[1] With Kings Cross Station behind you, go forward towards St Pancras Station and at the road (St Pancras Road) turn sharp right along a new boulevard (Kings Boulevard). Both sides of the road are currently building sites but the boardings contain interesting information about the regeneration of the area.
[2] At end of King's Boulevard, turn right and go across side street and railway lines to arrive at main York Way Use controlled crossing to cross York Way and then turn left along York Way. Shortly you come to Regent's Canal. Cross the bridge and turn right, using ramp or steps to go down to the canal.
The Regent's Canal (1820) starts from the River Thames at Limehouse. It passes through Kentish Town and Regent's Park and joins the Grand Junction Canal at Paddington, with connections to Brimingham and the North.
[3] At canal towpath turn left, heading away from bridge, with water on you right. Shortly on the right hand side you pass an old basin, which has been redeveloped and now houses the Canal Museum (A). Go past small park (information board) and under the Caledonian Road Bridge. Ahead is the Islington Tunnel.(B) 996 yards long it took 3 years to construct between 1815 and 1818.
We shall shortly take a quiet route through the back streets of Islington, on this occasion, skirting the lively shopping, cafe and market area at the Angel, to rejoin the canal at the end of the Tunnel. (C)
[4] Just before tunnel, fork left, along the Jubilee Greenway path using ramp or steps to climb to road. Turn left along Muriel Street and at end, opposite Barnsbury estate, turn right (into Carnegie Street). At end of street, keep left, along a footpath, between school and Half Moon Crescent flats. Go through barriers. Shortly, after second set of barriersat path T-junction, note the plate in ground showing the line of the Islington Tunnel.
[5] Turn left, along path, to come out in Maygood Street keeping to right hand side. Cross Ekford Street. Turn right along Barnsbury Road and then use pedestrian lights, to cross over into Tolpuddle Street. Keep left alongside railings of Culpeper Park (named after 17th century herbalist) and then turn left, past park entrance (information board) and then, almost immediately right, into Ritchie Street.
[6] At end, turn left and shortly use zebra crossing, to go across Liverpool Road when you can see the back entrance of the former Royal Agricultural Hall. D)
The Royal Agriculture Hall is now known as the Business Design Centre. Its foundation stone was laid in 1861 - although a large part of the building had already been completed. It is a Grade II listed building and originally opened in 1861 (but the date on the clock is 1862). According to the official Islington Libraries compilation The Royal Agricultural Hall had its origins when in 1798 the Duke of Bedford, Sir Joseph Banks and other nobles and gentlemen decided to form the Smithfield Club, which would hold annual exhibitions of livestock, agricultural produce and agricultural implements.
[7] Turn right on the far side of the crossing and shortly left into Bromfield Street. Turn left at Premier Inn and follow Parkfield Steet, round to the right, into Berniers Road. At main Upper Street, by the front of Business Design Centre, go straight across, using pedestrian lights into Charlton Place.
[8] Cross Camden Passage and at house number 32 note blue plaque to Caroline Chisholm (E), the "Emmigrants Friend" (sic).
Caroline Chisholm 1808 –1877 was a progressive 19th -century English humanitarian known mostly for her involvement with improving conditions for Australian immigrants.
Turn right into Colebrook Row and then fork right into gardens. Follow path through gardens and at the exit turn left (Care. Narrow footpath, traffic from left). Turn immediately left, into Duncan Street and go across the zebra crossing to return to Regent's Canal. Go through the gate and, with care, down steep slope, where the canal emerges from the Islington Tunnel.
[9] We now continue for some 45 minutes along the canal. Go under Danbury Street Bridge and past the lock. On right hand side we come to the City Road Basin. (F) (Information board)
The City Road Basin is undergoing redevelopment for business, residential and leisure use. As part of the former industrial canal, the Basin served many wharves and factories. Pickford’s Wharf at the southern end of the Basin was the biggest on the canal and, in 1840, it had a fleet of 120 boats and stables for over 100 horses. It had a reputation for speed and introduced non-stop or ‘fly’ boats, pulled at a trot by pairs of horses in relay - covering the usual four day trip to Birmingham in two and a half days.
