A Winter Walk along the Regent's Canal

The Regent's Canal runs around inner North London from Little Venice to Limehouse Basin. This linear walk follows the canal towpath along the full 8.6 mile/14km length, with many fascinating sights and stories along the way.

I am limiting the number of attendees to 14 because the canal towpath is heavily used by walkers, runners and cyclists and a larger group would be difficult to handle under these circumstances. If there is a high demand for the walk, I will run it again later in the year!

The sights:

Regent's Canal: The canal was constructed between 1812 - 20 to link the Grand Union Canal from Birmingham terminating at Paddington Basin with the newly-constructed docks on the Thames at Limehouse. A total of 13 locks and 3 tunnels were constructed to enable barges to drop some 96 feet/29m in height as they passed through the canal.

Within 25 years of its opening, the canal was losing out financially to the new railways, and several abortive attempts were made in the 19th century to convert it to a railway itself. Competition only increased in the early 20th century with the advent of road transport, and commercial traffic along the canal had largely ceased by the 1960's.

The canal found a new use in the 1970's for pleasure boating, with the canal towpath being repurposed as a pedestrian and cycle route.

Paddington Basin & Little Venice: The large triangular basin forms the junction between the Grand Union Canal and the entrance to the Regent's Canal. The name 'Little Venice' for the surrounding affluent area was allegedly coined by the poet Lord Byron, who sarcastically compared it with Venice.

Blow-up Bridge: On 2nd October 1874, a barge loaded with petroleum and 5 tons of gunpowder blew up underneath Macclesfield Bridge in Regents Park, demolishing the bridge in an explosion heard 20 miles away. The bridge was rebuilt using the existing iron columns turned through 180 degrees.

Camden Lock: This is the first of the locks enabling barges to descend to Limehouse Basin. The area of old warehouses and commercial buildings faced wholesale demolition in the early 1970's, but was saved as a heritage destination by an influx of craft workshops and markets who collectively formed an influential tenants' group. Today it is a thriving cultural hub.

Coal Drops Yard: Constructed after 1851, the coal drop sheds received coal by railway from Yorkshire, and transferred it to carts and to narrow boats on the Regent's Canal for distribution across London. As coal use declined, the area was used for warehousing and night-clubs until it was redeveloped as a high-end shopping centre in 2018.

Queer Britain: This is the first museum dedicated to LGBTQ+ culture in Britain. Found in 2018 as an occasional exhibition, it gained a permanent site in the King's Cross development in 2022. It consists of three connected galleries and a shop in Granary Square. Admission is free.

Islington Tunnel: This carries the canal 960 yards/878m under Pentonville Hill. There is no tow path here, and until a steam tug was installed in 1826, barges were 'legged' through the tunnel.

25 Noel Road: A plaque at the top of this Islington house marks the flat where the influential gay playwright Joe Orton was murdered by his long-time partner Kenneth Halliwell in August 1967. Halliwell was jealous of Orton's success in the mid-1960's with a string of black comedies, and resentful of his boyfriend's promiscuity.

The Haggerston Sharks: These five singing fibre-glass sharks were placed in the canal as an art installation in 2020, and remain to this day, having survived a removal notice from Hackney Council and a planning appeal.

Victoria Park, Hackney: This fine park of 213 acres was opened in 1845 as a vital green space for East Enders. Today it is one of the most popular green spaces in London, hosting concerts and sporting facilities.

Mile End Park: Created after WWII on land devastated by wartime bombing, this linear park of 79 acres runs for a mile down the eastern side of the canal. It includes a stadium, sports centres and art installations. It was also the site of a meeting on 14th June 1381 between King Richard II and the rebels during the Peasants' Revolt.

Limehouse Basin: Excavated in 1820 as its eastern terminus, the basin links the canal with the River Thames and enabled the transfer of cargoes from the Port of London to the canal network. Commercial use ceased in 1969, and the area was redeveloped for housing and leisure. The magnificent grade-1 listed London & Blackwall Railway Viaduct at the entrance to the basin was built in 1840 by Robert Stephenson and is one of the earliest of its type in London. It now carries the Docklands Light Railway.

The route (please click the link in red to see it):

From Paddington Station, we'll head to the canal basin at Little Venice and walk around it to enter Broomfield Road, parallel to the Regent's Canal (the towpath in this stretch is private). At the end of the road, the canal disappears into the Maida Hill tunnel of 272 yards, while we walk over it to cross Edgware Road and along Aberdeen Place. At the end of this road, we finally drop down to the towpath proper, and follow it through Lisson Grove, Regent's Park, Camden Lock to Coal Drops Yard at King's Cross, where we will pause for lunch. There will be time for a quick visit to the Queer Britain museum for those interested.

After the break, we resume along the towpath till we reach the 960-yard Islington Tunnel under Pentonville Hill, so we will need to follow the route markers through Islington and over the A1 to reach the eastern portal at the end of Duncan Street. Here, we will walk parallel to the canal along Noel Road to see the Joe Orton plaque before returning to the towpath at Danbury Street. We follow it from Islington into Hackney, past the Haggerston sharks, Victoria Park, Mile End Park, and finally into Limehouse Basin to end the walk. Limehouse DLR station is just a short distance away.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but please note this is an urban walk along busy roads & footpaths. This especially applies to the canal towpath, where we will be mixing with other walkers, joggers and cyclists. For this reason, dogs will need to be on a lead throughout the walk. 

At all times, a dog must be obedient.

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Photos: Moorings at Lisson Grove (header) / The Haggerston sharks / Meeting place Paddington Station / Paddington Basin / 'Blow-up' Bridge / Monkey House, London Zoo / The Pirate Castle water-activities venue / Camden Lock / Camden High Street / Queer Britain  / Canopy Market, King's Cross / Islington Tunnel - western portal / Wenlock Basin / Victoria Park, Hackney / Mile End Park / London & Blackwall Viaduct / Limehouse Basin

All photos taken by the leader 4th December 2024 and permission given to OutdoorLads for use.