You are a rare and remarkable human, hats off to your research and clear love of the world. I've watched many of your sojourns and those attest to your craft. Yin was yet another right royal adventure through an ancient city, on this occasion beside water. Lang may yer lumb reek! If you ever find time, head north if you will, bring your you and enlighten us on your take on Telford's most northerly canal, plenty fresh air and the odd pub too. Thanks again for your gentle manner, happy travels.
Great video. I lived in a house that backed onto the canal, from 1949 to 1970. The house was on the right hand side of your walk, between Mile End Road bridge and Roman Road bridge, just east of the public house (the Palm Tree) that appears very briefly in the video - all the original properties on the canal side of Grove Road, have now been demolished, apart from a short section of terraced houses in Haverfield Road and a short section of shops in Grove Road. I do recall horse-drawn barges in the 1950s but the horses were finally replaced by small blue tractors. The commercial barges would moor outside my home, because there was a huge woodyard on the opposite bank and there were regular deliveries of timber of various sizes, particularly large planks. It seemed quite precarious, the men unloading the planks on their shoulders whilst bouncing on the wooden gangplanks - but I never saw anyone fall in. For schooling, I went to Olga Street primary school (now luxury apartments) and then Coopers' Company school (a guild school, founded by the Worshipful Guild of Coopers under the guidance of Nicholas Gibson) - surprise, surprise, now luxury apartments. Bernard Bresslaw was a former pupil.
That was really an emotional walk for me John, thank you so much. I grew up in N1 and went to Chapel market at least twice a week from 1946 - 1974, the canal at Islington or kings cross was great to see again and the surrounding areas. I remember the Barnsbury Estate being built and the Prefab's and old Georgian terrace houses that were left after the war finally being removed. I lived in Malvern terrace and had friends and relatives who lived on the Barnsbury Estate, sadly many are no longer with us. Emotional but lovely to see the old Manzes even though it closed down. Most of the children of the costermongers of Chap went to the same primary school as me and the girls onto Barnsbury Central girls school with me. The memories... I can remember what the area looked like before and now its all spruced up. Thank you 💕🇦🇺
Christmas Day 1993, I was at loose ends and alone in London for the day. Spent it doing this walk, starting at Paddington. Bright and cold day, the quiet, the sights, the history. Every Christmas Day since, I tell my kids that that day was my favorite Christmas ever.
Mr. Rogers let me from the outset say that I believe London is the greatest city. No other city comes close to it. Your channel brings me close to London. It's almost like I am there in body. Thank you so much for your channel.
I love your longer walking films, John. So immersive. One can get nicely involved in them. Lost in them, too. You have reawakened the desire to walk down the Regent's Canal, well at least a stretch. Perfect for one such as myself, with mobility issues - nice and flat.
Great video! I used to walk the canal frequently from Islington to Edgware Road. The blue trunking at the entrance of the Maida Hill tunnel is carrying the electricity cables to that huge power sub station you mentioned at Aberdeen Place. The cables run under the towpath and use the canal water in the cooler dampened soil to help keep them cool! So, it's not only the railways that have a connection with the canal. The canal has more modern but hidden uses too!
A most interesting presentation. The Regent's Canal clearly played a vital role in London's development and the nation's commercial interest by linking London with Birmingham. Thank you for sharing.
As a boy in the 70's me and my mates I used to fish in the Limehouse dock for bream, roach, perch as well as eels and flounders. You had to get there early though as the fishing was excellent so there was always a rush to get the best spots.
My first job in 1963 was at Johnson & Belfar LTd in Wharf Rd. We made packing cases for big companies like Stafford Allen, and Burroughs Welcome who were manufacturing chemists in the area. All those factories are now apartments. We had our timber delivered by barge in City Road Basin just before the Islington Tunnel. You mentioned "The Narrowboat Pub". by the bridge that separates St. Peters St. from Wharf Rd. In my day it was "The Star" a right spit `n sawdust place, but beer was only 1/3d a pint. It was changed into a trendy pub after the gentrification of the area, and the Ok` Ya` brigade taking over. I enjoy your videos as I spent the first 50 years of my life in Walthamstow, and East Ham before escaping to South Devon 23 years ago.
That was wonderful! A great end to my weekend to have a lovely stroll along the water, see the people out enjoying their day and hearing the history of this grand canal. Thank you for taking us there!
We just watched this walk on the TV as it was so epic. I remember my Dad taking me on a row boat on the Regent's Canal back in the 1960's, you could hire them from the zoo. Thanks for this video.
Hi John , love your walking ways, my family are from Hackney and Leytonstone now I dwell in Canada, so your trips are a delightful ramble along memory lane, best wishes mate. ❤
Absolutely loved this one. Brought back memories of my last visit when I stayed on the corner of Barnsbury Avenue and Copenhagen Street and followed the canal for a while on my first day, sitting on that very astroturf smoking a cigarette, barely able to realise I was in London again, 25 years later, and in a world that had so permanently changed.
that was epic John. the fact that little bits of this canal evoke many memories at points in your life and I imagine most people who have lived in London at one time or another but to walk the whole length joins up the dots. I once joined at Paddington and cycled all the ay to Ealing / Alfeton - it was most boring going westwrds, but have had so many little strolls with ex partners along the old ford section, and to Limehouse, lunch in that cafe over the Maida Vale tunnel, jogging along the kings cross section under Cali road, and spending boozy mornings after leaving the Bagley's night club in Kings Cross goods yard at 6am and heading to Camden lock in the sun armed with beers from the local Sainsburys to sit for the entire next day, and sitting at my best friends flat in Gainsborough Studios bbqing on the balcony watching the hoards of hipsters commuting from Haggerston to Hoxton.... what a fantastic piece of infrastructure for stringing London together
Magnificent, informative walk! I've walked the canal from Little Venice to Camden Town many times and it is indeed bucolic, with magnificent mansions and the tranquillity of water. Thank you for sharing your excursions, John. Much appreciated!
