Tag Archives: Regents Park

Regents Canal

There was a time when the canals of London were not a good place to be.  They were risky areas to go and they were a good place to dump stuff.  How things have changed over time and now canals are getting a new lease on life.  Developments along them are springing up.  I wanted to check out Regents Canal while were were in London.  We started out at Paddington Basin and then walked along the canal through Little Venice, Maida Vale, Regents park, on to Camden and finishing up at Kings Cross.

You really do go through a wide variety of places on the walk.  Almost all of it can be along the canal but there is a tunnel it takes which requires a detour over the hill through which the tunnel cuts.  You go through some wealthy neighborhoods, some quite poor ones, past a power station and then suddenly in to the area behind some mansions in Regents park.  You even go through the zoo although the animals seemed intent on not being visible to those that hadn’t paid to visit!

As you get close to the popular areas, the canal can get quite busy on the towpath but for other sections, you are not exactly alone but you are definitely free to stroll without encountering too many people.  Meanwhile, boats will chug past you.

It is surprising how tranquil it feels along the canal.  You are very close to the heart of London yet feel you could be a million miles away.  You see all sorts of people as you go and, when it is sunny like it was when we were there, it all seems very picturesque.  To go between two of London’s main terminus stations, this isn’t the quickest route but, if you have the time, it is definitely one of the nicest.