Regents Canal

Regents Canal. . , A brief history of Regents Canal , The Regent's Canal is a 13.5km watercourse that extends from Little Venice in the west to Limehouse Basin in the east. Constructed as part of the Grand Union Canal system, it was the inspiration of engineer Thomas Horner in 1812, whose proposal found approval with John Nash, at that time designing Regent's Park. The stretch running from Regent's Park across the heart of Islington was completed in 1820. , , The canals were used to transfer goods all around the country, and took cargo from sea-faring vessels to canal barges. The importance of the canals as a commercial route declined by the 1960s as a result of the increased popularity of rail and road. , , Regent's Canal is now an important visitor attraction in Islington with facilities including, boating and fishing. It is also a popular venue for festivals and environmental educational trips. The Islington Boat Club now uses the main City Road Basin of the canal. In 1992, the London Canal Museum was set up in a former ice warehouse on New Wharf Road as an educational resource centre. , , Regent's Canal forms an important wildlife corridor, where plants rare for London are found. It is a breeding ground for numerous fish and birds, and among those that thrive here are waterfowl such as coot, moorhen, mallard and tufted ducks.