Epic indeed ! And right past where my 3rd great grandparents lived at Regents Cottages, now Fife Terrace between the Islington Tunnel and the Caledonian Road in 1851. Lovely chat with Jacob and hearing about continuous cruisers.
Really loved this walk. It brought back memories of my early childhood when our family lived near a canal. I remember walks along it, looking into the barges used as dwellings & also seeing transport barges. Regents Canal is a beautiful walk, thank you.
Another wonderful walk, John, and one that you'd never done before! Just goes to show, you can live almost a lifetime in London, but STILL not walk all it's pathways or uncover all it's secrets :)
Great walk John. One of the best.. You may be interested to know City Road Basin is one of just two points in London where the electricity feed from the National Grid joins the local network. If you look at the paving slabs on the towpath you'll have seen some marked CEGB and various warnings of high voltage electricity. That's because someone had the brilliant idea the canal formed a great pathway through the urban area, easy to access and out of the way of most. An added bonus was they could draw water from the canal to cool the cables that run in the trench they laid under the footpath. The water is pumped back into the canal further downstream. The canal authority was paid a fee for the use of their water, which means paradoxically they earned money by allowing someone to expend energy on their product, then giving it back to them..
Generally I've preferred the city to the river walks, however, that was a wonderful video. There is something endearing about the back of all those buildings and all the history they hide, married with the modernisation, which seemed rather tasteful compared to the some of the carbuncles sprouting up. Thank you for an enjoyable hour!
I lived in London between 1996 - 2016 and used to walk along the canal from Camden to Maida Vale late at night after leaving the pub. I eventually got mugged in Little Venice for £20. Great video!
If you'd just panned the camera to the right when you mentioned the gainsborough studios, its now a mix of flats/gym/cafe, no suprise! Borders the north of shoredtich park
Brilliant video. As an expat living in America, these videos are really appreciated. The sad part is seeing all the graffiti - it’s a shame people have no respect for the history and work that went into developing this infrastructure.
Loved it, loved it, loved it. I was born and raised in Maida Avenue overlooking the canal. And of course as a youngster you don't appreciate your surroundings, I left there at the age of 22 when I was married. I heard many horror stories of leggers offering to take the boats through the Maida Hill tunnel and stop half way through to rob them. The restaurant spanning that tunnel was once a greengrocers where my late Brother had a Saturday job back in the 60's
There's a wonderful lore around Crocker's Folly- the legend goes that it was built where Crocker believed the Grand Central railway terminus was to be built, which of course it wasn't! Such a wonderful walk to do!
Macclesfield Bridge a bit of info for you. When the bridge was blown-up, they put the support columns back facing the opposite way, they figured the rope ware on the columns would even the ware out. So if you look the rope cutting are away from the water side...Great video John !!!!
I was visiting the fascinating Royston Cave while you were doing this walk last Sunday. A fascinating place in Hertfordshire linked to the Knights Templar.
I actually think that video is now in my TOP THREE FAVOURITE videos of yours John! Thoroughly enjoyed it 😊 And...I say that as a born and bred South East Londoner, who rarely ventures into the evil that-IS...NORTH OF THE RIVER! 😂
Really enjoyed this one John. It’s one of my favourite walks in London too….never get tired of it when I visit. The transformation of the area behind Kings Cross is something else. Keep on walking..Barrie
You promised and you delivered. A most excellent walk, thoroughly enjoyed sitting here and travelling along with you. Used to live next to the Kennet and Avon canal in my Devizes days, walked and cycled many a mile up and down on that one (generally in search of a pub it must be said). My wife has an irrational dislike of canals (boring school lessons apparently) but I love them. Still not found the hat? PS. Thanks for the heads up on your maps from Hooksmith Press by the way, visited Russell and got the set of 5, very nice.
I remember when the Georgian house (now just a facade I believe) next to the gasometers at Cambridge Heath was the premises of Empire Coaches. While Empire were still there the house was used as a setting in the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Loved this. Lived in Barnsbury (Offord Road) for 40 years. Did a project on the Kings Cross cut of the Regents Canal for my A-level archaeology so was familiar with that area before all the amazing developments. The canal museum is really worth a visit. Was the ice warehouse of Carlo Gatti ice cream. entrepreneur (check out the excavated ice well inside). This was a real trip down memory lane. Thank you.