[10] Go under Wharf Road which leads (on right) to the smaller Wenlock Basin (G) built in 1826.
Continue under the next bridge (Paddington Square) and past the Union Wharf Lock. Go under New North Road, Southgate Road and Whitmore Road Bridges until you come to another small basin on the left; Kingsland Basin (H).
Kingsland Basin is some 240 yards long and dates from 1822. The charity CHUG founded in 1983 manages the moorings and claims to be 'the country's only independently run community marina, providing sustainable affordable moorings in central London. With ten ducks too.' It also has an allotment barge.
[11] Continuing under Kingland Road Bridge and then a railway bridge we pass, on the right, the Bridge Academy (I) and on the left, the partly empty Samuel House (J) with a series of photos over the windows.
The award winning Bridge Academy opened in 2009 cost over £33 million, has no corridors and maximises space on the tight site. By 2013 it will cater for 1,150 students, including a sixth form for 250 students. Specialising in music and mathematics, the Academy teaches a broad and rich curriculum and includes a 450 seat performance hall, sports hall and recording suites.
Samuel House is scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt and the flats are gradually being emptied. In 2007 the empty flats were boarded up with orange boards. Local Artists, themselves residents on the estate decided to create an art work called 'I am Here' with pictures of current and former residents of the estate as a reminder of the human aspects of redevelopment. (see http://www.iamhere.org.uk/background/ for more information.
[12] Continue on under Haggerston Road and Queensbridge Road.
The redeveloped area on the right was for 120 years the site of the Imperial Gas Light and Coke Company's gas works, with a large canal basin. The coal was shipped from North East England to the Regent Dock and then bought by barge along the Canal. The gas works escaped continual bombing during World War II until gas production abruptly stopped in 1944 following a direct hit from a V2 rocket. After the war the southern part of the site was redeveloped as a park and opened as Haggerston Park in 1958.
[13] Go past the lock and then under a bridge (Broadway Market).
Dating back to the 1890s the Saturday Broadway Market (K) is a general market with some 80 stalls including fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, bread and cakes, fashion and collectables. There are also barges selling second-hand books.
On the far side of the canal you can see the old Victorian Gas Holders (L). These were once a common sight in every town across the UK. They were originally used to store coal gas that was used in lighting London’s streets. Some were converted to natural gas in the 1960’s and some are still in use today
[14] Go under railway bridge and Mare Street Bridge (single file). In a few minutes we come to Victoria Park (M).
London’s oldest municipal park Victoria Park, named after Queen Victoria, was laid out between 1842 and 1846. It was designed by Sir James Pennethorne, a student of Regent’s Parks’ designer John Nash. At the time it was built, there was great concern about overcrowding and industrialisation in East London and the Park was seen as a green lung for working people to enjoy.
[15] Continue along the Tow Path until the next bridge and shortly after, leave the canal to go into Victoria Park at the Rose Gate. At the main drive, near the Pagoda (N), turn right and follow the main drive alongside the lake. Go behind the cafe and toilets and turn left along the main drive.
[16] At end of the drive, by the children's playground, turn right, to leave the park at Royal Gates. Go across the zebra crossing into the eastern section of park. Shortly fork right towards an elaborate drinking fountain (O).
Clean drinking water was scarce in London in the mid nineteenth century so public drinking fountains were constructed throughout the city. In 1861 Baroness Burdett-Coutts (of the Coutts Bank family) gave Victoria Park an ornate, sculpted drinking fountain (designed by H A Darbyshire). (Grade II listed) It is said to have cost £6000, a fortune in those days.
[17] At the fountain - please note this may be fenced off due to developments for the Olympics - go straight ahead (second right) on path leading to eastern lake and, at lake, turn right and follow lakeside. At main path, turn left alongside lake and after blue children' play area turn right between formal garden and play area. Towards end, bear left away from boating pool, keeping the One O'Clock club on your right.
[18] At the tennis courts, turn right onto main drive and follow across junction to arrive at St Mark's Gate.
[19] The walk finishes here at St Mark's Gate. This will be the Victoria Park Gate entrance for the Olympic Park during the Games. from this point you will be guided to the park by 2012 Games Volunteers.