Willaston, Cheshire (end of June).
  9. Swan Upping - traditional ceremonial registering of cygnets on the river Thames between Sunbury and Pangbourne (3rd week of July).
  10. World Bog-Snorkelling Championships - also held in Llanwrtyd Wells, the festivities include a mountain-bike bog-leaping contest (August Bank Holiday Monday).

For full listings of festivals around Britain see The Rough Guide to Britain (£16.99), The Rough Guide to England (£15.99), The Rough Guide to Scotland (£12.99) and The Rough Guide to Wales (£11.99).