Walking on the shore,❤really lovable,really excellent and nice walk,everythings look like picture images ,Jacob on the boat sometimes its feel peaceful ✌, after pandemic everywhere poverty is taking place,you show us canal,River and locks and boats and cruises sometimes its feel mysterious ❤riverside flat construction is very beautiful I think it will be very nice to see it in evening time,everything is like fairy tale ❤😊from past 100 -200 years it seems very popular Port love ❤ this walk Heidi Ma'am is always right ✅ please listen to him 😀 thanks 💖 for a wonderful journey 😊 swan is floating 😀 very beautifully London Great Britain 🇬🇧 amazing ❤london is always in my dream ❤love this country so much ❤😊And yes meadows song of your father🎵 is so so good like listening childhood stories memorable 😀 😊 ❤
Oh wow… had no idea Snowdon’s aviary had been given over to the monkeys! I remember walking along the canal circa 1969 with my proud father who worked for the company who built it ( Mowlems). He didn’t help build it… he was a wages clerk but still proud enough to walk his children past ❤
That was a fantastic walk! I used to cycle along the canal from Little Venice to Camden quite often (and boat there along with a friend who lived on a narrow boat and take his canoe out along there) and that section brought back great memories. You'd scarcely believe it but the land around Paddington basin was empty and windblown then (but it was thirty years ago)
You’ve really taken me down memory lane on this one. From Islington, where I was born and grew up, through Camden and Regents Park where I spent so many days and nights having fun in my teens and twenties - to Merchant Square, where I once used to work and would often get coffee from the places there. This is also in my top ten John Rogers walks now!
Hi John,support you on Patreon and absolutely love your work. Live out in Colchester so don’t get a chance to get to London too often. Changed that today and we got the train down to Paddington and did the canal walk to Limehouse basin. Wow! One of the most enjoyable walks we have ever done. Thanks John.
very enjoyable John, loved the Camden part, ....great to see the Greenery as Summer beckons....up and down the City rd.... in and out the Eagle this is the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel. loving the new Cricket season any chance of a walk around the Oval and the Kennington area, the river Effra....I lived for a short time on Effra road Wimbledon...Surrey cricket Supporter.
If you go on a weekday, you can walk through the path that was closed off when John did the walk. Overall, this is a lovely walk, and I'm looking forward to do it again.
Without a shred of doubt John this is my favourite upload. Although I am bias due to being around that area throughout the 80s including living on a canal boat for a while near King’s Cross and having a fair chunk of my childhood growing up on the Barnsby estate in the late 60s so thank you it took me back in time. That section through Hackney was stunning I do find that beautiful section near Little Venice a little bit annoying meaning the sections gated off, but it always was the posh part of the Regents Canal. Anyway I am waffling on thank you John that was a true blessing.
I learnt a new word today from you / bucolic! Thankyou I love leaning new words and I love joining you on your interesting walks, you have a pleasant relaxing voice thankyou for your history on walks too ♥️Xx
I can remember working near the big sub station at Lisson Grove . When it was raining you can hear the fizzing when it hit the power cables . Lovely walk John 👍🏻
We did exactly that walk a few months ago. Lots of interesting places along the way, places to have a snack, nooks and crannies, bits of interesting history, backs of places, not too many people apart from Camden where you can't avoid them ...... a thoroughly good day.
they run a marathon you walk a marathon lol i was hoping jacob was going to give you a look around his barge that would have been really interesting i can relate to the peace and quite aspect john another great walk thank you very much indeed all the best steve
Cheers Steve - I didn’t want to intrude by asking for a look inside Jacob’s barge, I was grateful for him taking the time to talk. Such a great walk - already looking forward to doing it again
As a kid I did the Regents canal to LImehouse when the old ship lock was still there, in a pair of traditional narrowboats. And from there up the Thames all the way to Oxford
Absolutely fantastic video. The Regent's Canal has been on our walk list for a while and from watching your brilliant video, we will be making that walk in a few weeks time. Thank you as always John, brilliant as always......
The modern silver houses in Camden were designed by Nicolas Grimshaw and are now Grade II listed. The monkey enclosure at the zoo was originally designed as an aviary and is also listed.
Wonderful walk John and took me back to when I worked in Camden in the 90s and my lunchtime walks along the canal. And in the 00s doing the same in Kings X. So much history and amazing vistas. 🙏🙏🙏
Lovely stuff. Brings back good memories. My brother was the landlord of the Narrow Boat pub some decades ago. Ive walked along the canal to Regents Park from there but never in the other direction. Must come back and do the walk towards Limehouse someday. Thanks man.
Really interesting and enjoyable as ever; I'm quite familiar with many of the bits of this, but I've never done the whole walk; it's a pity that so many of the moorings are denied public access, but I can see that there may be a security issue for the people living on the water.. Little Venice is truly beautiful. Nice one John, hope you enjoyed your well deserved pint. 🌟👍
Great walk - if you are interested in the movement of troops by canal look into Weedon Bec armaments near Northampton. The plan was if Napoleon invaded that Northampton would become the temporary capital and all the barracks and buildings for the army were put at nearby Weedon Bec linked by the Grand Union which actually ran into the barracks and are still there - although no longer linked up - and you can visit. It was never used at the time but was used during WW1 & 2 for army storage.
