Regent's Canal Towpath

The lowdown

The Regent's Canal opened in 1820 to link the Grand Union Canal in the west to the docks at Limehouse in the east, and its towpath is now one of the great free walking routes across London. Flat, mostly traffic-free and endlessly varied, it lets you cross huge chunks of the city by water.

Along the way it serves up a remarkable sequence, the painted narrowboats of Little Venice, the back of Regent's Park and London Zoo, the bustle of Camden Lock, the regenerated basins of King's Cross, the canalside bars of Hackney and Victoria Park, all the way to the river at Limehouse.

You can walk or cycle as much or as little as you like, dipping on and off at canalside cafes, markets and parks. It is free, calm and a completely different way to see London, down at water level and away from the roads.