Middlewich FAB - how busy?

[Corixa]

We will be coming along the SU Middlewich Branch on Saturday 18th June. I have just noticed that the FAB festival is on in Middlewich that weekend. Now I assume it will be busy in Middlewich but I intend that we turn right at the junction and head down the the T&M. Plan was to stop somewhere south of Kings Lock for the night and go into Middlewich to eat.

 

Question is will I be unlikely to find a mooring here or should I try and moor on the SU maybe around Stanthorne Bridge no. 27?

 

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

[junior]

We will be coming along the SU Middlewich Branch on Saturday 18th June. I have just noticed that the FAB festival is on in Middlewich that weekend. Now I assume it will be busy in Middlewich but I intend that we turn right at the junction and head down the the T&M. Plan was to stop somewhere south of Kings Lock for the night and go into Middlewich to eat.

 

Question is will I be unlikely to find a mooring here or should I try and moor on the SU maybe around Stanthorne Bridge no. 27?

 

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Middlewich FAB weekend will be busy. Last year as i recall the moored boats went about halfway between the last bridge & Stanthorne Lock on the Branch, and on the T&M at Booth lane they went almost as far as the first bridge. In both cases that would mean about a 10 min walk along along the towpath to town.

 

The only thing I'll add to that is that not many people were breasted up, which you could do of course thus creating twice the amount of mooring opportunity.

[Alan de Enfield]

Boats attending the festival must pre-book their mooring (having stated their size)

 

You will find (for in excess of a mile in all three directions) that there are notices attached to the bankside giving a boat name and length, and the 'pegged' out length is only a foot or two longer than the claimed boat length.

 

W tried to stop last year - no where within a 20 minute walk was available, which, with a partly disabled person, made it impossible.

Having looked at the 'crowds' I doubt we would have found anywhere (apart from a burger van) to have eaten anyway.

 

Unless attending the festival, delay your arrival until after the festival.

[junior]

Boats attending the festival must pre-book their mooring (having stated their size)

 

Where have you got that from? No booking is required.

[MoominPapa]

Last year, moorings were bookable. This year, it's take-your-chance.

 

MP.

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Boats attending the festival must pre-book their mooring (having stated their size)

 

Where have you got that from? No booking is required.

 

 

When we intended to viist last year we were told to book, or 'take your chance', as it happened we were unable to get there on time so passed thru later than planned, hence not being able to moor.

 

There were little labels / signs all along the bank.

If I remember you were moored up (loosely) just past Maureens lock, squashed in the trees on the off-side.

[PaulG]

 

When we intended to viist last year we were told to book, or 'take your chance', as it happened we were unable to get there on time so passed thru later than planned, hence not being able to moor.

 

There were little labels / signs all along the bank.

If I remember you were moored up (loosely) just past Maureens lock, squashed in the trees on the off-side.

We're off to the FAB this year - leaving on Wednesday, if everything goes according to plan.

 

Last year was extra-busy because it was the 25th anniversary event, so the booking system was introduced.

 

The FAB website states that (with the exception of an area reserved for the floating market) moorings are "first-come, first served" this year.

 

http://www.midfest.org.uk/boats16.html

[Cloudinspector]

Middlewich FAB weekend will be busy. Last year as i recall the moored boats went about halfway between the last bridge & Stanthorne Lock on the Branch, and on the T&M at Booth lane they went almost as far as the first bridge. In both cases that would mean about a 10 min walk along along the towpath to town.

The only thing I'll add to that is that not many people were breasted up, which you could do of course thus creating twice the amount of mooring opportunity.

Correct. Last year we arrived on Thursday from Barbridge and ended up moored within spitting distance of stanthorne lock. A good walk into town but nice and quiet.

[dmr]

Its a good festival so if you can find a place to stop for the night its well worth it.

There are a few moorings just after you turn onto the T&M and the canal is wide so just maybe a boat will let you breast up, though sadly a few boaters were very possessive about their favourite mooring spots last year.

The floating market has the whole stretch above the big lock and breasting up is not allowed, but then you won't be going that way!

 

...........Dave

[PaulG]

Correct. Last year we arrived on Thursday from Barbridge and ended up moored within spitting distance of stanthorne lock. A good walk into town but nice and quiet.

Oh good. We're planning to arrive on Thursday. Hopefully it should be a bit quieter this year as it's not a "big anniversary" year.

Might have to give the lockwheeler the hurry up!

[Corixa]

Thanks to all for the advice - as it will be a Saturday afternoon arrival for us I think I will re-plan our route and arrive a bit later the next week.

[PaulG]

Thanks to all for the advice - as it will be a Saturday afternoon arrival for us I think I will re-plan our route and arrive a bit later the next week.

Have a good trip - and give us a wave if you pass "Old Deuteronomy"!

[dor]

The Official word (my bold):

 

This year’s Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival will be running from 17^th – 19^th June 2016.