Some very fond memories along this walk, of our treasured trips to London: each one featured a bit here and there of this wondrous canal. Thank you for this Sunday tour down the entire stretch
Thanks John. This was great. It was an emotional one for me too. Your video made me realise that by happenstance I have moved from East to West along the Regents Canal over the past 24 years: Haggerston, Chapel Market, Primrose Hill, and then back east a little to Kentish Town.
Hey John. I watched this videos the day it was published. Thanks to you, today I walked the entire length of the canal, but opposite direction. Took me good 3 hours. With a lovely pint at the Grapes afterwards.
@@SouthLondonCyclist Well, there is no access from Paddington Basin because it's a private property there. You need to walk about 200-300 meters along Bloomfield Rd, and then you will see the access to the canal. Alternatively, you can access the tunnel directly at Limehouse.
@@guyavni3206 Yeah, I work in Paddington and know the basin access but it seemed like a section was blocked off for John near Regents Park/Edgware Rd - but will go and check it out
Hi John, me and a good friend done that walk last year, sure is a lovely walk. We had a pint in a pub along it, I think a lock stock and barrel film had filmed in it ( so we was told )
Walked the section from Coal Drops Yard to Regents Park a few years ago in the February, still busy with the public even on a cold sunny week day.I have a keen eye for the layers of architecture both industrial and housing, as you say some of the Regency mansion houses are superb especially with rounded turrets. 👍
What a walk, John. I think that so far is one of my favourites of yours. Then again, just as I think that, you will go and amaze me the next following week. Many thanks Steve.
Absolutely fine video one of your best , wonderful to have your company for over an hour, thank you , growing up in the fifties and sixties meant i didn't see much of the canal , as mostly it was heavily industrial environment and highly polluted, also very run down and dilapidated especially the tow path , the only bit I remember seeing is the part near London Zoo , in fact there used to be an entrance to the Zoo directly off the canal especially for the passengers of the river boat ,I also remember seeing the Chinese floating restaurant which I thought very exotic, nice to see how the whole canal has become such a vibrant , social environment, thank goodness it's been preserved , sorry to see that a lot of narrowboat residents are being pushed out by increasing costs and changing laws , the changes around Kings Cross especially are incredible , I knew it as a huge area of railway tracks and yards , very run down and dangerous , all the best John see you soon 🌈
That brought back some wonderful memories. I walked the Camden to Paddington stretch with my to be wife over 30 years ago. The next time we are back in the UK we will do the Camden Limehouse section. Thank you for another wonderful video 😊
This video is a very exciting. I visted London in November and walked the Regent's Canal between King's Cross and Camden, so it's fun to see you in the same areas. I only found out afterwards that Primrose Hill was right there, but I completely missed it. I can say that as a new visitor, Camden Lock was a bit of a let down. I was just extremely busy with people, and I've dutifully crossed it off the list of places to see. The Coal Drops Yard area was very nice, though. Sure, it's a classic bit of gentrification, but also really quite nice, I thought. The little green area near the gasholders, the lock, the large open square in front of the arts school(?), St. Pancras Old Church nearby, and let's not forget the rather mad Google "sideways skyscraper" being built there.
The murder victim mentioned was Nasra Ismail. She was 27 and a mother of two. People who knew her called her gentle and sweet natured. RIP.
You are a rare and remarkable human, hats off to your research and clear love of the world. I've watched many of your sojourns and those attest to your craft. Yin was yet another right royal adventure through an ancient city, on this occasion beside water.
Lang may yer lumb reek!
If you ever find time, head north if you will, bring your you and enlighten us on your take on Telford's most northerly canal, plenty fresh air and the odd pub too.
Thanks again for your gentle manner, happy travels.
Great video. I lived in a house that backed onto the canal, from 1949 to 1970. The house was on the right hand side of your walk, between Mile End Road bridge and Roman Road bridge, just east of the public house (the Palm Tree) that appears very briefly in the video - all the original properties on the canal side of Grove Road, have now been demolished, apart from a short section of terraced houses in Haverfield Road and a short section of shops in Grove Road. I do recall horse-drawn barges in the 1950s but the horses were finally replaced by small blue tractors. The commercial barges would moor outside my home, because there was a huge woodyard on the opposite bank and there were regular deliveries of timber of various sizes, particularly large planks. It seemed quite precarious, the men unloading the planks on their shoulders whilst bouncing on the wooden gangplanks - but I never saw anyone fall in. For schooling, I went to Olga Street primary school (now luxury apartments) and then Coopers' Company school (a guild school, founded by the Worshipful Guild of Coopers under the guidance of Nicholas Gibson) - surprise, surprise, now luxury apartments. Bernard Bresslaw was a former pupil.
12.00 All the time that horses were used, there weren't any railings. The towpath under the bridge was just ordinary towpath ... seamless travel.
That was really an emotional walk for me John, thank you so much. I grew up in N1 and went to Chapel market at least twice a week from 1946 - 1974, the canal at Islington or kings cross was great to see again and the surrounding areas. I remember the Barnsbury Estate being built and the Prefab's and old Georgian terrace houses that were left after the war finally being removed. I lived in Malvern terrace and had friends and relatives who lived on the Barnsbury Estate, sadly many are no longer with us. Emotional but lovely to see the old Manzes even though it closed down. Most of the children of the costermongers of Chap went to the same primary school as me and the girls onto Barnsbury Central girls school with me. The memories... I can remember what the area looked like before and now its all spruced up. Thank you 💕🇦🇺
Christmas Day 1993, I was at loose ends and alone in London for the day. Spent it doing this walk, starting at Paddington. Bright and cold day, the quiet, the sights, the history. Every Christmas Day since, I tell my kids that that day was my favorite Christmas ever.
