Boat Trips
Boat Trips on London's Canals
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Everybody loves a boat trip! There are a mixture of regular and occasional boat trips available on the canals in London, enabling you to see a different view of the capital city.
Take a canal boat ride in London. There are a variety of trips available and you can enjoy an excellent day out including:
Please note that London Canal Museum does not directly operate any passenger boats and you should only contact us about:
On Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays starting
9th April, the museum offers a programme of tunnel boat trips starting from the museum and including a museum visit and tea/coffee on board. A guide travels
with you to give a commentary. See our Tunnel Boat Trips Trips page for details and to book your place in advance..
An alternative to a boat trip is a walking tour on the towpath. See our walking tours page for details.
There are also community narrowboats which offer trips for school parties and other community groups. If you are visiting the Museum in a group we'll put you in touch with the appropriate boat operators.
The route which has the most frequent services is from Camden to Little Venice (near Paddington). Three boat companies operate regular services in summer and there are less frequent boats at weekends in the winter. All the boat hire companies offer private hire which is ideal for groups of people. Private hire boats can bring a party right to the door of the London Canal Museum. There are also regular boat trips operating in west London. The following is a summary of the boat services that are available on London's Canals. Please contact the operators direct for more detailed information.
| Scheduled Services and Charter | Route | Service summary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenny Wren
020 7485 4433 |
Camden to Little Venice and back (does not pick up or set down passengers at Little Venice) | Four per day in season. Refreshments. Guide service. Also operate a large hospitality boat, "My Fair Lady" for private charters. Nearest stations: Camden Town, Camden Road | |
| Jason's Canal Boat
Trip (no telephone, email info@jasons.co.uk) |
Little Venice - Camden | Three or four per day in season, plus limited winter weekend service. Refreshments. Guide service. Nearest stations: Paddington, Warwick Avenue | |
| London
Waterbus Company 020 7482 2660 (For private hire/groups 020 7482 2550) |
Little Venice - London Zoo - Camden | Hourly service in summer, half hourly on peak days. Winter weekend service. Occasional all day trips to Limehouse. Nearest stations: Camden Town, Camden Road, Paddington | |
| Lee Valley Boats 0845 1162012 |
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park tours | Regular tours operate. Departs from Stratford Waterfront, close to the London Aquatics Centre. Nearest stations: Stratford International, Stratford. | |
Only one day-boat hire service operates in London, from just outside Uxbridge. It is based at Denham Deep Lock, a lovely rural location in the Colne Valley Park that can only be reached on foot or by boat. Cars may be parked at the Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre, a few minutes' footpath walk away. Contact Denham Day Boats on 01895 271070 (no website available)
One hire company operates in London, for weekend or longer narrowboat hire. They are Southern Narrowboats, based near Uxbridge.
Make your way to Little Venice (near Paddington and Warwick Road Underground stations) and take a one-way cruise to Camden. (allow an hour) Walk along the towpath to King's Cross. (allow 40 minutes) If you have a smartphone you can do the Webwalk using the phone as your walk guide. (allow an hour if taking the Webwalk. Alternatively we offer a free MP3 audio tour of the canal towpath.See our podcasts page for details. This section of canal is mainly industrial with plenty of reminders of its history. You may also see the wildlife that thrives on the canal. If you are lucky, you may see a heron fishing! Finish your day on the canals with a visit to London Canal Museum. (allow 1-2 hours). You'll find our why the canal was built and it's fascinating history over more than 180 years. Of course, depending on timings, you can stop for refreshments or a meal at Camden or at King's Cross before or after your museum visit. There are plenty of cafes, pubs, and fast food outlets at both these places. In bad weather use bus 214 instead of the towpath walk.
Alternatively, start your day out at the museum. A morning visit can be followed by lunch in a local pub or cafe. Then walk to Camden along the Regent's Canal towpath. At Camden, explore the famous market (weekends) before embarking on a cruise to Little Venice. You can return to Camden by boat as well, if you wish. For information on getting to the museum click the link. Don't forget to check what additional events are on offer at London Canal Museum. The table below shows some events in the next few weeks.