Please be aware that moorings have been reserved for festival boats from Big Lock through to Town Bridge between 15^th June – 21^st June for the festival and these moorings will be closed for general use during this time. Please take care when passing through the area as boats will be moored along this stretch for the duration of the festival.

Visitor moorings will be available at the following:

◦Below the Big Lock

◦Above the Kings Lock

◦Above the Wardle Lock

We are operating a first come first served basis for these moorings.

The water point at Big Lock and in the Wharf will be kept clear during the festival for people to use.

For more information, please visit http://www.midfest.org.uk/

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/8235/middlewich-folk-and-boat-festival-2016-

[Gillie]

I think it is a shame that you are looking at it so negatively as a place to avoid..

the festival is lovely..full of life and colour..good places to eat and drink ..canalside stalls..music and friendly chat..

surely at least some of that is worth mooring 10 mins walk away..

[Corixa]

I think it is a shame that you are looking at it so negatively as a place to avoid..

the festival is lovely..full of life and colour..good places to eat and drink ..canalside stalls..music and friendly chat..

surely at least some of that is worth mooring 10 mins walk away..

 

You have a good and valid point but we are on holiday and I already have a good idea where we want to go and for how long - and we have to get back to Great Haywood.

 

We will be buying our own narrow boat next year and will certainly be visiting events such as this when life can be taken at a much more leisurely pace.

 

Cheers

[PaulG]

I think it is a shame that you are looking at it so negatively as a place to avoid..

the festival is lovely..full of life and colour..good places to eat and drink ..canalside stalls..music and friendly chat..

surely at least some of that is worth mooring 10 mins walk away..

Maybe some people are missing the point that FAB was "extra busy" last year because of the 25th Anniversary?

 

10 minutes walk is no problem for me, especially if there is beer and music at the end of it.

We had to walk at least that far at Saul Festival.

Not so sure about the walk back, though. It always seems a lot further when you can't walk straight.

[dmr]

Maybe some people are missing the point that FAB was "extra busy" last year because of the 25th Anniversary?

 

10 minutes walk is no problem for me, especially if there is beer and music at the end of it.

We had to walk at least that far at Saul Festival.

Not so sure about the walk back, though. It always seems a lot further when you can't walk straight.

 

Saul was a lovely festival and its very sad that its gone. We only went there in the van, we intended to go by boat but sadly by the time we could do that the festival was gone.

Not sure about FAB and how busy it will be, last year was our first year. The floating market was a special for the 25th but it was very popular and looks like it will be a permanent fixture and so this must make the boaty side of things a lot busier.

 

.........Dave

[Bunny]

Just come through from Stoke . Only 2 moorings left in town , rest already taken by trade boats . Some mooring above Kings Lock. Don't bank on being able to stop . Bunny .

[captain birdseye]

It was a busy but great weekend at Middlewich FAB this weekend. The prize pillock award must go to the boat that was tied up all weekend on the water point just be low Big Lock, who when it was pointed out that there was a sign to say the mooring was for water point users only ripped it off the wall. I assume it was him what ripped it off anyhow it was lying in the mud later the same evening.

Edited June 20, 2016 by captain birdseye

[tillergirl]

It was a busy but great weekend at Middlewich FAB this weekend. The prize pillock award must go to the boat that was tied up all weekend on the water point just be low Big Lock, who when it was pointed out that there was a sign to say the mooring was for water point users only ripped it off the wall. I assume it was him what ripped it off anyhow it was lying in the mud later the same evening.

You always get one. For us FAB is chance to catch up with friends we seldom see. We love it and the towns Clean Teams are a credit to Middlewich. The town often looks like the local tip last thing at night, by morning the town is spotless!

Edited June 29, 2016 by tillergirl

[steven wilkinson]

I hadn't ever seen so many boats in one place! Boats as far as the eye could see! Very nicely busy! I did my best to support all the food and drink suppliers!

[captain birdseye]

Yes, the festival is a credit to the town, it's great how the whole town joins in.

[PaulG]

We travelled over 100 miles and around 70 locks to get to Middlewich.The journey was great, but the destination fell short of our expectation.

 

Maybe I was looking in the wrong pubs, but there were some (occasionally very bad) rock bands, karaoke, Abba tributes and similar.

 

The King's Lock pub had some folk music on, which was OK, but otherwise the "folk" element seemed to have gone AWOL.

 

We expected it to be similar to Upton folk festival, and it was nothing like.

 

http://www.uptonfolk.org/

 

The pubs in the centre of town were packed with gangs of chavs braying at each other so loudly it was almost impossible to have a normal conversation.

 

And we were more than a bit shocked when we spotted a woman who was part of an apparantly "respectable" group of mature adults nicking ormanents from the pub.

 

Sorry, Middlewich, we won't be going back again :-(

[tillergirl]

The Boars Head is the pub to aim for in future. Thats tends to be where the boater musicians head for. Some talent out there i can tell you!