Great memory Mark. Not sure what the kids made of it though
My great grandfather and great uncle were the lock keepers at Victoria park/Old Ford rd lock..... George Monksfield
Mr. Rogers let me from the outset say that I believe London is the greatest city. No other city comes close to it.
Your channel brings me close to London. It's almost like I am there in body.
Thank you so much for your channel.
That canal museum is a great little museum. Took my youngest there last year and he loved it…
I love your longer walking films, John. So immersive. One can get nicely involved in them. Lost in them, too. You have reawakened the desire to walk down the Regent's Canal, well at least a stretch. Perfect for one such as myself, with mobility issues - nice and flat.
Great video! I used to walk the canal frequently from Islington to Edgware Road.
The blue trunking at the entrance of the Maida Hill tunnel is carrying the electricity cables to that huge power sub station you mentioned at Aberdeen Place.
The cables run under the towpath and use the canal water in the cooler dampened soil to help keep them cool!
So, it's not only the railways that have a connection with the canal.
The canal has more modern but hidden uses too!
A most interesting presentation. The Regent's Canal clearly played a vital role in London's development and the nation's commercial interest by linking London with Birmingham. Thank you for sharing.
I love how the green door to the right of Alpino’s looks like it might be the original door from 1800-something.
As a boy in the 70's me and my mates I used to fish in the Limehouse dock for bream, roach, perch as well as eels and flounders. You had to get there early though as the fishing was excellent so there was always a rush to get the best spots.
A very enjoyable video to watch on a Sunday evening.
My first job in 1963 was at Johnson & Belfar LTd in Wharf Rd. We made packing cases for big companies like Stafford Allen, and Burroughs Welcome who were manufacturing chemists in the area. All those factories are now apartments. We had our timber delivered by barge in City Road Basin just before the Islington Tunnel. You mentioned "The Narrowboat Pub". by the bridge that separates St. Peters St. from Wharf Rd. In my day it was "The Star" a right spit `n sawdust place, but beer was only 1/3d a pint. It was changed into a trendy pub after the gentrification of the area, and the Ok` Ya` brigade taking over. I enjoy your videos as I spent the first 50 years of my life in Walthamstow, and East Ham before escaping to South Devon 23 years ago.
John, in Limehouse again, missed you again, probably your best walk to date, more vital escapism on a Sunday
That was wonderful! A great end to my weekend to have a lovely stroll along the water, see the people out enjoying their day and hearing the history of this grand canal. Thank you for taking us there!
Epic walk along a magnificent waterway, with a delightful interview along the towpath. Well done. Thank you.
Thanks Malcolm
We just watched this walk on the TV as it was so epic. I remember my Dad taking me on a row boat on the Regent's Canal back in the 1960's, you could hire them from the zoo. Thanks for this video.
Hi John , love your walking ways, my family are from Hackney and Leytonstone now I dwell in Canada, so your trips are a delightful ramble along memory lane, best wishes mate. ❤
Thanks very much Peter
Absolutely loved this one. Brought back memories of my last visit when I stayed on the corner of Barnsbury Avenue and Copenhagen Street and followed the canal for a while on my first day, sitting on that very astroturf smoking a cigarette, barely able to realise I was in London again, 25 years later, and in a world that had so permanently changed.
that was epic John. the fact that little bits of this canal evoke many memories at points in your life and I imagine most people who have lived in London at one time or another but to walk the whole length joins up the dots. I once joined at Paddington and cycled all the ay to Ealing / Alfeton - it was most boring going westwrds, but have had so many little strolls with ex partners along the old ford section, and to Limehouse, lunch in that cafe over the Maida Vale tunnel, jogging along the kings cross section under Cali road, and spending boozy mornings after leaving the Bagley's night club in Kings Cross goods yard at 6am and heading to Camden lock in the sun armed with beers from the local Sainsburys to sit for the entire next day, and sitting at my best friends flat in Gainsborough Studios bbqing on the balcony watching the hoards of hipsters commuting from Haggerston to Hoxton.... what a fantastic piece of infrastructure for stringing London together
Magnificent, informative walk! I've walked the canal from Little Venice to Camden Town many times and it is indeed bucolic, with magnificent mansions and the tranquillity of water. Thank you for sharing your excursions, John. Much appreciated!
Like your walks John took up walking alot of these like your vidio
Epic indeed ! And right past where my 3rd great grandparents lived at Regents Cottages, now Fife Terrace between the Islington Tunnel and the Caledonian Road in 1851. Lovely chat with Jacob and hearing about continuous cruisers.
Really loved this walk. It brought back memories of my early childhood when our family lived near a canal. I remember walks along it, looking into the barges used
as dwellings & also seeing transport barges. Regents Canal is a beautiful walk, thank you.
Another wonderful walk, John, and one that you'd never done before!
Just goes to show, you can live almost a lifetime in London, but STILL not walk all it's pathways or uncover all it's secrets :)
Many thanks- walking London’s a life’s work
Great walk John. One of the best..
