The 'Bull Running' or to give it its correct title, 'The Festival of San Fermin' commences on the sixth, when the Mayor officially announces to the thousands of eager visitors, that the festivities have begun. A rocket is launched and the party is under way.

No-one is quite sure when the festival originated, but the evidence seems to point to the thirteenth century when some kind of bull related events occurred in October. San Fermin is in fact a religious festival, but these days it has become an excuse to sing and dance and have bulls chase you of course. The event was moved to July by the Town Council of 1591 who decided, that if you're going to be trampled by a couple of tons of bull, you may as well be warm whilst you're doing it. The starting date has remained fixed ever since.

It seems that foreigners were visiting the festival as far back as seventeenth century when the local clergy became concerned about 'the abuse of drink and the permissiveness of young men and women'. Not a lot changed there then. Fairground attractions made an appearance in the nineteenth century, including human cannonballs. Well I suppose that's one way to beat the bulls. In 1926 Ernest Hemingway told the world of the Bull Running in his book 'The Sun Also Rises', causing a surge of popularity for the event.

The Bull Running course is 825 metres long, with the run lasting around three minutes. It ends in the bullring where the bulls will fight in the afternoon. Six fighting bulls along with two herds of bullocks and a contingent of mad humans run the course every morning at 8AM from the 7th to the 14th of July. A rocket is fired and the gates to the corral are opened, then a second rocket confirms hat the bulls have left. A third rocket indicates that the bulls have entered the bullring, whilst a fourth signals that the bulls are in the bullpen and the 'Run' is over. If you have been participating, now would be a good time to have a count up of the family jewels, just to make sure everything is in order. Security guards and First Aid personnel are at hand, but that hasn't stopped fifteen people from dying and over two hundred receiving serious injuries since 1924.

As I see it, the best place to view the lunatics from, is one of the balconies that overlook the run, but unless you are extremely lucky, you're going to have to take your place at the fence that marks the route, but make sure you take your place no later than 6AM, or there won't be a place to take. The run is actually screened live every morning on national television.

If you want to watch the bullfights in the afternoon, you're going to have to buy your tickets well in advance, or pay the inflated prices demanded by the ticket touts who stand outside of the event. Another thing to book early is your accommodation. Twelve months in advance is not unreasonable.

There are in fact rules applied to the 'Bull Running'.

1 - No-one under the age of 18 is permitted to run with the bulls

2 - No-one is allowed to cross the Police Barriers.

3 - No-one is allowed to hide in doorways along the route.

4 - Doors of houses along the route must be firmly closed. (Lest Thou wants a bull in the kitchen)

5 - No drunkards are allowed to enter. (This is actually the only way I would ever consider entering)

6 - No-one is allowed to call the animals or distract them.

7 - Appropriate clothing must be worn.

There are other rules as well, but these are the main ones, should you still be thinking of taking part. I think being a spectator would be the smarter move.