The Trent and Mersey canal runs through Middlewich in Cheshire where it forms a junction with the Wardle canal and then the Middlewich arm of the Shropshire Union canal. In the past the major traffic on the canal from Middlewich was salt, produced from extracting salt brine from the ground and drying it in big salt pans.
These days the town is perhaps more famous for the annual Folk and Boat festival held in June.
This brings together boats and boaters and folk music, and lots of people to enjoy both.
We have been a few times over the years and I’ve covered it with the camera for Towpath Talk.
Pictures from the 2024 event
Nici Griffin of the Beanie Boat showing off some of her wares for sale at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Nici and her partner travel the inland waterways of the country aboard their narrowboat “Delta”.
Nici hand makes beanie hats for selling along with selling hand dyed yarns from independent spinners and dyers.
The canal and town thronged with boats and people as it is the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8743 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Nici Griffin and her partner, Sharon, of the Beanie Boat at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Nici and Sharon travel the inland waterways of the country aboard their narrowboat “Delta”.
Nici hand makes beanie hats for selling along with selling hand dyed yarns from independent spinners and dyers, while Sharon makes and sell’s hand made soaps.
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8744 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Heidi the Pirate sheltering under a modern umbrella as the rain comes down again at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Heidi spends the summer months travelling the inland waterways of the country aboard her narrowboat “The Rum Wench” visiting festivals and gatherings to sell her pirate themed goods.
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8745 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Crepes outside Gangplank Spirits and Preserves at FAB 2024
Despite the rain customers of Gangplank Spirits are enjoying freshly made Crepes while sheltering under an umbrella at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Gangplank Spirits are roving canal traders spending the summer months travelling the inland waterways of the country aboard their narrowboat whilst producing spirits and preserves from ingredients that are sourced from foraging along the towpaths.
They sell from the boat at canal festivals as well as having a on line shop, though the crepes are made fresh aboard.
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Despite the rain customers of Gangplank Spirits are enjoying freshly made Crepes while sheltering under an umbrella at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Deja Brew are roving canal traders that travel the inland waterways of the country aboard their narrowboat selling organic coffee, speciality teas and home baked cakes along the towpaths and at festivals like Middlewich
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Smiling folk and boat festival goers are striding out on the towpath alongside the former working boat, Tench is moored Middlewich Wharf on the Trent and Mersey canal in Middlewich.
Tench is a former Fellows, Morton and Clayton motor boat built by Yarwoods and launched in 1936. She is now preserved in private ownership.
The canal and town are thronging with boats and people as it is the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8749 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Bob the skipper and owner of the former working boat, Daphne moored Middlewich Wharf on the Trent and Mersey canal in Middlewich.
Daphne is a former motor boat built by Nursers and launched in 1938. She worked for Samual Barlow Coal Co Ltd, and is of wooden construction.
She is now preserved and owned by Bob, who after Middlewich was towing the fly boat “Saturn” on to the Lymm Transport festival.
Middlewich the town and canal, despite the inclement weather where thronging with boats and people for the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8750 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
As the rain comes down again at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024 a folk singer is entertaining the sheltering festival goers under a tent in the yard at Middlewich Wharf.
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8751 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Cw 8751 Colin Wareing
Black skies are indicating there is about to be another heavy downpour at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
After a eight years roving the inland waterways of England and Wales on their narrowboat and trading as The Hippie Boat selling ethically sourced clothes and bags in the style of the Hippy movement Jules and Pete are now more land based.
They are still attending festivals and fairs near the canals and where here at Middlewich, this time travelling by campervan and setting up amongst the fair ground and other traders alongside the main show field.
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8752 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Trading boats at Middlewich Fab 2024
The bunting is up and the flags flying on the trading boats to bring some colour into a drab Saturday at the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat festival 2024
Despite the heavy down pours on the Saturday the canal and town thronged with boats and people as it was the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival based around the Trent and Mersey canal which runs through the town. The weather did improve for the Sunday.
Colin Wareing 15.6.2024
Image Cw 8759 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
The year 2022 was no exception except we went down for the day in the truck.
It resulted in a page spread in the August edition of the paper, and these are the pictures that where published.
The Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival is here on the web.
Old working boats, motor Minnow and butty Ilford pass through Middlewich during this year’s Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8037 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
The single cylinder Bolinder semi diesel engine on the 1934 working boat, Minnow is restarted after it and its butty Ilford have dropped down through Kings Lock on the Trent and Mersey canal in Middlewich.
The canal and town are thronging with boats and people as it is the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival.
Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8038 copyright Colin Wareing
Former working boat, Tench is moored inside the still working boat Halsall alongside Middlewich Wharf on the Trent and Mersey canal in Middlewich. Tench is a former Fellows, Morton and Clayton motor boat built by Yarwoods and launched in 1936. She is now preserved in private ownership. Halsall was again built by Yarwoods and launched in 1936, for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. She is still working, now as a fuel boat, delivering gas, diesel and coal to boaters on the Trent and Mersey and Shropshire union canals, working for the Four Counties Fuels Limited. The canal and town are thronging with boats and people as it is the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8039 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
There was a good turnout of floating roving traders at this year’s Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival. Moored as they normally are alongside the playing field near the big lock they made an impressive sight. Here Gangplank Spirits and preserves have a line up of samples for the passing festival goers to linger and try. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8040 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
A bit of a impromptu jam session from members of the Northwich Uke club around and on the back deck of a Narrowboat moored at Middlewich during the long established Folk and Boat Festival that returned to the town after a two year break because of Covid. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8041 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Marc Gollins, a local, Cheshire based singer doing a set on the side of the big lock in Middlewich during the Folk and Boat Festival 2022. The Big Lock is so called as it is the only lock on the northern end of the Trent and Mersey canal that is wide enough to take two narrow boats at the same time. Here two boats are leaving the lock having risen up through it. The Middlewich is a long established Folk and Boat Festival that returned to the town after a two year break because of Covid. Musicians and boaters gather in the town to make a great weekend, with a big stage being set up in the park in the middle of town, with the Waterboys headlining this year. The main folk stage was this year in the civic hall, with lots of fringe gigs like this one around the pubs of the town. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8047 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Still working boat, Bargus has just turned in the junction of the Wardle canal and the Trent and Mersey canal in Middlewich. Bargus was built by Harland and Wolff and launched in 1935, for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. She is still working, now as a fuel boat, delivering gas, diesel and coal to boaters on the Trent and Mersey and Shropshire union canals, working for the Four Counties Fuels Limited. The canal and town are thronging with boats and people as it is the weekend of the annual Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival. Colin Wareing 19.6.2022 Image Cw 8048 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival 2022 as I photographed and reported for the canal newspaper “Towpath Talk” with seven images used which are all on or website and available through Alamy and PicFair. Colin Wareing Image Cw 9011 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
Total Page Visits: 1592 - Today Page Visits: 2