You may be interested to know City Road Basin is one of just two points in London where the electricity feed from the National Grid joins the local network. If you look at the paving slabs on the towpath you'll have seen some marked CEGB and various warnings of high voltage electricity. That's because someone had the brilliant idea the canal formed a great pathway through the urban area, easy to access and out of the way of most. An added bonus was they could draw water from the canal to cool the cables that run in the trench they laid under the footpath. The water is pumped back into the canal further downstream.
The canal authority was paid a fee for the use of their water, which means paradoxically they earned money by allowing someone to expend energy on their product, then giving it back to them..
What a treat. Gongoozling with John Rogers. Love it, many thanks
Generally I've preferred the city to the river walks, however, that was a wonderful video. There is something endearing about the back of all those buildings and all the history they hide, married with the modernisation, which seemed rather tasteful compared to the some of the carbuncles sprouting up. Thank you for an enjoyable hour!
I lived in London between 1996 - 2016 and used to walk along the canal from Camden to Maida Vale late at night after leaving the pub. I eventually got mugged in Little Venice for £20. Great video!
Sorry to hear that Shaun
Another beauty John. Pretty sure Arthur Lowe lived in one of those grand expensive houses at 49:00
If you'd just panned the camera to the right when you mentioned the gainsborough studios, its now a mix of flats/gym/cafe, no suprise! Borders the north of shoredtich park
Brilliant video. As an expat living in America, these videos are really appreciated. The sad part is seeing all the graffiti - it’s a shame people have no respect for the history and work that went into developing this infrastructure.
Loved it, loved it, loved it.
I was born and raised in Maida Avenue overlooking the canal. And of course as a youngster you don't appreciate your surroundings, I left there at the age of 22 when I was married.
I heard many horror stories of leggers offering to take the boats through the Maida Hill tunnel and stop half way through to rob them.
The restaurant spanning that tunnel was once a greengrocers where my late Brother had a Saturday job back in the 60's
Great stories- thanks for sharing
Outstanding scenery my friend, so nicely put together!
Many thanks- had a lot of fun editing this
Brilliant. You crossed so many places I knew. Can't wait for you to do the New River :)
Hi John, A superb and very informative video as always. Many thanks for sharing, have a great week!!!
There's a wonderful lore around Crocker's Folly- the legend goes that it was built where Crocker believed the Grand Central railway terminus was to be built, which of course it wasn't!
Such a wonderful walk to do!
Macclesfield Bridge a bit of info for you. When the bridge was blown-up, they put the support columns back facing the opposite way, they figured the rope ware on the columns would even the ware out. So if you look the rope cutting are away from the water side...Great video John !!!!
Brilliant bit of info thanks
So cute - your daddy's melody for the end of the day...
I was visiting the fascinating Royston Cave while you were doing this walk last Sunday. A fascinating place in Hertfordshire linked to the Knights Templar.
That sounds fascinating Mark
Literally the only interesting thing about Royston! My husband grew up there, enough said! 😂
I mean, there’s never a bad walk. The walk is the walk, right? But this has been a brilliant walk. Thanks John.
Spot on Bill
Wonderfully informative walk! I like your idea of making a day of this walk…so much to do. Thanks!
I actually think that video is now in my TOP THREE FAVOURITE videos of yours John!
Thoroughly enjoyed it 😊
And...I say that as a born and bred South East Londoner, who rarely ventures into the evil that-IS...NORTH OF THE RIVER! 😂
Brilliant thanks Chris!
Absolutely one of your ten best ! I learn so much about London from your walks. Keep them coming & Thank you.☺
Love watching your video's John. Such a calming, soothing, educational, experience, everytime
Wonderful thanks
Really enjoyed this one John. It’s one of my favourite walks in London too….never get tired of it when I visit. The transformation of the area behind Kings Cross is something else. Keep on walking..Barrie
Great stuff Barrie!
You promised and you delivered. A most excellent walk, thoroughly enjoyed sitting here and travelling along with you. Used to live next to the Kennet and Avon canal in my Devizes days, walked and cycled many a mile up and down on that one (generally in search of a pub it must be said). My wife has an irrational dislike of canals (boring school lessons apparently) but I love them.
Still not found the hat?
PS. Thanks for the heads up on your maps from Hooksmith Press by the way, visited Russell and got the set of 5, very nice.
I remember when the Georgian house (now just a facade I believe) next to the gasometers at Cambridge Heath was the premises of Empire Coaches. While Empire were still there the house was used as a setting in the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Loved this. Lived in Barnsbury (Offord Road) for 40 years. Did a project on the Kings Cross cut of the Regents Canal for my A-level archaeology so was familiar with that area before all the amazing developments. The canal museum is really worth a visit. Was the ice warehouse of Carlo Gatti ice cream. entrepreneur (check out the excavated ice well inside). This was a real trip down memory lane. Thank you.
