Tar Barrel Rolling
Locals set fire to full-sized tar barrels and carry them through the narrow streets of Ottery St Mary on their shoulders, before rolling them down the hill. Participants wear leather gloves and asbestos aprons. Children get their own smaller barrels. The town smells of burning tar for days.
More weirdness you might like
Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling
Contestants chase a 9lb wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down the near-vertical 200-yard Cooper's Hill. The first person over the finish line at the bottom wins the cheese. Expect broken ankles, bruises, and paramedics. This is the undisputed king of British absurdity.
competitionWorld Gurning Championships
Competitors pull the most grotesque face they can manage while sticking their head through a horse collar (known as a 'braffin'). The tradition dates to 1267 as part of the Egremont Crab Fair. Judges look for the most hideous distortion of features. Dentures are often removed for maximum effect.
fireUp Helly Aa
The Lerwick Up Helly Aa is Europe's largest fire festival. A thousand-strong torchlit procession of Vikings in full regalia marches through Shetland's capital before hurling their torches into a replica longship, burning it to ashes. The night ends with ceilidh dancing until dawn. It's dark, it's loud, it smells of paraffin.