Discover more of the beautiful city of London with the Regent’s Canal Walk. From West Regent’s style mansions in Maide Vale to East glass skyscrapers in Canary Wharf, passing by vibrant Camden Town and refreshing Granary Square fountains, the Regent’s Canal walk takes you places! See London from a different perspective with this self-guided walk and download the map for free at the end of this post.
What is the Regent’s Canal?
The Regent’s Canal measures 8.6 miles (13.8 km) and links The Grand Union Canal in Paddington, West London, to the River Thames in Limehouse, East London. The idea was suggested by acclaimed architect and town planner James Morgan and the construction began in 1812. The canal was named after the Prince Regent, who then became King George IV.
The first part of the Regent’s Canal, from Paddington to Camden Town opened in 1816 and the second part from Camden Town to Limehouse was finalised in 1820. The canal is composed of 3 tunnels, 16 bridges and 13 locks.
The role of the canal was primary to transport goods, especially coal and timber, in London from the Midlands via the Grand Union Canal. The canal was very successful at first but fell into decline as trains became a more popular means of transport.
The canal was given a second lease of life when in 1979, electric cables were installed underneath the towpath, using pumped canal water to cool them.
Nowadays, the canal is used by pedestrians and cyclists wanting to escape the craziness of the city without leaving the city and boaters who want to enjoy London in a different way.
Logistics for the Regent’s Canal Walk
- Distance: 11.4 miles (18.34 km)
- Ascent: 69 feet (21 m)
- Walking Estimate: 4 hours and 40 minutes
- Difficulty: Intermediate due to the distance
- How to get there: We are doing the walk from Warwick to Canary Wharf. You can of course do it the other way around. Bakerloo Line to Warwick Avenue Station in Zone 2 or Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf in Zone 2
- What to bring with you: You can leave all the fancy gear at home, this is a city walk! Make sure you wear comfortable footwear with lots of cushioning as you are walking on concrete all the way. Based on the weather, but preferably do it on a sunny day, wear layers that you can take on and off as you are walking. A T-shirt, a pair of leggings and a fleecy top will do perfectly well. Bring a backpack with you to carry water and snacks or even lunch if you are not planning to buy it on the way. Bring a headcover, sunglasses and sunscreen as the path is exposed
- Additional information: There are public toilets in Camden Town, Granary Square and Victoria Park
Highlights of the Regent’s Canal Walk
- Regent’s Canal
- Little Venice
- Regent’s Park
- London Zoo
- Camden Town
- Gasholder Park
- Granary Square
- Hackney Sharks
- Victoria Park
- Canary Wharf
The Regent’s Canal Walk
Little Venice
We start our walk in Little Venice, at the crossing of the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal and the Regent’s Canal forming a triangular basin. The houses in this area are easily recognisable with their white-painted facade and flat rooftops.
When you come out of Warwick Avenue Station on the Bakerloo Line, walk up Warwick Avenue. Then turn left onto Blomfield Road. You can find the entrance of the Regent’s Canal towpath at the crossroad, but this part is not always opened to the public and you might have to continue on the sidewalk until you reach the next entrance located in front of Randolph Avenue.
Once on the towpath, it is easy, just walk straight! So why write a guide for this walk if all you have to do is walk straight? Well, if you want to know more about the places, landmarks and where to stop on your way, keep reading.
St John’s Wood
Keep walking until the towpath ends end walk back on the road. You will find a lovely cafe on the bridge over the canal, the perfect spot for a hot drink to get in the mood for the walk.
Cross Edgware Road and on the opposite side, follow Aberdeen Place Street. At the end of the street, take Victoria Passage to get back on the towpath. It is only a short walk until you have to go back up to street level.
Cross Lisson Grove and you find the path a little bit further down on your right. It is well indicated with a wrought-iron gate where you can read “Regent’s Canal“.
This is not the best part of the walk, as you would be walking alongside St John’s Wood Substation. But it is only short pain for the gain of what comes after!
Regent’s Park
You are now back in the nicest place. With white mansions and beautifully arranged gardens all along, you won’t know where to look! Who knew they could be so many huge properties in such a central location?
Continue walking and you arrive at the edge of Regent’s Park. Part of the Royal Parks of London, Regent’s Park was first the site of a monastery, until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII who used it as hunting grounds. In the 1800s, the Prince Regent turned it into a pleasure garden.
Regent’s Park is the home of the London Zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world. Opened to the public for the first time in 1847, the zoo now counts 673 species equating to more than 19000 animals and insects. As you walk along the edge of the zoo, you pass in front of the African’s wild dogs cage. This endangered species is nothing like your domestic dog, but an avid antelope hunter who can run at the speed of 66km/hour.
Continue past the African wild dog cage and you soon arrive at the Cumberland Turn Basin. There, among the houseboats, you find a floating Chinese restaurant called Feng Shang Princess.
Camden Town
As you continue walking on the Regent’s Canal towpath and you can see more and more buildings on each side of the canal. It is only a short walk before you arrive at the vibrant market of Camden Town.
Camden Town was originally an industrial area. It was the last stop of the Northern Western Railway where all the goods were unloaded to be then distributed throughout the capital by horses. Long considered a bad area, Camden Town was given a second lease of life in 1973 with the opening of the Camden Market, which has become a popular place and a tourist attraction.
Camden food market is the perfect place for a quick and savoury lunch on your journey. From traditional Mac n’ Cheese pots to spicy-filled naan bread, you will find cuisine from all around the world in one place.