Walking on the shore,❤really lovable,really excellent and nice walk,everythings look like picture images ,Jacob on the boat sometimes its feel peaceful ✌, after pandemic everywhere poverty is taking place,you show us canal,River and locks and boats and cruises sometimes its feel mysterious ❤riverside flat construction is very beautiful I think it will be very nice to see it in evening time,everything is like fairy tale ❤😊from past 100 -200 years it seems very popular Port love ❤ this walk Heidi Ma'am is always right ✅ please listen to him 😀 thanks 💖 for a wonderful journey 😊 swan is floating 😀 very beautifully London Great Britain 🇬🇧 amazing ❤london is always in my dream ❤love this country so much ❤😊And yes meadows song of your father🎵 is so so good like listening childhood stories memorable 😀 😊 ❤
I did a boat trip in the mid 90s from Camden to Bow Locks and back again.
Oh wow… had no idea Snowdon’s aviary had been given over to the monkeys! I remember walking along the canal circa 1969 with my proud father who worked for the company who built it ( Mowlems). He didn’t help build it… he was a wages clerk but still proud enough to walk his children past ❤
Oh I could be wrong about that - I was going by Google maps
No You are correct because I was so surprised I looked it up. It’s been ages since I’ve been back to London… must remedy that soon x
That was a fantastic walk! I used to cycle along the canal from Little Venice to Camden quite often (and boat there along with a friend who lived on a narrow boat and take his canoe out along there) and that section brought back great memories. You'd scarcely believe it but the land around Paddington basin was empty and windblown then (but it was thirty years ago)
Google says that Alpino is still open.
The Ian Sinclair game is about the same as the Charles Yerkes game on Jago's channel.
Wonderful as ever,when the canal was built I wonder how many villages and Hamlets were cut off from each other.sunday is now complete.thank you John.
You’ve really taken me down memory lane on this one. From Islington, where I was born and grew up, through Camden and Regents Park where I spent so many days and nights having fun in my teens and twenties - to Merchant Square, where I once used to work and would often get coffee from the places there. This is also in my top ten John Rogers walks now!
Hi John,support you on Patreon and absolutely love your work.
Live out in Colchester so don’t get a chance to get to London too often.
Changed that today and we got the train down to Paddington and did the canal walk to Limehouse basin. Wow! One of the most enjoyable walks we have ever done.
Thanks John.
fantastic to hear Jan - thanks very much for your support
I'm so glad your videos popped up in my feed again.
very enjoyable John, loved the Camden part, ....great to see the Greenery as Summer beckons....up and down the City rd.... in and out the Eagle this is the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel. loving the new Cricket season any chance of a walk around the Oval and the Kennington area, the river Effra....I lived for a short time on Effra road Wimbledon...Surrey cricket Supporter.
Captain Moonlight
If you go on a weekday, you can walk through the path that was closed off when John did the walk. Overall, this is a lovely walk, and I'm looking forward to do it again.
Without a shred of doubt John this is my favourite upload. Although I am bias due to being around that area throughout the 80s including living on a canal boat for a while near King’s Cross and having a fair chunk of my childhood growing up on the Barnsby estate in the late 60s so thank you it took me back in time. That section through Hackney was stunning I do find that beautiful section near Little Venice a little bit annoying meaning the sections gated off, but it always was the posh part of the Regents Canal. Anyway I am waffling on thank you John that was a true blessing.
Thanks Terry
Super walk!!!Thank you to share it!Cheers from Buenos Aires!!!!
Cheers Marta!!
I learnt a new word today from you / bucolic! Thankyou I love leaning new words and I love joining you on your interesting walks, you have a pleasant relaxing voice thankyou for your history on walks too ♥️Xx
Mr John, your videos are so relaxing and interesting. Almost theraputic😂
I can remember working near the big sub station at Lisson Grove . When it was raining you can hear the fizzing when it hit the power cables . Lovely walk John 👍🏻
Great memory Ian - thanks for sharing
I love this walk and walk a lot in the summertime. It took me 4 hours to walk from Little Venice to Poplar, where I live.
We did exactly that walk a few months ago. Lots of interesting places along the way, places to have a snack, nooks and crannies, bits of interesting history, backs of places, not too many people apart from Camden where you can't avoid them ...... a thoroughly good day.
they run a marathon you walk a marathon lol i was hoping jacob was going to give you a look around his barge that would have been really interesting i can relate to the peace and quite aspect john another great walk thank you very much indeed all the best steve
Cheers Steve - I didn’t want to intrude by asking for a look inside Jacob’s barge, I was grateful for him taking the time to talk. Such a great walk - already looking forward to doing it again
As a kid I did the Regents canal to LImehouse when the old ship lock was still there, in a pair of traditional narrowboats. And from there up the Thames all the way to Oxford
for the second time, i need to go back and re-watch all over your videos, john - see you on the other side 😊
Absolutely fantastic video. The Regent's Canal has been on our walk list for a while and from watching your brilliant video, we will be making that walk in a few weeks time. Thank you as always John, brilliant as always......
Many thanks Andrew - have a great day doing the walk
Thanks for another wonderful walk!
Thanks, John. A brilliant walk, and you're great company, as always. Yvonne
The modern silver houses in Camden were designed by Nicolas Grimshaw and are now Grade II listed. The monkey enclosure at the zoo was originally designed as an aviary and is also listed.
Another great video as always. Ive walked part of the canal and I think there definitely a charm to the urban landscape which you always capture.
