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The egg rolling tradition on England’s steepest residential street
The steepest residential road in England is holding its annual egg rolling competition on Easter Day.
When the Ordnance Survey officially measured the gradient of Vale Street in Totterdown recently, it was recorded as having almost a 22-degree slope.
The egg rolling, taking place on Sunday at midday, is a decades-long tradition for local residents, who gather at the top of the road and roll hard boiled eggs to the bottom.
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“The one that gets the farthest is the winner,” said 63 year old plumber and Vale Street resident Martin Tillett. “They don’t win anything – just the glory.”
Looking down from the top of Vale Street
Martin, who lives at the very top of the road, said that Vale Street can be a very entertaining place to call home, with car drivers having a particularly hard time getting around.
“People sometimes fail to take into account the steepness, and their handbrake doesn’t hold, then they go careering down to the end and hit whatever’s at the bottom.
“For example, the railings at the bottom were wiped out just a couple of months ago, and had to be put back.”
The top five steepest streets in England:
Vale Street, Bristol, 21.81°
Old Wyche Road, Great Malvern, 17.54°
Blake Street, Sheffield, 16.6°
Steep Hill, Lincoln, 16.12°
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, 16.09°
Read more: 12 historic photos of Totterdown and Lower Knowle
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