diamond geezer

Sunday, May 04, 2008

A walk along the Regent's Canal

What lovelier way to spend a bank holiday weekend than a canalside walk? So yesterday I walked the entire length of the Regent's Canal, all 8½ twisty watery miles from Limehouse to Paddington. I've walked it before, three years ago, and blogged about the journey at great length. But quite a bit has changed since then, both alongside the towpath and on it, so I thought I'd take a second look. And get a bit of useful exercise to boot.

Blimey, wasn't the towpath busy yesterday? I know it was sunny and warm, but I don't remember anywhere near this many people using the towpath a few years ago. If the legacy of Ken's cycling revolution is evident anywhere in London, it's here. Bike after bike ting-tinged past, as blokes in lycra and women in t-shirts sped by on their sustainable journeys. The joggers were out in great numbers too, especially on the eastern half of the canal, puffing away on their Saturday morning self-improvement constitutional. And then there were the walkers, a steady stream of assorted pedestrians stepping out to enjoy the springtime sunshine, heading nowhere in particular with the occasional canine companion in tow.

The water was rather quieter. Very few narrowboats chugged by, for reasons which would later become apparent. Instead the canal was dotted with randy waterfowl, flapping and preening and nest-building as their seasonal mating instincts kicked in. Most were swimming around in pairs, a look of blissful happiness on their beaks, while a few already had their new fluffy extended family paddling alongside.

I noticed an awful lot of new buildings beside the canal that weren't there last time I walked by. In Tower Hamlets the last of the old warehouses had been demolished to make way for tight-packed residential developments with "waterside aspect". In Haggerston an unusual shipshape apartment block has been shoehorned in beside the canal - unexpectedly hideous, but no doubt it looked better on the drawing board. North of King's Cross a series of glass and steel cliffs plunge down to the water's edge as the area moves definitively upmarket. This eastern end of the canal is certainly seeing a continued economic renaissance, although the canalside council blocks of Hackney stand as reminder that not everybody is seeing the benefits.

Two stretches of the walk came in sharp contrast to the peace and quiet of waterside life. There's no towpath through the thousand-yard Islington tunnel so I had to divert up into the busy shopping hub around Upper Street, fighting my way through the latte drinkers and roaring traffic. Signage here was as poor as ever, and I nearly got lost threading my way through the residential streets beyond. And the second jolt came at Camden Lock. Increasing crowds of glowering emo kids and vegan noodle munchers signalled that the market was in full swing up ahead. The towpath diverts right through the centre of this bizarre bazaar, so there was no alternative but to try to force my way (ever so slowly) through the throng of spicy-lunching trinket shoppers.

And finally, almost three hours after setting out, I reached journey's end at Little Venice. Good timing. The annual Canalway Cavalcade was in full swing, and the basin was packed with colourful narrowboats here to celebrate "funtime on the water". Several canalfolk had chugged their decorated craft from far and wide to be here, and were tied up on the banks enjoying the carnival atmosphere. We don't get to host this sort of gathering often enough in central London, and the brightly painted boats were a sight to savour. Most photogenic.

Hundreds of happy visitors milled around on the quayside, perusing the stalls and sipping the odd pint of real ale. Even the Mayor was here in his ceremonial limo (that's the Lord Mayor of the City of London, not the new floppy-haired Mayor of Henley). Every now and then a purple-painted morris dancer wandered by, off to bash a bladder in another demonstration of Mayday merriment. I had to step carefully to negotiate past the oversized pushchairs, almost towpath-width, that certain inconsiderate parents were wielding. But what an excellent end to my walk. Festivities continue today and tomorrow, should you fancy partaking in a little Canalway magic. And don't worry, you don't have to walk all the way there - not unless you want to.

posted 09:00 :