Regent's Canal Walk With Kids: Camden to King's Cross

Water, boats, ducks and bridges. For a lot of children, that is a perfect afternoon. A Regent’s Canal walk with kids gives you all four, mostly flat, right in the middle of London, and you can easily turn it into a couple of hours of steady walking without anyone complaining about being “on a walk”. The catch is that towpaths are narrow, busy with bikes, and have open water right next to them. With a bit of planning, though, it is one of the best family outings in our part of town.

I coach parents in Archway and I am a big fan of walks that feel like a day out. Here is the section I recommend for families, plus buggy notes, cyclist safety and a few ways to keep everyone moving.

The best stretch for a Regent’s Canal walk with kids

For families coming from Archway, Highgate or Holloway, the section between Camden Lock and King’s Cross is ideal. It is short enough for young legs, has interesting things to look at all the way, and you can finish somewhere with space to run around.

Start: Camden Lock

Watching a narrowboat go through the lock is often the highlight for small kids. Find a safe spot back from the edge, explain how the gates fill and empty, and give them a job: count how many boats you pass on the walk.

Middle: towards St Pancras

Heading east along the towpath, you pass moored boats, bridges and the backs of old warehouses. Kids love spotting boat names, so make it a game: the first to find a boat named after an animal wins.

Finish: King’s Cross

As you approach King’s Cross, look out for Camley Street Natural Park, a small nature reserve by the canal run by the London Wildlife Trust, and then the wide steps down to the water at Granary Square. The open square is a good place to let kids run off any leftover energy and have a snack before heading home.

Buggy and scooter notes

• Surface: much of this section is paved and flat, but expect cobbles and bumps in places, especially around the locks.
• Access points: some ways on and off the towpath are steps or steep ramps. Plan your start and finish points so you know where the step-free access is.
• Width: the path narrows under bridges. Single file, buggy in front of you, and pause if a bike is coming.
• Scooters and balance bikes: fine for confident older kids at walking pace, but I would leave them at home for under-5s. The water is too close and the path too busy for wobbles.
• Carriers: for babies and young toddlers, a carrier makes the narrow bits much less stressful.

Cyclist safety and the Towpath Code

The Regent’s Canal towpath is popular with cyclists and runners. The Canal & River Trust’s Towpath Code is built around “Share the space, drop your pace”: walkers have priority, cyclists are asked to slow down for others, and everyone should take extra care when passing. In practice, here is what I teach my own kids and clients:

1. Keep left and stay together. Agree a “towpath line”: kids walk on the side away from the water, adults on the water side.
2. Listen for bells. When you hear one, everyone stops and steps in. Make it a game: “Bell! Statues!”
3. No sudden darts. Most towpath bumps happen when a child runs across the path without looking. Agree a rule before you set off.
4. Hold hands near locks and bridges, where the edge is often unfenced and the path is tight.
5. Stop off the path. If you need to fix a shoe or hand out snacks, step to a wider bit or a bench, not the middle of the towpath.

Turn it into gentle exercise

Flat towpath walking is perfect moderate activity. The NHS walking for health page points out that brisk walking counts towards your weekly 150 minutes of moderate activity, and you do not need to go fast to benefit. A few ways to add a bit more:

• Bridge-to-bridge pace changes: walk briskly between two bridges, then slow down to the next one. Older kids can try a fast-walking race (no running near the edge).
• Step challenge at Granary Square: on the wide steps, do 5 rounds of walking up and down at a steady pace while the kids play nearby. Hold the handrail if there is one.
• Park bench finish: 10 incline push-ups and 10 squats on a bench at the end. It takes two minutes.

If you enjoy steps, you will like my stairs workout. And for more flat, family-friendly routes, see my post on family walks in North London.

Getting there and back from Archway

Both Camden Town and King’s Cross are easy to reach from Archway. The Northern line runs from Archway through Camden Town, and the 390 bus runs between Archway, Tufnell Park and King’s Cross. A simple plan: tube to Camden Town, walk the canal east, then hop on the 390 home from King’s Cross. Check a journey planner for live times and step-free stations if you have a buggy.

What to pack

• Water and snacks (Granary Square is a good snack stop)
• A small bag for rubbish. The Towpath Code asks everyone to take litter home.
• Layers: it can feel chilly by the water
• Wipes and a spare top for the inevitable puddle

Where a bootcamp class fits

A canal walk is a lovely way to get the family’s steps in. What it will not do is build the strength you need to carry a buggy up the steps at the end, or the fitness to chase a five-year-old who has just spotted a duck. That comes from regular strength and conditioning work, which is what my small-group classes in Archway are for.

If you sit at a desk all week and your hips and back feel it on long walks, SYP Unlock is a great place to start.

FAQs

Is the Regent’s Canal safe for children?

It can be very safe with simple rules: hold hands near locks and bridges, keep children on the side away from the water, and stop for cyclists. There are no barriers along much of the edge, so close supervision of young children matters.

Can you take a buggy along the Regent’s Canal?

Yes, much of the Camden to King’s Cross section works with a buggy. Expect cobbles in places and steps at some access points, so plan step-free start and finish points.

Can kids ride bikes on the towpath?

Cycles are allowed on the towpath, and the Towpath Code asks riders to slow down for others. For young or wobbly riders, a quieter park is a better place to practise.

How long does the walk take?

Camden Lock to King’s Cross is a short section, but with stops to watch boats and look around, allow an hour or more with young children.

Book your first class

Want more energy for family days out? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in a weatherproof church hall in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with easier and harder options for every exercise. Book my £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If getting to a class is the hard part right now, my online coaching lets you train with a plan from anywhere.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.