Little Venice to Camden Walk Along Regent’s Canal

Region: Paddington, Little Venice, Regent’s Canal and Camden, Greater London, England

This 3.2-mile walk from Paddington to Camden follows one of London’s most enjoyable waterside routes. Beginning at Paddington Underground Station, it passes Paddington Basin and Little Venice before following Regent’s Canal towards Regent’s Park, London Zoo, Camden Lock and Camden Market. The route finishes at Camden Town Underground Station.

I recently walked the route again and followed the downloadable GPX exactly. Continuous walking takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, but we spent four to five hours on the complete experience: stopping for coffee, filming the route, exploring Camden Market, looking around the shops and eating pasta from The Cheese Wheel.

The strongest part of this walk is the contrast. Paddington’s modern canalside buildings quickly give way to colourful narrowboats and the calm water at Little Venice. The route then passes tunnels, grand villas, bridges and glimpses of London Zoo before emerging into the colour, food and energy of Camden.

This is a linear Tube Trekking route, with an Underground station at both ends. Most of it follows the canal, although there is one unavoidable road section above Maida Hill Tunnel because the tunnel has no pedestrian towpath.

Places to stay: Choose Paddington for the start of the route, Camden for the market and nightlife, or Notting Hill for another convenient west London base.

Getting There, GPX and Route Map

• Start: Paddington Underground and railway station. Follow signs towards the canal and Paddington Basin.
• Finish: Camden Town Underground Station, a short walk from Camden Market.
• GPX: Download the Paddington to Camden GPX file.
• Route app: Follow the walk on my Outdooractive route.
• New to GPX? Read my guide explaining what a GPX file is and how to use one.

Walk Profile

• Distance: 3.2 miles / 5.1 km
• Route type: Linear — Paddington to Camden Town
• Continuous walking time: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
• Recommended visit time: 4–5 hours with coffee, photographs, food and time exploring Camden Market
• Difficulty: Easy and predominantly level
• Surfaces: Canal towpath, paved paths and a short road diversion around Maida Hill Tunnel
• Main stops: Paddington Basin, Little Venice, Rembrandt Gardens, Puppet Theatre Barge, Regent’s Park, London Zoo, Camden Lock and Camden Market

Route Stages at a Glance

Little Venice to Camden Walking Route

1. Paddington Station and Paddington Basin

Start at Paddington station and follow signs towards the canal. Paddington has several exits, so do not worry if the water is not immediately visible—use the GPX to reach Paddington Basin and join the route towards Little Venice.

Paddington Basin is the modern opening to the walk, with offices, apartments, bridges, cafés and colourful boats packed into a regenerated stretch of water. We started with coffee beside the canal before leaving the newer buildings behind.

2. Little Venice and Browning’s Pool

Little Venice forms around the meeting point of the Grand Union Canal and Regent’s Canal. Narrowboats, trip boats and floating cafés gather around the triangular pool, creating one of the calmest-looking corners of central London. The name is often linked with poet Robert Browning, who lived nearby, although its exact origin is debated.

This is where the route becomes the classic Little Venice to Camden canal walk. Cross to the appropriate side of the water and follow the Regent’s Canal signs east towards Camden.

3. Rembrandt Gardens and the Puppet Theatre Barge

Rembrandt Gardens sits beside the water at Little Venice and provides a small green pause before the canal journey. It is a peaceful place to stop before continuing past the boats and joining the Regent’s Canal route towards Camden.

Nearby is the Puppet Theatre Barge, a converted barge used for intimate marionette performances. It is one of those wonderfully unusual London sights that makes the route feel like more than a straightforward towpath walk.

4. Maida Hill Tunnel: Why the Towpath Ends

At Maida Hill Tunnel, walkers must leave the canal because there is no towpath through the 249-metre tunnel. Follow the road beside the canal, cross Edgware Road and continue along Aberdeen Place. After passing Crocker’s Folly, follow the Regent’s Canal signs and descend the steps to rejoin the towpath.

This is the only notable interruption on the route and it is part of the established GPX. We encountered no closures or additional diversions on the recent walk.

5. Regent’s Park Villas Beside the Canal

Back beside the water, the route passes the dramatic villas overlooking Regent’s Canal. Their scale and theatrical architecture feel almost hidden from the roads above, but the canal gives walkers a clear view from below. This stretch is a reminder that the towpath cuts through several very different versions of London within only a few miles.

6. Macclesfield Bridge — London’s Blow-up Bridge

Macclesfield Bridge is also widely known as Blow-up Bridge. The nickname comes from an explosion on the canal in 1874, when a barge carrying gunpowder caught fire and exploded beneath the bridge. The bridge was rebuilt, and the dramatic story has remained attached to it ever since.

7. Walking Beside London Zoo

Regent’s Canal runs along the edge of London Zoo. The exact animals visible from the towpath can change, so treat any glimpses as a bonus rather than a promise. Even without entering the zoo, the enclosures, sounds and unusual structures make this one of the route’s most distinctive sections.

8. Feng Shang Princess Floating Restaurant

One of the most unexpected sights on the canal is the bright red Feng Shang Princess floating restaurant. Its Chinese-inspired design stands out immediately against the greenery and muted canal colours, making it an unmistakable landmark as Camden draws closer.

9. Camden Lock and Camden Market

The final approach into Camden changes the atmosphere completely. Quiet residential stretches give way to bridges, converted buildings, crowds, music and food. Camden Lock marks the arrival at one of London’s most recognisable market districts.

Do not rush straight to the station. We spent time exploring the shops and food stalls and ate pasta from The Cheese Wheel. There are so many different options that Camden Market works well as the destination and reward for the walk, rather than merely somewhere to pass through.

10. Camden Market to Camden Town Station

When you are ready to leave, exit onto Camden High Street and walk beneath the famous Camden Lock bridge towards Camden Town station. The station entrance is on the corner by Kentish Town Road. This completes the point-to-point route, with the Underground providing the return journey.

Practicalities

• Navigation: Follow the existing GPX. Paddington has several exits and the Maida Hill Tunnel section leaves the water briefly.
• Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes are sufficient in normal conditions.
• Towpath etiquette: The canal path is shared and can become narrow. Keep left or make room where appropriate, remain aware of cyclists and take extra care near the water.
• Food: Paddington and Little Venice offer early stops, while Camden Market provides the greatest choice at the end.
• Best experience: Allow four to five hours if you want coffee, photographs, filming and plenty of time inside Camden Market.
• Video: A new Tube Trekking video from the recent walk will be added after publication.

For a wider choice of London accommodation, Booking.com has hotels and apartments across Paddington, Camden and the wider Underground network.

Little Venice to Camden Walk FAQs

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