Pace-egging or Egg Rolling
In the United Kingdom the tradition of rolling decorated eggs down grassy hills goes back hundreds of years and is known as "pace-egging", from the Old English Pasch meaning Pesach or Passover. In Lancashire there are annual egg rolling competitions at Holcombe Hill near Ramsbottom and Avenham Park in Preston. Egg rolling has been a tradition at Avenham Park for hundreds of years, but in recent years chocolate eggs have been used.
Other traditional egg rolling sites are the castle moat at Penrith, Bunkers Hill in Derby, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, and on Penshaw Hill in Tyne and Wear at Penshaw Monument.
The eggs traditionally were wrapped in onion skins and boiled to give them a mottled gold appearance (although today they usually are painted) and the children competed to see who could roll their egg the farthest. There is an old Lancashire legend that says the broken eggshells should be crushed carefully afterward or, they would be stolen and used as boats by witches. The eggs were eaten on Easter Sunday or given out to pace-eggers – fantastically dressed characters who processed through the streets singing traditional pace-egging songs and collecting money as a tribute before performing traditional mumming plays. At the Wordsworth museum in Grasmere there is a collection of highly-decorated eggs made for the poet’s children.
In Scotland, pace-eggin is traditional from Shetland to the Borders although the day varied with location, pace-egg day variously the prior Saturday, Easter Sunday, or Easter Monday. Paiss-braes, hills, were used or other grassy slopes or areas such as seaside links. There is some variation in the spelling and pronunciation of the term pace, including also pash and peace.
Pace-egging - CCC & LEC Style
This is an opportunity to do something on a day of rest and in honour of this day of rest even if it is a day or so early!
There should be a congregation of people for an egg rolling challenge
Usual Geocaching Event Items
The Log Book to sign to say you attended, of course you could bring a decorated blown egg to hang on the Ostereierbaum
A box into which Travel Bugs and Coins can be placed for discovery or swapping
People to answer questions about the pastime
People to answer questions about caches that are eluding you
Event Specific Items
At Maidenbower, Crawley.
It is an outdoor event, from 10:30 to 11:30
Wear appropriate clothing
There will be a shelter, not neccasarily big enough for everyone
There is a Car Parking the local streets
There is a dedicated Pace Egging Track - See the Movie - Egg Rolling - https://youtu.be/yW19ZeUHhRQ
Challenging Egg Classes - Hard Boiled Chicken Egg, Blown Chicken Egg, Chocolate Chicken Sized Egg, Large Eggs, Open / All Comers Class.
Ideally you will turn up with eggs of the type you want to race in - ID Labels will be added to racing eggs
If you intend to participate in the egg rolling and cannot be there in person. Then let me know and a chocolate chicken sized egg will be labelled with your name on it. While you should be able to watch all the races via a Zoom Link . This does NOT entitle you to log the this event as attended.
There wiltl be a reward for the class winners
There will be thew Classes - The Races for the Locals, The LEC, The Guests (The Zooming People) and Allcomers (All Eggs Racing)