Wey River Festival Basks In Sunshine And All Lit Up After Dark

Published on: 21 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 22 Sep, 2019

Report and pictures by David Rose

The sun shone during this year’s Wey River Festival, and as night fell the waterway was lit up by the illuminated boat pageant.

The National Trust’s 2019 Wey River Festival at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford. Click on pictures to enlarge in a new window.

Hosted by the National Trust at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford, around 3,000 people enjoyed free entry to the event on Saturday, September 21, that also drew boat owners from near and far.

Plenty to see and do at Dapdune Wharf.

In additional to all the permanent displays telling the story of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations, there were stalls and stands from many organisations.

There were boat trips too.

Among them were Guildford Sea Cadets, Byfleet Boat Club, Surrey Wildlife Trust, the Basingstoke Canal Society, Surrey Wood Turners, the Wey & Arun Canal, Surrey Care Trust, the Astolat Model Railway club, and a number of craft stalls.

Music from the Alder Valley Band.

There was live music and entertainment by the Alder Valley Band and the Horsham Black Dragon Morris dancers.

The Horsham Black Dragon Morris dancers.

Plenty of games and activities for children were popular around Dapdune Wharf’s paddock, orchard and island.

A narrowboat owners gets ready for the illuminated boat pageant.

An estimated 40 craft took part in the illuminated boat pageant. Led by the Caribbean sounds of the Croydon Steel Orchestra, they departed from Millmead, and slowly made their way upstream passing a large crowd waiting for them at Dapdune Wharf.

Many of the boats continued to Riverside and moored near the Row Barge pub.

The illuminated boat pageant passes Dapdune Wharf.

With weather reports on the day suggested this was likely to have been ‘last day of summer’, the twinkling of coloured lights on the boats taking part in the pageant gave a kind of hint that Christmas is on its way!

A boat passes under the Seven Arches Bridge by Walnut Tree Close.

Two boats mooring up near Ladymead.

A pair of narrowboats moored up at the Row Barge pub at Riverside, Bellfields.

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