We're walking all the towpaths in London, from east to west along 25 miles worth of canals, to explore and see what we can find. This is the first of four videos in this series.
Love London, love these memories and insights....memories on canals because I spent many Sundays biking from Chingford to Camden Lock using the canals. Brilliant series all round...thank you Londonist
TheSheepKnowThings Massive, it was the original railways if you think about it, and the best method of freight transportation in London by early 19th century. Let's not forget Thomas Telford stated "the only thing railways should be used for is delivering coal to provide fuel for canal barges"! Honest!
I have walked the stretch of canal beside Victoria Park many times, and relaxed in the Chinese Pagoda. You video brought back some great memories. Thanks, a lovely presentation.
Great series, appreciate the little tidbits of info. My family and I tool a walking tour from Little Venice to Camden a few years ago. It was a very pleasant walk along the Regents Canal and some side trips.
Geoff, have you ever read The Lost Rivers of London by Nicholas Barton? It's a great book that looks at London's many lost and disused waterways. Great read!
BobCorp Sure, The Lost Rivers of London is a fascinating book. I got onto it by reading the fiction of Ben Aaronovitch, beginning with Rivers of London
They should also breed Belgian Malinois and Czechoslovakian wolfdogs so cuckolds can man up and respect those who aren't as fortunate as them. Also breed squids because cuckolds can't problem solve a simple solution of going around, so the squid will assist in problem solving.
I have a weird obsession with the canals, lived right in front of the one near Camden road back in 2004/5/6. Aunty lived on one beside fish island 2007-2016. Since moving back to australia ive gotten really into them and cant wait to come over in a weeks time and stay at air bnbs on kingsland basin and in hackney wick and do multiple of these walks over the course of a few weeks.. :)
Walking would take a few days depending on how you want to break it up. Some of it is grim and industrial but some is unexpectedly beautiful. The canals of London are Regents Canal, Paddington Branch Grand Union Canal River Lea Navigation
Great video! You're probably familiar with the 'Battle of Wolverton' in 1834, when Robert Stephenson instructed LBR to build an illegal railway bridge over a canal at Wolverton overnight after they failed to reach an agreement with the canal company - interesting bit of history right up your alley!
You skipped out on showing us the views along one of the most beautiful stretches of canal, the part of the Hertford Union Canal (just after the Growing Concerns Garden Centre) that runs alongside Victoria Park, past the bridge at Gunmakers Lane to eventually meet with the Regents Canal. I've cycled and walked along the whole canal system from the Thames to Regents Park in one direction and along the River Lea to Waltham Abbey in the other direction, and this is my favourite stretch of all.
I wonder if Geoff likes Victoria Park and Battersea Park because they both have Chinese Pagodas in them? Also, disappointed you went past Old Ford Lock and didn't talk about the Big Breakfast being filmed there. Also Masterchef is now filmed at Three Mills Studios, right by the old gin distillery. Great video, this one. Only just found these.
I visited London a year and a half ago and stayed in Hayes, right by the Grand Union Canal. I didn't walk 25 miles along it, though, that's only for crazy people like Geoff :)
The back gate at my home opens out onto the worlds first industrial canal. The Bridgewater Canal predates the more well known Manchester Ship Canal which still does see the odd ship sailing down from Liverpool
the local govt should utilise the canals and thames river for passenger transport as a new alternative for travelling in london might also helps alleviate the tube
That's not the only pink sign left, if you get off the Jubilee line at Straford head to the steps down to the subway, there is one in the lift next to the steps.
I have been meaning to look at this video since I first saw it appear on your channel as I am a subscriber. I have few stories I could tell regarding what is in this clip as I was born in 1947 in Lichfield road Mile End and moved away in 1970, did you know for instance that there was a medium sized factory occupying the stretch of land running from Grove Road to the canal bank at the beginning of your clip, I worked there (twice) and my father worked there for many years and received a 25 year long service award during his time until retirement. If you would like me to relate them I would be only too pleased to do so.
how many hours did it take you to walk the whole length, they look a lot nicer and accessable than they were in the mid sixties when. knew them, nice video, keep up the good work, cheers....
Hi, we are focusing on Regents Canal as a topic with my Year 4 class for the first two weeks of the new school year. It would be great if you could direct me to which of your videos focuses the most on Regents Canal. Thanks
at 5:31 there is a caption noting a ladder for fish, how do fish use ladders exactly? Assuming its not a conventional ladder but still confused how fish can swim up an incline that needed a lock
Daniel Bennett If I recall correctly, fish ladders are "steps" made up of enclosures arranged like a flight of stairs which fish can jump up / down. They're provided so fish that migrate up or down river to spawn can get round man-made obstructions, such as locks or flood gates.
What are those cylindrical lattice frames like you can see around the 3:55 mark? You see them all over the UK and I haven't a clue what they are, because I doubt I've ever seen them elsewhere.
That is a long way from being the last of the pink Olympic signs, and actually post dates the Games, you can tell because it points the way to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and it didn't get that name until afterwards.