Regents Park residents could have a canoe commute

Regent’s Park residents may wish to try their hand at ‘canuting’ to get away from London’s crowded roads and tube stations.

In a bid to encourage more Londoners to explore the city’s waterways, the Canal and River Trust (CRT) has advised Londoners to try commuting by canoe, canalrivertrust.org.uk notes. Some of the best placed to do this are those living in the Regent’s Park area, who can ride the Regent’s Canal down past King’s Cross and onwards to Limehouse Basin.

Not only does this provide a much more scenic route to work but is also a part of London that remains quiet and sedate. Journalist at theguardian.com, Peter Kimpton, tried just this and found that a break from the hustle and bustle wasn’t all that was on offer.

Some of the waterways he used were “frequented by swans, geese, herons, ducks, coots and many a houseboat,” meaning there was plenty to see. It also felt much safer than weaving his way around the notoriously treacherous London streets on a bicycle.

Further, the CRT has allayed fears that London’s waterways are polluted and unclean. Whilst heavy rainfall which ran into waterways from the dirty roads killed thousands of fish last year, it noted that no such problem had arisen since then. In fact, the wildlife that Kimpton spotted were given as proof – were it needed – that fish stocks are thriving again and the waterways are clean.

Whilst this was a quiet way of getting to work, Kimpton noted it may not necessarily be the fastest.

“This isn’t a quick way to get to work,” he noted. “It’s walking pace at best and I’m feeling weary. Surprisingly it isn’t my arms or shoulders that hurt but my stomach.”

This did have it’s own benefits, though.

“Encouraged by a brief session at my local Leaside club to sit up and forward in the boat at all times, my abs are now on fire. But I’m finding this is a really good way to get a six pack.”