Along The Regent’s Canal From Shoreditch To Paddington
The towpath fiddler in Camden
I continued my ramble along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal as far as Paddington Basin in the frost, picking up my journey where I cast off in Shoreditch. Swathed in multiple layers of clothing against the cold, I was alarmed to encounter rough sleepers under bridges when I set out but, as the temperature rose, I was astonished to discover a zealous sunbather in Camden. My most inspiring meeting of the day was with fiddler Lee Westbrook who, like me, had also been encouraged to venture out by the sunlight. His music echoed hauntingly under the multiple bridges at Gloucester Ave. And by the time I reached Paddington, it was warm enough to unbutton my coat before taking the Metropolitan Line back again to Liverpool St.
Approaching Bridport Place Bridge
De Beauvoir Rd Bridge
Approaching City Rd Lock
Lock keeper’s cottage at City Rd Lock
At City Rd Lock
Danbury St Bridge
Approaching the Islington Tunnel
Entrance to the Islington Tunnel
Lock Keeper’s Cottage at St Pancras Lock
Bridge at Royal College St
Canalside Terrace in Camden
At Camden Lock
At Camden Lock
Lee Westbrook
Mansions by Regent’s Park
Bridge into Regent’s Park
Mansion in Regent’s Park
Onwards towards Paddington
In Lisson Grove
In Maida Vale
Little Venice
Paddington Basin
You may also like to take a look at my previous walk
Thoroughly enjoyed the canal posts and you’ve given me a sense of direction! We’ve only ever walked from Camden to Little Venice on a sunny day! It was delightful x
Lovely photos and a very nice entry to your blog.
I would have liked to have seen some folks fishing but I imagine the fish could well be long gone because of pollution. Did you see any on your recent walks?
It was lovely to se the willows growing and the good old hardy buddleia.
Thank you
Mark
Superb photographs, thanks !. I have only walked the stretch from Camden to Kings Cross (Coal Drops Yard), but will definitely try this walk in the near future. Any recommended pub stops on route? Cheers
For the first 50 years of my life, I’d always lived within walking distance of the River Thames, so it’s very precious to me. Some years ago my cousin’s daughter lived on a houseboat not far from the Tower of London. It always seemed so romantic. There was however a boy in my class at school who lived on a houseboat on a stretch of the River in Chelsea back in the 1950s. Sadly, his home was a rather ramshackle one, where he lived with his mother. He had a sad life and many years later I heard he’d died by his own hand. I’m still sad that life didn’t treat his more kindly.
Just to reassure the Regent’s Canal doubter – there are plenty of fish in the canal and often fishermen trying to catch them. You’ll probably see cormorants and herons and a number of other wild birds that enjoy fishing! You might also spot magnet fishermen when it’s not quite so cold. The canal might have a reputation for being dirty but it’s actually surprisingly clean (in comparison to our rivers) because the water companies are not allowed to empty sewage into canals. I spend a lot of time on paddleboards on the Regent’s Canal, and even when I’m away from it I need to conjure up the watery canal world – see my novel NOT THAT DEEP set in exactly the places that the Gentle Author walked.