Canal Guides

Aileen, Carla, Charlie, David, Flora, John, Lulu, Mike G., Naomi, Richard and Roger all have many years’ experience of the Inland Waterways and have explored them extensively by narrowboat (and, in Roger’s case, canoe). They’re all active members of the Inland Waterways Association, which works in partnership with us to provide the towpath walks in the London Walks programme.

All of Canal Guides's Walks

The Grand Union Canal – Kensal Green to Little Venice
The Grand Union Canal – Kensal Green to Little Venice

Saturday, 20 June 2026 @ 2.30 pm

"the Cinderella of London's canal network"

The Regent's Canal - King's Cross, Granary Square, St. Pancras
The Regent's Canal - King's Cross, Granary Square, St. Pancras

Tuesday, 07 July 2026 @ 6 pm (Click here for more dates)

"unseen, untrodden, unexplored, unknown London beckons"

The Regent's Canal - Little Venice to Camden Town
The Regent's Canal - Little Venice to Camden Town

Sunday, 12 July 2026 @ 2.30 pm (Click here for more dates)

Life's better by water...

The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Limehouse
The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Limehouse

Sunday, 19 July 2026 @ 2.30 pm (Click here for more dates)

"from the Age of Canals to cutting edge, 21-st century London"

The Regent's Canal: King's Cross to Canal Museum Circular Tour (includes visit to Museum)
The Regent's Canal: King's Cross to Canal Museum Circular Tour (includes visit to Museum)

Sunday, 02 August 2026 @ 2.30 pm (Click here for more dates)

London’s canals have a fascinating story to tell – and it flows through here...

The Regent's Canal – Islington to Kingsland Road
The Regent's Canal – Islington to Kingsland Road

Sunday, 30 August 2026 @ 2.30 pm

"ankle power, water power, horsepower, steam engine power, electric power, internal combustion engine power – the walk, er, runs the gamut"

Four Hundred Years of the New River
Four Hundred Years of the New River

Sunday, 20 September 2026 @ 2.30 pm (Click here for more dates)

It's not new and it's not a river...

The Secrets of the Northern Queen Elizabeth Olympics Park
The Secrets of the Northern Queen Elizabeth Olympics Park

Saturday, 03 October 2026 @ 10.45 am (Click here for more dates)

"unique in Britain. A double radial gate lock, it was designed to cope with floods and tides..."

The Regent's Canal:  King's Cross-Granary Square-Camden
The Regent's Canal: King's Cross-Granary Square-Camden

Sunday, 18 October 2026 @ 2.30 pm

  The London of a couple of centuries ago. A London of tunnels and bridges and narrowboats and locks.

The Regent's Canal – River Tyburn to Camden
The Regent's Canal – River Tyburn to Camden

Sunday, 01 November 2026 @ 2.30 pm

Bucolic to huzzah and colour and panache and buzz

Grosvenor Canal & Battersea Power Station
Grosvenor Canal & Battersea Power Station

Sunday, 15 November 2026 @ 2.30 pm

Combines the hidden byways of London's most secret canal and the Thames' mightiest cathedral. 

Other walks in Canal Guides's repertoire.

They run occasionally as 'Specials' but can also be booked privately.

Grand Surrey Canal, Rotherhithe, Mayflower, Surrey Water, Greenland Dock
Grand Surrey Canal, Rotherhithe, Mayflower, Surrey Water, Greenland Dock

"We've got an old canal here. And a dock. And memories. And traces..."

The Grand Union Canal – Little Venice & Paddington Green
The Grand Union Canal – Little Venice & Paddington Green

"a secret corner of London closed to the public for 200 years"

Grand Surrey Canal, Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Greenland Dock
Grand Surrey Canal, Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Greenland Dock

A get away from it all walk – down on that towpath it's 200 years ago. 

The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Haggerston
The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Haggerston

"Welcome to an English rainforest of different types of trees and plants. Then a POW! of a contrast..."

River Wandle & Wandsworth Canal
River Wandle & Wandsworth Canal

  "there's no lovelier piece of lowland scenery in South England..."

The Regent's Canal – King's Cross to Hitchcock's Hackney
The Regent's Canal – King's Cross to Hitchcock's Hackney

out of the chrysalis of old 19th-century industrial London into the buzz of a new London

Royal Victoria Dock to East India Dock Towpath Walk
Royal Victoria Dock to East India Dock Towpath Walk

A new towpath walk created by the London Walks team of Regent's Canal guides (in conjunction with the IWA – Inland Waterways Association)

The Secrets of the Northern Queen Elizabeth Olympics Park
The Secrets of the Northern Queen Elizabeth Olympics Park

"unique in Britain. A double radial gate lock, it was designed to cope with floods and tides..."

The Regent's Canal: King's Cross to Canal Museum Circular Tour (includes visit to Museum)
The Regent's Canal: King's Cross to Canal Museum Circular Tour (includes visit to Museum)

London’s canals have a fascinating story to tell – and it flows through here...

Limehouse - Thames - Docklands
Limehouse - Thames - Docklands

"part gentrified, part solidly working class"

The Regent's Canal – River Tyburn to Little Venice
The Regent's Canal – River Tyburn to Little Venice

"we step into a different world here, a different world bouquet’d with incidental delights – 'The Upside Down House', for example..."

Four Hundred Years of the New River
Four Hundred Years of the New River

It's not new and it's not a river...

The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Limehouse
The Regent's Canal – Mile End to Limehouse

"from the Age of Canals to cutting edge, 21-st century London"

The Regent's Canal - King's Cross, Granary Square, St. Pancras
The Regent's Canal - King's Cross, Granary Square, St. Pancras

"unseen, untrodden, unexplored, unknown London beckons"