Tip: Don’t try looking for a seat in the market, you won’t find one unless you are super lucky. Instead, go back on the Regent’s Canal towpath and you straight away find seats against the wall, unoccupied because so no one knows about those seats.
Related Content: Best Canal Walks in London
King’s Cross
Food in the stomach, continue walking on the Regent’s Canal towpath until you reach Gasholder Park. Built in the 1850s the gasholders of King’s Cross could contain 1.1 million cube feet of gas. They were dismantled in the early 2000s and the gasholder number 8 was moved to a new location on the canal bank. The iron cast structure was rebuilt piece by piece. This amazing sculpture-like iron canopy has a garden in the middle and mirrors on its pillars. Perfect for selfies!
A little bit further down on the towpath you come across arcades. You can choose to continue on your way or if you want to venture under them, you arrive in Granary Square. This new development is composed of a square with 1000 choreographed fountains, shops and restaurants. It is worth making a little detour.
Back on the towpath, continue walking until you reach the end and walk up the stairs. You are now starting the part of the walk which is at street level.
On the Streets
As you arrive at the top of the stairs, continue straight on Maygood Street. At the crossing with Barnsbury Street, take right. Continue walking down Penton Street until you reach Chapel Market. Then at the corner take left onto Chapel Market. Continue walking down the street until it ends. Then take right onto Liverpool Road and walk across Upper Street. On the opposite side, turn left and take the first one on your right. Walk down Duncan Street and at the end, you will find the Regent’s Canal towpath on your left.
This is not the nicest part of our walk, especially because the area you are walking through to get to the towpath is not really pretty. But it is worth making the effort for what comes next.
Islington
This part of the walk is very much more urbanised than what we have seen so far. The banks of the canal are bordered by blocks of flats and you can see the Canaletto Tower and the 250 City Road Development in the background.
On your walk, you pass by City Road and Kingsland basins where boathouses are moored at the doorsteps of buildings.
Continue walking and a little bit further down are two massive sculptures of sharks coming out of the water. Those are 2 out of the 5 real-life size sharks sculptures in fibreglass from architect Jamie Shorten. His art installation won the Antepavillon competition in 2020, however following a court injunction the sharks have been moved from Hackney to Islington. As the case is still in dispute, you can read on a banner between the sharks “Save the Hackney sharks!“. Jaw-dropping!
From there, it is only a short walk until you arrive at Victoria Park.
Victoria Park
The largest park in Tower Hamlets, Victoria Park was designed by architect Sir James Pennethorne. It stretches across 213 acres of green space and ponds between the Regent’s Canal and the Hertford Union Canal. It opened to the public in 1845 and attracts around 9 million visitors every year.
Among the landmarks of Victoria Park, you find pedestrian alcoves, made out of the remain of the old London Bridge demolished in 1831.
Another important landmark is the Chinese Pavillon, nested on an island in the middle of West Lake. The pavilion was originally located at the entrance of Hyde Park for the Chinese Exhibition in 1842. After the exhibition, the Pavillon was moved to Victoria Park. It suffers a lot of damage during WWII and was then completely demolished in 1950. It is 60 years later that the idea of the pagoda came back to life and it was rebuilt. The bridge leading to the island is in the same style as the Chinese Pavillon.
Take a walk around the lake and exit the park by Crown Gate West. You find yourself at the junction between the Regent’s Canal and the Hertfordshire Union Canal. Beware not to get on the wrong towpath!
To go back onto the Regent’s Canal towpath, walk straight and cross the bridge on Grove Road. Then take the first street on your right and walk across Mile End Park, and you are back on track!
Limehouse
This is the last stretch of our walk, following the Regent’s Canal from Mile End to Limehouse. This part of the walk is quite residential with blocks of flats overlooking the canal. As you get closer and closer to Canary Wharf, you can see its skyline in the background.
The Regent’s Canal ends in Limehouse, where it joins the River Thames. The Limehouse Basin was used before as the place to unload the merchandise from the boats to be dispatched throughout London.
As Limehouse has a pretty bad reputation in terms of safety and is not a really nice area to walk around, we make the conscious decision when planning this walk to deviate from the canal and end in Canary Wharf. Of course, if you want to walk the Regent’s Canal all the way to the end, keep walking on the towpath until you reach Limehouse Basin.
If you prefer to make your way to Canary Wharf to end this walk in a nice restaurant, continue reading.
Canary Wharf
When you reach the Salmon Lane lock, cross the bridge and take Parnham Street on the other side. At the end of the street, cross Rodheswell Road and take Salmon Lane in front of you. Continue on this street and, when you get to the end, take the footbridge to cross over Limehouse Cut.
On the other side, follow Newell Street until the end and then take right onto Limehouse Causeway. Cross Westferry Road and walk through the residential area on the other side. Take right onto Helsemere Road and there you are!
You arrive at the West India Quai Promenade by the North Dock.
You will find restaurants with outdoor seatings facing the docks but if you’d rather be inside, I recommend going to the Big Easy. Situated in the building facing the dock at the end of the promenade, you can enjoy a drink with some chicken wings at the bar in a Wild Wide West Saloon environment.
Tip: the Big Easy is located on the same floor as the Secret Garden, don’t forget to get a look at it!
The Regent’s Canal Walk Map
If you want to do the same walk, download the map by clicking on the button below. To learn how to upload it on your navigation app, follow my step by step guide here.
Final Thoughts on the Regent’s Canal Walk
For nice walks around London and to discover more of this beautiful city, check the following self-guided walks:
Thames Path from Richmond to Kew
Thames Path from Belvedere to Greenwich
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