|
London: A walk along the Regent's Canal
We were in London over the past week, with a free day that we wanted to spend seeing something we hadn't on previous trips. It was a little chilly (~40 F in the morning going up to mid-50s in the afternoon) but sunny and not windy. We decided to bundle up and walk the Regent’s Canal.
The Regent’s Canal stretches almost nine miles, from Little Venice just above Paddington Station to Limehouse Basin on the Thames. Construction started in the early 1800s to bring cargo inland from the river. The towpaths, originally for horses towing longboats, are now used for recreational purposes, as well as resident access for the many barges and boats that line the banks. Building the canal involved creating various locks and basins. The London Canal Museum (we didn’t stop for a visit) near King’s Cross Station details the history and engineering. We took the tube from Temple to Paddington and then walked the canal to the Mile End tube station -- seven-plus miles over about four hours, including a lunch stop - before taking the Central line back to Holborn. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...775b28e74.jpeg We thought it was a great way to spend a day and might be of interest to other avid walkers. Other than the area around Camden Town/Market, it was relatively quiet and a nice way to see a slice of life across London, away from the typical tourist destinations. Lots of photos coming in several parts... |
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cae021344.jpeg
Starting out on the Grand Union Canal by Paddington Station https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1b63e50b5.jpeg Barge owners excel in the little details https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b059bb739.jpeg Little Venice https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fce925246.jpeg To find your way, look for the Jubilee Greenway markers. This walk is part of the longer Jubilee Greenway, 60 kilometers (one for each year of Elizabeth's reign) https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73b8eeaef.jpeg A touch of fall in Little Venice https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f6b87dca.jpeg View from the Warwick Bridge, Little Venice https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ef240a9ee.jpeg Much of the towpath is open to walkers, one exception being this section in Little Venice that is only accessible to barge owners https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54d0d5939.jpeg Architecture along the canal is also interesting, such as this building - front part is a Lebanese restaurant https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5187af4ac.jpeg Boat tours are popular on the section between Little Venice and Camden Market https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...086d2070f.jpeg Back on the towpath - at this point, very narrow and running right along the barges https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...537fa00d8.jpeg As the path reaches Regent's Park, you'll pass several prominent mansions - this one is the Ionic Villa designed by Quinlan Terry https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6afd881c.jpeg The path is now wider as it skirts the northern side of Regent's Park and the London Zoo https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...defe5779b.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...402c92659.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f218e6e1e.jpeg More decorating creativity https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a5fe2df37.jpeg Lots of street art https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...082de6325.jpeg Camden locks |
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a1c811945.jpeg
Near Islington, the canal goes into a tunnel, and we have to detour for about a half mile through Angel https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f84ba178e.jpeg The route first takes us through a housing development, where we met this friendly resident (who looks a lot like one of our own) https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...207624f0f.jpeg Then, through the Chapel Market in Angel https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e36158e7.jpeg Chapel Market https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a1ed6ed6.jpeg After detouring through a shopping center and small park, we rejoin the canal https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e89a6568.jpeg Looking eastward https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...110a13bc1.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...72cb9ec93.jpeg We had stopped for lunch at the busy Camden Market, but further along, there are other good options -- this Turkish cafe would have been perfect https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd884a15e.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...242da35a0.jpeg More creative decorating on one of the barges https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4ec8d55b.jpeg We followed these paddleboarders for a good mile or so https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5941a9e81.jpeg Watch out for the sharks https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...97fbbbf79.jpeg Approaching the construction site for a large new residential/commercial development https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4a7addfd3.jpeg All along the way, we admired the gardens on the barges and boats https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...585736304.jpeg Heading into Hackney https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df4564965.jpeg The canal runs along the western side of Victoria Park -- we detoured in to see the Chinese Pagoda https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...577bfc8bf.jpeg Victoria Park https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb52d526e.jpeg One last bit of canal south of Victoria Park, before reaching our tube stop |
Wonderful! I've walked several bits of the path but never the whole thing in one go and I have a big gap between Camden Mkt and Victoria Park. I think I have a couple of photos of the same narrow boats around St Pancras Locks/basin/Granary Sq from May last year.
|
Thanks so much for sharing. Great photos. I've walked bits of it but don't recognise a lot of your photos and would like to see more. Were there cafes along the canal area only in certain places? Did you notice any toilets? I always seem to need the loo!
|
Thank you for sharing. Great photos. I regularly walk the dog along the sections between Regents Park and Camden and also towards KingsX . You have prompted me to explore a bit further Always something new to see.
|
The bit past Mile End Park and down to Limehouse Basin and the river (with a detour for the Ragged School Museum,) is not without interest. One could also stop off at Broadway Market.
|
Thanks, all. Glad you enjoyed the photos.
KayF: I recall a few cafes right on the canal (like the Turkish cafe in the photo), but not a lot. If you look a block or so off the towpath, I think there are quite a few more options. I wasn't looking for toilets - the only one I noticed was in Victoria Park. Given that this path goes near some shopping areas around the stations and in Islington, I'm sure there are some close by. PatrickLondon: We will definitely go back to see the last part next time we are in London. By the time we finished our detour into Victoria Park, we were running late and needed to get back to our apartment before dinner. We had Broadway Market in our notes but decided to save it for a weekend visit when the market stalls are open. |
Good use of a bright day
|
Love it.
An interesting and fun walk. |
Thanks for this, ms_go! Really fabulous, inviting place.
|
My pedantic nature forces me to tell you that most of the boats you saw were narrowboats and not barges. It’s a popular mistake but is a very easy way to rile any narrowboat owners!
We have taken our narrowboat along the Regent’s Canal a couple of times (it’s a long way by boat from its mooring near Liverpool. It’s always an interesting time trying to navigate Camden Locks and having to get all the tourists off the locks to do so and quite a novelty being the tourist attraction yourself. |
"Near Islington, the canal goes into a tunnel, and we have to detour for about a half mile through Angel"
I was intrigued by this. It looks as though there was no passage for boats there also through the tunnel. Was that the case? If so, what is the purpose of the canal at that point, if not for boats? Lavandula |
Lavandula - boats can go through the tunnel but there is no towpath so you can’t walk through. Originally, the boats (which had no power of their own, were pulled by horses. When you came to to tunnel the horse went over the top on a path and the boats were “legged” through by men lying on their sides on the roof of the boat and walking along the tunnel sides.
|
Here is a photo and YouTube video of 'legging' narrowboats
https://www.atlasobscura.com/article...owboat-legging |
Great report and FANTASTIC photos! I have also walked in parts but not straight through. In August I stayed overnight in a Hackney pub (I went to see the Pixies and LCD Soundsystem at All Points East and didn't want to mess around with public transport after) so took the opportunity the next day to walk along through Victoria park to Broadway Market - there was a stall selling coffee for only 1 pound! And picnic tables, and bathrooms,, it was raining though, your weather looks much better.
|
Thanks all! We did really enjoy this walk, and we're happy to share it.
JohnEW2912 - no worries, and thank you for the correction/clarification. I probably picked up the term from something I read and assumed it was appropriate (and the handwriting on the green boat pictured above didn't help :) ), but I am now better informed. |
What a great idea and your photos are terrific! I hope to get back to London at some point and would love to do this walk (or ride a narrow boat.)
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:30 PM. |