REGENTS CANAL RECONNOITRE

1st April 2009


 

Limehouse Basin

 

Entrance to Limehouse Basin from the Thames

 

The exit from the Thames - looks calm, but quite fast moving

 

Mooring before the lock, although it should be open ready for us

 

Limehouse Lock with its giant rotating gates

 

Limehouse Lock

 

The exit into the Regents Canal

 

Limehouse Basin again

 

24 Hour mooring in the basin

 

Posh round Lockkeepers offices

 

Limehouse Cut - Not the one we will be going up

 

We will be travelling across the basin from left to right

 

On leaving Limehouse we come immediately into the first lock

 

Quite a straightforward lock

 

The first section of canal

 

Lock No 2 - close to No 1

 

More canal

 

Lock No 3

 

Lock No 4 (about 1 mile from Limehouse)

 

Coming up to Bow Common

 

The first canalside pub - not very inspiring

 

Lock No 5 at about 1.5 miles

 

Victoria Park - South Hackney (allegedly a vandal area)

 

Moorings?

 

Lock No 6 at Haggerston  2.5 miles

 

This is the second boat that I passed on the move

 

Kingsland Road (close to my Son's flat) at 3 mile point

 

Also at Kingsland Road (looking onward)

 

Kingsland Basin (off the canal)

 

More Canal

 

Coming up to Stuart's Lock No 7

 

Area becoming quite nice as we approach Islington

 

Turning on the left into City Road Basin

 

View of the large City Road basin

 

Islington tunnel (960yds) in the distance

 

Islington Tunnel East Portal

 

The West Portal of the Islington Tunnel, which was not easy to find on foot

 

Looking back to the Islington Tunnel from road bridge by Kings Cross Station

 

This is where the Kings Cross trains travel beneath the canal (5 mile point)

 

Shortly afterwards a view of St Pancras Station

 

St Pancras Lock in the distance

 

St Pancras Lock

 

Very well kept St Pancras Lock

 

Now approaching Camden

 

Grays Inn bridge in a winding section before Camden

 

More winding sections

 

Kentish Town Lock

 

Back of the old TV AM studios on the left with famous Egg Cups on top

 

Start of the popular Camden Town Locks with pleasure cruiser

 

Camden Lock

 

The next of the Camden Town Locks

 

Probably the most popular area of Camden Locks with many pubs, shops and restaurants nearby

 

Dingwall's Wharf at Camden Town

 

More of Camden

 

Heading out toward Regents Park by Primrose Hill

 

Primrose Hill area

 

Mooring around Primrose Hill

 

The sharp right turn into Regent Park in the distance

 

The turn into Regents Park with floating Chinese Restaurant

 

Start of the long section through Regents Park at about 8 miles

 

Passing Regents Park Zoo

 

More long section through Regents Park

 

Looking back along the Regents Park towpath

 

Large houses alongside the canal

 

More pleasure cruisers

 

Going under the bridge to Marylebone Railway Station

 

Private moorings at Lisson Grove

 

I thought this was the entrance to Maida Vale Tunnel, but it turned out to be just a house built over the canal

 

Going under the house

 

Now reached the Maida Vale Tunnel portal (272yds), with pipe bridge

 

Look back by the tunnel entrance (note how low the canal is)

 

Look through the tunnel at the 9 mile point

 

At ground level by the tunnel entrance

 

The other side of the tunnel which goes under the Edgware Road at Maida Vale

 

The west portal of the tunnel with restaurant on top 

 

Looking back towards the tunnels with double moored private moorings

 

Reached Little Venice where the spur to the Paddington Basin starts

 

Little Venice with moorings on the right reserved for pleasure craft

 

Floating restaurant

 

Little Venice looking back to tunnel on the left and exit to Paddington on the right

 

More Little Venice

 

Little Venice looking toward the exit to the Grand Union and short stay moorings

 

Short stay moorings almost all occupied with Long term boats!!!

 

Mooring regulations seem to be generally ignored

 

Start of the Paddington Basin arm with some free moorings

 

More moorings with Paddington Station visible on the right

 

Most moorings taken

 

The final turn into the Paddington Basin (Note ex Black Prince boat)

 

"Mimi" obviously ex Black Prince

 

Start of regenerated Paddington Basin with St Marys Hospital in the background

 

Looking back towards Little Venice

 

Mainly private moorings in the Basin

 

Plenty of new development in the Paddington Basin, but plenty of room to turn 

 

 

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