Walking the Regent’s Canal from Camden to King’s Cross

It is free, flat and takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes at an easy pace. The towpath runs from Camden Lock south-east to St Pancras Lock and Granary Square, and London Travel Geek says there is no tunnel and no road to cross on this stretch. Wear shoes you can stroll in and bring a bottle of water.

Start at Camden Lock, NW1

Begin at Camden Lock, off Chalk Farm Road. The Canal & River Trust officially calls it Hampstead Road Lock No. 1, and there are twin locks side by side. Camden Town Tube is the nearest station.

Camden Market is right there at Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF. Entry is free, and the market’s own site gives 10:00 to 19:00 daily, with individual traders varying. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to go, so if you want a clear towpath, set off early and leave the weekend crowds behind.

The walk itself

The Inland Waterways Association measures the King’s Cross to Camden walk at 2.5km (1.6 miles). Walking east, the crowds thin out and the regenerated King’s Cross area takes over from the graffiti. The canal opened in 1820 and carried coal, goods and building materials until the 1960s, which is worth remembering when you spot the old lock architecture.

One practical note: London Travel Geek reports about 35m of towpath north-west of the Camley Street access is fenced off for a new footbridge, with a floating pontoon round it. It says you can still walk through. Follow any Canal & River Trust signs on the day.

Camley Street Natural Park, N1C

Camley Street Natural Park sits on the canal by St Pancras Lock, in a narrow strip between the water, Camley Street and Goods Way. Admission is free. London Travel Geek describes it as two acres of wetland, and Time Out has called it “a lovely oasis”. It is the best place on the route to sit among reeds rather than railings. Check opening hours before you go, as they are not something to guess.

St Pancras Lock and Gasholder Park

Just past the railway bridge into St Pancras station you reach St Pancras Lock, completed in 1819, with the entrance to St Pancras Basin beside it. Stand next to a working lock and enjoy it, but do not count on seeing boats pass.

Gasholder Park is reached along the towpath from Granary Square. It is framed by the restored cast-iron guide frame of Gasholder No. 8, built for the Pancras Gasworks in the 1850s. Bell Phillips designed the park, with planting by Dan Pearson Studio. It is free, and the views of narrowboats at the lock make it the neatest spot to stop for a breather.

Word on the Water

The floating bookshop is a Dutch barge moored on the Regent’s Canal towpath at King’s Cross, N1C 4LW, close to The Lighterman. The King’s Cross estate site says it sells new and used books, including a big children’s range, and runs talks on art, technology, feminism and politics. It has had a permanent mooring since 2015. Opening hours are not fixed in stone, so check the shop’s Facebook page before you detour for it.

London Canal Museum, N1

The London Canal Museum is at 12 to 13 New Wharf Road, N1 9RT, beside Battlebridge Basin, in a former ice warehouse. It tells the story of the canals, the people who worked them and the horses that pulled the boats. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, plus bank holiday Mondays, 10:00 to 16:30, with last entry at 16:00, and closed other Mondays. Ticket prices differ between listings, so check the museum’s admission page before you queue. National Art Pass holders get half off, according to Art Fund.

Finish at Granary Square

Granary Square has canal steps for sitting and watching the water, and fountains that reviewers say children love. For a sit-down meal, Granary Square Brasserie (The Ivy Collection, 1 Granary Square, N1C) serves breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea and dinner seven days a week. It is a chain, so treat it as a dependable option rather than a discovery. OpenTable lists a Granary Square Edition set menu at £29.95 for two courses and £38.95 for three, so check the current menu when you book.

King’s Cross St Pancras Tube is the way home, about nine minutes’ walk from the brasserie according to OpenTable.

The short version

• Distance: 2.5km, flat, free, mostly traffic-free.
• Time: 30 to 40 minutes without stops.
• Start: Camden Lock, NW1, near Camden Town Tube.
• Finish: Granary Square, N1C, near King’s Cross St Pancras Tube.
• Best stops: Camley Street Natural Park, Gasholder Park, the London Canal Museum.

For more on the route, see the London Travel Geek canal walk guide and the Inland Waterways Association walk.