Regents Canal
When tourists descend to the “Regentz Canal”, there is no hustle or bustle of the British capital, which has a population of 9 million, and the “Galate” canal boat docks on the private pier, sheltered in the shade of lush trees.
Tourists climb on a wooden ramp to reach the front of the boat, and by going down another step they reach the cabin, which contains a sofa in the corner, a folding table and a small bed behind a closet, in addition to a small bathroom, and the small space on the boat has been equipped with great care that Tourists do not have to do without Wi-Fi or drink water directly from the tap.
At the back of the boat are the owners, retired couple Sarah and Simon Hodgkinson, and while the tourists stay on the boat for a short time, the boat “Galate” has been their floating home for 10 years.
Since they moved to live in this boat, their belongings shrank sharply, but they got to know the British capital, London, from an unusual side, and Sarah explained that by saying: “Living on the boat is like living in the village, where people know each other and help each other, and we have good neighbors, in addition to To enjoy a lot of beautiful landscapes.” In addition, Simon lives close to St. Martins College of Art and Design, where he studies art.
Through round windows, tourists look out onto the north bank; As cyclists descend the slope into the canal, they approach people who stroll along the ancient paths along the water.
Previously, thousands of workhorses would have ridden these tracks; Since the “Regent’s Canal”, which is 14 km long, was the busiest transport route in London; Because it has been connecting the Grand Union Canal to the River Thames since 1820 in order to transport goods, whether coal, building materials, grain from the Midlands or even blocks of snow from Norway, and “guest boats” were used in the waterway to transport Goods to London, drawn by horses across the waterways.
But with the advent of the sixties of the last century, these channels turned into the longest oasis of calm and relaxation in London, and the boat “Galate” is one of about 4,000 boats in the water channels in London, and these boats depart until the early hours of the evening on recreational and tourist trips.
London looks miles away, while tourists enjoy a quiet night on board the gallate boat, until the early hours of the next morning, until squirrels go hunting on tree tops, birds chirp along the canal, and while eating breakfast, tourists can watch Gray herons are less than four meters from the bow of the boat. “Foxes can appear here too, so tourists should not leave their shoes outside,” Sarah added.
Little Venice
The “Regent’s Canal” is surrounded by markets and parks, and tourists feel when exploring this channel that they are in a share of history, and the beginning of the perfect boat trip from “Little Venice” to “Camden”, and tourists sit in the narrow boat “Perseus”, which dates back to 90 years Roughly speaking, they sit on green leather seats and take great pictures with their cameras, the gorgeous colors blooming over the four-kilometre journey.
The boats are lined up next to each other, such as the royal blue “Cecilie” boat, the red “Matilda” boat or the white “Vilona” boat owned by a pop star, and as the canal curves towards the north at Regents Park, a large group of villas appears around The canal either side, then the treetops of London Zoo come into view, and the boat ride ends at bustling Camden Market.
As tourists stroll east, they come across another group of canal boats on the track parallel to the canal, and some flowers, herbs, or even tomatoes appear in makeshift boxes and baskets on many of the rooftops.
Kings Cross is close by; Where the former abandoned area has been transformed as part of the implementation of a huge construction project into a modern urban area that includes many elegant shops, luxury restaurants and universities, and when climbing the stairs to the “Granary Square” tourists enjoy a wonderful view of the “Granary” building, which was recently renovated. So are the “Coal Drop Yards”, the names of these places suggesting that wheat and coal were stored in this area in the past.
Islington Tunnel
Upon returning on the path parallel to the canal, the Islington Tunnel appears before tourists, and boats heading east appear as they enter the dark tube, which is 885 meters long, before seeing daylight again on the other side in the bustling neighborhood of “The Angel”, and the pedestrian area extends above This tunnel, which goes over Chapel Market.
The canal extends for another 7 km until it reaches the River Thames, and the farther one continues along the East End route, the fewer tourists it encounters, and visitors are rarely encountered in neighboring oases such as the sprawling Victoria Park.
On the edge of the road, tourists see many people, such as Lizzie and Jean, who are sitting on the bow of their boat “Harvest Moon” and enjoying the afternoon sun; The 26-year-old prop maker and 30-year-old regional director of a charity have traded their expensive rented flat for a houseboat for life.
While the gallate is permanently moored at its own pier, the young couple’s boat is constantly moving; They could use public moorings in the London canal system for two weeks at a time for a £1,000 license.
“It is easy for us to find a new place, even if the boats are moored next to each other in common places, because we have to fill the water tank, and the maintenance takes 5 hours a week,” Jan added.
narrowboats dock at the end of the canal in the luxurious Marina Limehouse dock; Where the region prevails romantic atmosphere.
