Regent’s Canal runs through the heart of King’s Cross. This nine-mile waterway flows quietly through our capital, from the River Thames at Limehouse to Paddington. People still live along the canal and the mix of boat moorings, heritage buildings and a connection to nature make for a charming setting.
Walk or cycle the towpath and discover the neighbourhood parks and gardens, canal side restaurants and more.
Over the past decade, the canal has been transformed at King’s Cross and is today an important part of neighbourhood life – just as it was in its industrial heyday.
Once the tradesman’s entrance to the industries that lined its banks, we now have access to this hidden treasure and can appreciate the beauty of the waterway with its colourful narrowboats, ivy-clad walls and rich birdlife.
Access has been improved with steps, ramps, new moorings and new bridges. All along the towpath, the brick walls have been draped in climbing plants – restoring the waterway’s secret garden feel.
King’s Cross has been a place of trade since Roman times and from 1820 until the 1960s, Regent’s Canal played an important part in this trade. The canal linked King’s Cross to the major industrial cities in the North of England. And for over 140 years brought coal, goods and building materials to London.
The force behind Regent’s Canal, and indeed much of Regency London was John Nash. This prolific architect also designed Buckingham Palace, Regent Street and Marble Arch. You can learn more about the history of Regent’s Canal here.
As you walk along the canal from Granary Square towards Gasholder Park, you’ll see Camley Street Natural Park on the opposite bank. This two-acre nature reserve was created from an old coal yard back in 1984. The woodland, grassland and wetland habitats provide a haven for birds, butterflies, amphibians and plant life. Continue along the towpath and you’ll reach Gasholder Park and St Pancras Cruising Club.
