The Regents Canal has a lock at Camden, not far from the centre of London and near where we are staying. The canal was dug by hand by Irish labourers in the early 19th century over a period of about 6 years and was used for the transport of goods, principally coal and building materials, into London.
We boarded a tourist vessel at Cambden for the slow serene voyage upstream to Little Venice.
Several days later we returned to walk the canal in the other direction along the tow path. This is the path the horses used to tow the barges along the canal. Now it is a lovely walkway and bikeway which passes Regents Zoo and many stately homes.
This narrow tunnel provided a problem. The horses were unhooked and led around it while “leggers” propelled the boat through. Lying on their backs on the barges with their legs against the tunnel wall, the leggers used leg power to ease the boat through. The process took about 45 minutes.
Nowadays the canal is used for leisure, many people live in the barges moored along the way and there is a constant stream of traffic in both directions. It is so peaceful and beautiful, far removed from the industrial purpose it once served.
The Camden end served as a transport interchange hub, where the cargo was loaded onto horses for the final stage into London. Now it is the site of a vibrant bustling market with great food stalls. And we couldn’t resist another Ethiopian coffee.
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