Little Venice to Camden
One of the most soothing and attractive sections for the walker, cyclist and boat traveller alike, constantly changing and rich in points of interest.
Little Venice to Camden
Little Venice to Camden This is the fourth Section of the Jubilee Greenway. The route runs along the Regent’s Canal, past Regent’s Park and the London Zoo, through a variety of areas – residential, business and recreational, and finally to famous Camden.
It is one of the most soothing and attractive routes along the Jubilee Greenway, packed with interest, changing tone from one bridge to the next, and leading the walker, cyclist or traveller by boat from the smart residential area of Little Venice to the exciting atmosphere of the famed Camden Lock Market.
Begin at Little Venice, departing either by boat, or walking over Westbourne Terrace Bridge, turning right into Blomfield Road and crossing Warwick Avenue.
Continue eastwards along Blomfield Road with its handsome cream Queen Anne villas. At this point, the towpath of the Regent’s Canal is inaccessible to pedestrians because it serves as a private area for a number of residential barges. On the right, on the other side of the canal, observe the Catholic Apostolic Church in Maida Avenue, and further along on the far side of the Regent’s Canal, at 30 Maida Avenue is a blue plaque denoting the residence of John Masefield. At 2 Maida Avenue is a blue plaque marking the fact that the Dad’s Army actor, Arthur Lowe, lived in a flat there.
If travelling by canal boat (The Regent’s Canal Waterbus), pass under the long Maida Hill Tunnel, on which sits the Café Laville, emerging the other side of Lisson Grove. Then stay aboard and continue along the Regent’s Canal, turning left under Albert Bridge Road just before the red Feng Shang Princess Floating Chinese Restaurant and onwards to Camden.
The journey by foot or cycle is much the same – along the towpath on the north side of the canal. But because there is no pedestrian route under Maida Hill Tunnel, follow Blomfield Road as it slopes upwards to Maida Vale on the right and Edgware Road on the right.
Moored in the canal at Blomfield Road are a number of residential houseboats.
Cross the main road (Maida Vale and Edgware Road) into Aberdeen Place (where Wing Commander Guy Gibson lived), following this to the left into Cunningham Place, then immediately into Henderson Drive, right again into Pollitt Lodge Drive and up onto Lisson Grove, turning right towards Central London.
(A short diversion left into Lisson Grove and right into St John’s Wood Road leads to Lord’s Cricket Ground).
Cross Lisson Grove, and go through the gates that lead down to the towpath of the Regent’s Canal. The route begins on the south side of the canal, in due course crossing over to the north side over a small pedestrian bridge. Continue along the towpath with only one left turn (under Prince Albert Road Bridge).
The canal is well kept on the south bank. At this point the houseboats are moored at right angles to the towpath. On the north bank there is a vast electric power station.
Pass under a number of rail and underground line bridges, and emerge into the well-kept area on the north side of Regent’s Park. This is considered one of the most beautiful stretches of waterway in England. On the south side of the canal are some attractive villas built in the 1980s and 1990s to original Nash designs. It is said the Sultan of Brunei owns one of them. On the left is a house dating back to 1730, owned by the Nuffield Foundation.
Pass under an aquaduct bridge which used to carry the River Tyburn over the canal. Then pass under Macclesfield Bridge, sometimes known as ‘Blow Up Bridge’. Beyond this bridge, on the left, is the Snowdon Aviary. London Zoo is on the right hand side and this is a stop on the boat trips.
Shortly afterwards you reach the Feng Shang Princess Floating Chinese Restaurant, in the Cumberland Basin. Here you turn sharply left under the Prince Albert Road Bridge.
Continue under the Regent’s Park Road Bridge, Gloucester Avenue Bridge, and a rail bridge. In front of you on the right is the Pirate Castle, home of the Pirate Club. Pass under Oval Road Bridge and you reach Camden Lock.
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The Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just to the north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin, in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London.#|17/02/2009#51.5411# -0.1457#Camden Lock#
Camden Lock, or Hampstead Road Locks is a twin manually-operated lock on the Regent's Canal in Camden Town, London Borough of Camden. The sign identifying the lock reads "Hampstead Road Lock". #|17/02/2009#51.532222#-0.156667#Regent's Park#
Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the northern part of central London partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden.#|17/02/2009#51.535425#-0.156904#London Zoo#London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo.[3] It was opened in London on April 27, 1828,[4] and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually made open to the public in 1847.[3] Today it houses a collection of 755 species of animals, with 15,104 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.[2]#