Islington Canal Towpath Walk Planner: Tunnel Horse Trail

Walk east along the Regent's Canal in Islington and something strange happens: the towpath simply stops. The water disappears into a dark brick arch and carries on underground, while walkers are sent up into the streets. For children, that moment is pure adventure. This canal towpath walk planner turns the Islington Tunnel into a family treasure hunt, following the route the old barge horses once took over the hill and finding the canal again on the other side.

When the canal was built, horses pulled the barges along the towpath. At the long tunnel under Islington there was no room for a path, so the horses were unhitched and led up and over the hill through the streets, while the boats were pushed through the dark by hand. Boatmen lay on their backs and walked their feet along the tunnel walls, a method known as legging.

Later, a steam tug pulled boats through on a chain, and today narrowboats simply motor through with their headlights on. But the horse route over the hill is still there for walkers. Telling children this story at the tunnel mouth gives the whole walk a purpose. You are no longer just going for a stroll; you are following the horses, and the canal is hiding beneath your feet.

Begin on the towpath west of the tunnel, walking toward Islington from the direction of King's Cross. This stretch is calm, with moored narrowboats, overhanging trees and the backs of old buildings. Let the children lead and look out for boats with names, painted flowers and roof gardens. Moorhens and coots are common here, and sharp eyes will often spot a heron standing perfectly still.

When you reach the tunnel mouth, stop. Look into the arch together and see how far you can see inside. If a boat is coming through, wait to watch its light appear in the darkness, which delights most children. Talk about the boatmen legging along in the dark and the horses climbing the hill above, then follow the signed path up the slope and into the streets.

The walk above the tunnel takes you through busy streets and quiet residential corners, and this is where the treasure hunt begins. Ask children to guess, at each turning, where the canal is running underneath. A paper map helps, but so does logic: the canal runs fairly straight, so look for the line of the tunnel and imagine boats gliding beneath the pavements.

Give the children small missions. Find a street market and count the stalls selling fruit. Spot a blue plaque on a house. Look for a pub sign with a boat or horse on it. These simple games keep young legs moving through the busier stretch, and they turn the city streets into part of the canal story rather than an interruption to it.

Partway across, the route passes a long, narrow public garden running between two rows of elegant Georgian terraces. It sits right above the line of the tunnel, and it is the perfect place for a snack and a rest. Benches line the path, plane trees shade it in summer and fallen leaves in autumn make it good for kicking through.

Sit here and ask the children to imagine a boat passing underneath them at that very moment, perhaps carrying someone's home. Then look around at the old terraces, with their tall windows and iron railings, and talk about the families who lived in them when the canal was busy with cargo. This calm spot breaks the walk neatly in two, and it helps tired children recharge before the second half.

Following the route downhill on the eastern side, you will reach the other tunnel mouth, where the canal comes back into daylight. This is the big reveal, and it is worth building up to. Let the children run ahead the final few metres to be the first to see the water again. Most children will cheer, and many adults secretly will too.

From here, the towpath continues east past rows of narrowboats and canal-side homes toward a lock and a broad basin. Watch boats working the lock if you are lucky, and keep children well back from the open chamber. The basin beyond, ringed by new flats and old warehouses, has space for a calm sit by the water before you decide whether to carry on.

The towpath is narrow in places and shared with cyclists and runners, so hold young hands near the water and walk them on the inside edge. Agree on a simple rule before you start, such as stopping at every bridge and waiting for a grown-up. Wellies or sturdy shoes help on muddy stretches, and a spare pair of socks in the bag can save the afternoon.

Pack snacks, water and a small treat for the moment the canal reappears. The full loop is short in distance but long in excitement, so let children set the pace and stop often. If someone gets tired in the streets above the tunnel, there are plenty of buses and simple ways home. A family walk works when it ends with everyone still smiling.

Older children can take on longer walks. From the eastern basin, the towpath continues toward Haggerston and Broadway Market, with more locks, boats and murals along the way. Going the other direction, you can walk back west beyond the tunnel to King's Cross, where the canal steps, the old gasholders and a small nature reserve all wait to be explored on another day.

You can also turn the walk into a project at home. Draw a map of the route together, marking where the canal goes underground and where it comes out again. Add the boats you saw, the heron and the garden strip. Children who make their own canal map often ask to walk the tunnel route again, which is the clearest sign of a successful outing.

London's canals are full of small stories like the tunnel horses, and each stretch has its own surprise. There are locks to watch, basins to explore, old warehouses to puzzle over and waterside parks for picnics. A little research before each walk, and a simple game to play on the way, turns a towpath outing into something children remember for years.

The Karpo APP can help you plan those adventures. Ask it for family-friendly canal walks, playgrounds near the water or calm cafes along the towpath across London, save the routes that suit your children's ages and keep a list for rainy and sunny days. Next weekend, the canal will be waiting with another mystery to solve.