Even for canal enthusiasts the Wyrley and Essington is a rarely travelled waterway, snaking a lagely urban course across the worked out coal fields of the northern Birmingham Canal Navigations.
However, this August two significant canal festivals were held along its winding course (they call it the Curly Wyrley).

The first was held in Wednesfield near Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital and the Bentley Bridge Trading Estate, and area which has really embraced its canal.The event was held on one of the hottest wekends of the year and, for The Jam Butty, was unexpectedly successful.

The following weekend the show moved on to Brownhills, and involved 13 miles of shallow and weedy canal. Many of the traders struggled and arrived vowing "never again". But then the festival started, organised by the Lichfied and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) whose main project will join the canal just to the east of Brownhills. The weather was perfect and the Trust displayed a masterclass in social media advertising - and the crowds showed up in force. 

The Saturday came like a bolt from the blue, smashing all previous one day sales records out of the park! Sunday was quieter but still a busy day for us and instead of the wails of anguish heard among the traders when they arrived, they were all busy including Brownhills into their 2023 schedules.

It was great to see more boats using the W&E but now I suspect it wil revert to is more usual one boat a day, which is nice because its our "home" navigation.