canalboat.co.uk Canal Boat July 2018 51CRUISE GUIDE
2 MILES / 4 LOCKSCAMDEN(^1234)
popular with visitors. Also popular is the
London Canal Museum at Battlebridge
Basin. Housed in a converted ice
warehouse, the museum tells the story of
the capital’s waterways (see inset).
Soon comes the half-mile long Islington
Tunnel which has no towpath, but there
are markers to show the way for walkers to
follow the route over the top, which passes
through a street market. The canal
emerges into a fine wooded cutting
flanked by the gardens of terraced houses
before City Road Lock.
City Road Basin, which branches off on
the right, is a large expanse of water
backed up by an impressive array of new
tall buildings on the north edge of the City
of London. This was once a busy
commercial centre thronged with working
boats. Now the basin is often occupied
with youthful canoeists from the local
boat club.
The Narrow Boat Inn can be seen
opposite Wenlock Basin which is mostly
used for moorings. The canal continues
eastward through an intensely built -up
area to Kingsland Basin which has
extensive moorings.
Next comes Victoria Park which is
flanked by two canals: the Regent’s and
the Hertford Union, which forms a short
cut to the River Lee avoiding the run down
to Limehouse Basin. The park, with its
excellent lakeside cafe and pagoda is a
green gem set in the heart of London’s
East End. It was once known as ‘The
People’s Park’ because of the political
meetings and rallies which took place
here. Now it hosts numerous annual
festivals and musical events. The Hertford
Union Canal runs alongside Victoria Park
for most of its length, descending through
three locks before joining the Lee
Navigation.
We’ll stay on the Regent’s Canal,
passing Mile End Park which is a narrow
strip between the canal and a main road
but contains an ecology park, an art
pavilion, a stadium, a wildlife lake and
areas of grassland with wild flowers in
summer. The park was created from a
former industrial area which was
City Road Basin is a large expanse
of water backed up by an impressive
array of new tall buildings
This museum, set in a
former free school for
poor children set up by
Dr Barnardo, features
a Victorian schoolroom
in one of the original
classrooms, a re-created
East End kitchen from
the year 1900, and a
gallery depicting life in
Victorian East London.
RAGGED SCHOOL
MUSEUM
SEE ALSO
Above: The redeveloped
canalside behind St Pancras is
popular with visitors
Above: A cast iron towpath bridge spans the canal above Camden Lock
Below: New tower blocks form a strikinng backdrop to City Road Basin
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ISLINGTON
MAIDA HILL TUNNEL LISSON GROVE TUNNEL ISLINGTON TUNNEL