Thank you for taking us with you in this enjoyable trip🌹
My pleasure
Wonderful walk John and took me back to when I worked in Camden in the 90s and my lunchtime walks along the canal. And in the 00s doing the same in Kings X. So much history and amazing vistas. 🙏🙏🙏
Lovely stuff. Brings back good memories. My brother was the landlord of the Narrow Boat pub some decades ago. Ive walked along the canal to Regents Park from there but never in the other direction. Must come back and do the walk towards Limehouse someday. Thanks man.
Really interesting and enjoyable as ever; I'm quite familiar with many of the bits of this, but I've never done the whole walk; it's a pity that so many of the moorings are denied public access, but I can see that there may be a security issue for the people living on the water..
Little Venice is truly beautiful. Nice one John, hope you enjoyed your well deserved pint. 🌟👍
Thanks William - the pints went down very nicely
Great walk - if you are interested in the movement of troops by canal look into Weedon Bec armaments near Northampton. The plan was if Napoleon invaded that Northampton would become the temporary capital and all the barracks and buildings for the army were put at nearby Weedon Bec linked by the Grand Union which actually ran into the barracks and are still there - although no longer linked up - and you can visit. It was never used at the time but was used during WW1 & 2 for army storage.
Fascinating Alfie thanks for that info. Northampton is coming up in a video soon
@@JohnRogersWalks oh that will be interesting - the modern town is the epitome of run down blandness but it has fascinating history.
Some very fond memories along this walk, of our treasured trips to London: each one featured a bit here and there of this wondrous canal. Thank you for this Sunday tour down the entire stretch
Super video, as always. The shot at 50:54 is awesome!
Thanks Stuart
Great watching this - I walked Camden road to Limehouse last week.
Thanks John. This was great. It was an emotional one for me too. Your video made me realise that by happenstance I have moved from East to West along the Regents Canal over the past 24 years: Haggerston, Chapel Market, Primrose Hill, and then back east a little to Kentish Town.
Hey John. I watched this videos the day it was published. Thanks to you, today I walked the entire length of the canal, but opposite direction. Took me good 3 hours. With a lovely pint at the Grapes afterwards.
Is it open all the way from Paddington now?
@@SouthLondonCyclist Well, there is no access from Paddington Basin because it's a private property there. You need to walk about 200-300 meters along Bloomfield Rd, and then you will see the access to the canal. Alternatively, you can access the tunnel directly at Limehouse.
@@guyavni3206 Yeah, I work in Paddington and know the basin access but it seemed like a section was blocked off for John near Regents Park/Edgware Rd - but will go and check it out
A perfect end to the weekend, thanks John, a splendid walk 😊
Cheers Helene - glad you enjoyed it
Another great walk from Limehouse is up the Lea River
Ugh! We chose that Saturday to go to st. James Park. It was a nightmare.
Hi John, me and a good friend done that walk last year, sure is a lovely walk.
We had a pint in a pub along it, I think a lock stock and barrel film had filmed in it ( so we was told )
One of the best I've seen of yours I think. I've walked most of it when I lived in Hackney in the 90's but never the whole thing out to Paddington.
Seen, and booked in for later. Happy days, cheers John!
Walked the section from Coal Drops Yard to Regents Park a few years ago in the February, still busy with the public even on a cold sunny week day.I have a keen eye for the layers of architecture both industrial and housing, as you say some of the Regency mansion houses are superb especially with rounded turrets. 👍
grew up next to queen Mary university , used to fish that canal as a kid
Nice one, John. Have walked this of a few occasions, and it's a great way to explore some of the city's delights.
What a walk, John. I think that so far is one of my favourites of yours. Then again, just as I think that, you will go and amaze me the next following week. Many thanks Steve.
Absolutely fine video one of your best , wonderful to have your company for over an hour, thank you , growing up in the fifties and sixties meant i didn't see much of the canal , as mostly it was heavily industrial environment and highly polluted, also very run down and dilapidated especially the tow path , the only bit I remember seeing is the part near London Zoo , in fact there used to be an entrance to the Zoo directly off the canal especially for the passengers of the river boat ,I also remember seeing the Chinese floating restaurant which I thought very exotic, nice to see how the whole canal has become such a vibrant , social environment, thank goodness it's been preserved , sorry to see that a lot of narrowboat residents are being pushed out by increasing costs and changing laws , the changes around Kings Cross especially are incredible , I knew it as a huge area of railway tracks and yards , very run down and dangerous , all the best John see you soon 🌈
That brought back some wonderful memories. I walked the Camden to Paddington stretch with my to be wife over 30 years ago. The next time we are back in the UK we will do the Camden Limehouse section. Thank you for another wonderful video 😊
This video is a very exciting. I visted London in November and walked the Regent's Canal between King's Cross and Camden, so it's fun to see you in the same areas. I only found out afterwards that Primrose Hill was right there, but I completely missed it.
I can say that as a new visitor, Camden Lock was a bit of a let down. I was just extremely busy with people, and I've dutifully crossed it off the list of places to see. The Coal Drops Yard area was very nice, though. Sure, it's a classic bit of gentrification, but also really quite nice, I thought. The little green area near the gasholders, the lock, the large open square in front of the arts school(?), St. Pancras Old Church nearby, and let's not forget the rather mad Google "sideways skyscraper" being built there.