You can walk somewhere different in London

You should try the Regent’s Canal, it's really quite surprising

One of the great ways to see different parts of London is by walking along the Regent’s Canal.

Little Venice by the Author

Starting from the area now known as Little Venice through to the River Thames, digging the Regent’s Canal started in October 1812 and had opened as far as Camden Town by 1816. The canal was finally opened to its full length of 8.6 miles (13.8 km) in 1820, when it reached the Thames at Regent’s Canal Dock, now known as Limehouse Basin.

Named after the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV the canal has 13 locks, goes under 64 bridges and through three tunnels. Only one, Eyres Tunnel (very short) is accessible on foot.

The canal was built to link the industrial Midlands around the Birmingham area not only with London itself but also with trade to the rest of the world via London’s docks. At that time London was one of the busiest ports in the world. 

The Regent’s Canal was in fact really an extension of the canal network which later became known as the Grand Union Canal connecting Birmingham to London’s docks. The original canal entered the Thames at Brentford. It sounds so logical but the Grand Union Canal didn’t really exist until the separate canal companies amalgamated over the period 1894 to 1929.

Crystal Wharf by the Author

Once lined with warehouses, wharves and all that goes with international trade, the canal now provides a great recreational resource for those who live nearby as well as a handy route for cables under the towpath. 

Great use is made of the facilities with housing and office space within converted warehouses or reused land. If you want to see a different view of London it makes an interesting route to walk along the towpath, free from motorised traffic. 

As in any big city though, be careful where you go and when.

The towpath beside the canal can be a place to avoid if you’re alone, especially at night.  I went with two friends. We walked it in summer, in good weather, during the day when plenty of people were about. 

There were boaters, canoeists, paddle boarders, walkers, joggers, runners and cyclists depending on the part of the canal. As you’d expect, some parts were nicer than others. Probably the easiest and most comfortable part was Little Venice to Camden.

Docklands from the Regent’s Canal by the Author

Docklands print picture problem

The walk is only nine miles and so can be done in a day. We took two separate Saturdays for the walk. We wanted to take in the atmosphere and see some of the nearby ‘off-canal’ attractions and stop for coffees and lunch. 

I recommend you do the same.

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Graham