Camden To Little Venice | A Nice Wee Stroll
Earlier in the week I went in search of Marines Ices of Chalk Farm, to find out for myself how good their ice cream really was and oh boy it was delicious…
It was a warm day and I thought I would have a wee wander around Camden and then have another ice cream before I caught the bus home. Marines Ices really do make amazing ice cream.
My plan was to see what Camden looked like during the day…I had been there a few times in the past, but that was at night time when I was out partying at the many bars and clubs that make up this vibrant area of London.
I was walking down the road like I do, just enjoying the nice weather, the delicious ice cream and the Camden buzz, when I came across the canal. If there is something I love on a day nice and that is walking along next to water, whether it is the sea, river, loch or a canal I don’t really mind. I find it a great way to relax and anyway it was too nice a day to be wandering around in a busy place like Camden.
I find it amazing that the best place to be on a nice day in Camden, was unbelievable quiet. Hardly any people, which is just the way I like it sometimes…I noticed a sign that said Little Venice 1.5 miles away and my mind was made up. I was off for a wee stroll.
Camden would have to wait for another day to see what it was all about and that other ice cream I was going to have would also have to take a rain check, which was a bit of bummer. Never the less I knew at the end of my walk, I only had a wee stroll to get to the Rob Roy pub in Paddington, which would be the perfect end to the walk.
The walk I was going to take started off at Camden Lock and after a mere 1 minute of walking I came across some art by a couple of legendary British graffiti artists, by the names of Banksy and Robbo…It was piece that they have collaborated on…! And I must admit it was a buzz to finally come across some of their amazing work.
As I wandered along Regents Canal I almost felt like I was back home in Scotland as I fought my way through the thousands of midges that were buzzing around all over the place. I had forgotten how annoying those wee beasties are…Luckily my ice cream was long gone by this stage.
A wee bit of history for you…Just after I walked past the Snowdon aviary, which is part of London zoo, I passed under two bridges. The first one is known as ‘Blow Up Bridge’ or if you prefer its real name, which hasn’t quite got the same ring to it, the Maclesfield Bridge. In 1874 a barge carrying gunpowder exploded and BOOM, the bridge was destroyed. The second bridge is an aqueduct carrying the River Tyburn over the canal.
As I walked past Regents Park and London Zoo, I couldn’t help but wonder who stayed in those huge millionaires houses that lined the canal bank. I would hazard a guess and say some of those amazing villas would go for at least £15-25 million, quite probably much more…I visualised myself sipping Pims on the lawn as I watched the peasants passing by on the cheap side of the canal.
From Camden Lock to Little Venice sure is a pleasant and relaxing route to walk and best of all there are plenty of seats to sit down at and enjoy the views and above all else there wasn’t hordes of people buzzing about, spoiling the tranquillity of it all. The water, the barges gentle motoring down the canal, the ducks gliding past and the canal boat homes, along with the various plants and flowers that line parts of the Regents Canal all help to create a wonderful setting for escaping the hustle and bustle of city life…
It has taken me 15 months of living in London to find this gem of a walk, but I guess that is the beauty of living in London, I’m constantly finding great new places to visit…The end point of the walk for me as I mentioned earlier was the Rob Roy pub, which is a wee gem that I fortunately discovered a long time ago…
Related posts:
I love Little Venice nice photos too you wouldn’t even think you was in the centre of London would you?.
I used to drink in the Rob Roy pub years ago when it was The Royal Standard.
Thanks for sharing
.-= stevebethere´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Little Venice feel so far from London and what I like about it best of all is that anytime I have been there it has never been packed with people.