The Floating Market Returns for One Weekend Only

The floating market is back, and this year it's bigger than the last. On the final weekend of the month, more than thirty trading boats will moor along the old wharf, converting a stretch of quiet canal into a temporary high street. The market runs Saturday and Sunday, opening at nine each morning and winding down around six.

If you've been to previous editions, you know the format: boats tie up side by side, hatch covers come off, and the towpath becomes a slow-moving promenade. This year's lineup includes a cheese boat from the next county over, a pair of potters working from a converted butty, and a produce barge selling vegetables grown on a smallholding near the canal's source. There's also a book boat, a coffee boat, and — new for this year — a boat selling nothing but preserves, which the organizers say has been the most requested addition since the last market.

Live music will run on a stage built onto a wide-beam barge moored at the far end of the wharf. The schedule leans toward folk and acoustic acts, with a brass band closing things out on Sunday afternoon. Organizers have asked performers to keep amplification modest, partly out of respect for nearby residents and partly because sound carries strangely over water.

Getting There and What to Expect

The wharf sits a short walk from the nearest bus stop, and there's limited parking at the community hall on the hill above. Organizers are encouraging people to walk or cycle if they can, since the towpath will be busy and the wharf itself will be closed to vehicles. Boat owners planning to attend should arrive Friday evening or early Saturday, as moorings will be allocated on a first-come basis and the stretch fills quickly.

Cash is still the easiest way to pay, though many traders now take cards. Bring a bag — several vendors sell loose produce and baked goods without packaging. Dogs are welcome but should be kept close, especially near the music barge where crowds tend to gather.

One thing worth knowing: the market coincides with a scheduled lock closure upstream, which means through-traffic on the canal will be lighter than usual. That's good news for anyone hoping to see the trading boats without competing for space with passing cruisers.

Why the Market Matters Beyond the Weekend

Floating markets are an old tradition on this canal, dating back to when working boats carried goods and sold directly from their decks. The modern version is part revival, part reinvention, but it serves a similar purpose: it reminds people that the canal is a working space, not just a scenic backdrop.

Several of the traders who attend also run shops or workshops in the area year-round, and the market gives them a chance to reach customers who might not otherwise find them. The potters, for instance, work out of a studio two miles from the wharf and say the market is their single biggest weekend of the year.

For residents, the weekend brings noise, crowds, and a temporary parking squeeze. Most seem to accept it. As one long-time towpath resident put it, it's two days a year, and it's the only time the wharf looks anything like it used to.