No. 2 Roll down a really big hill

Child rolling down a hill in the garden at Sizergh, Cumbria — Child rolling down a hill in the garden at Sizergh | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Rolling down a really big hill is perhaps the best way ever invented to get to the bottom. It's also the most fun. Get out there, find a hill, and enjoy no. 2 of our ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ activities.

What you will need

All you need for this challenge is yourself and a really big hill (the clue is in the name). It can be a hill anywhere, but you're probably going to find it nicer to roll down a soft, grassy hill.

How to do it

Once you've walked to the top of the hill, all you need to do is lie down and then roll your way to the bottom.

As you're rolling down, try to keep your eyes open. What can you see? How does it feel as you go round and round on the grass? Try to make a sound when you roll – what happens to your voice as you go down? It can be hard to do all of this in one go, so you'll probably have to enjoy a few rolls down your hill to find out.

Children rolling down a hill at Polesden Lacey, Surrey — Children rolling down a hill at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

Top tips

Keep your hands and arms as close to your body as you can while you're rolling.
Look out for things you wouldn't want to roll in (like cow poo or nettles) on your way up the hill and plan your roll down so that you avoid any nasties.
Combine this activity with no. 28 climb a huge hill and you'll laugh your way through two of our ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ activities at once.