Hertford and return canal boat holiday
50 Miles, 32 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 8.5 hours per day (ROUTE C)
The Hertford and return canal boat holiday travels clockwise from the Black Prince base in London to Little Venice and trendy Camden Town, and then on to the Hertford Union Canal.
Little Venice has great theatres and bars, whilst Camden Town is one of the most vibrant areas of North London and is the home of several large markets that run alongside Regents Canal. Camden is also a key part of London’s arts scene, with lots of galleries and music venues such as The Roundhouse, a Grade II listed railway engine shed in Chalk Farm that has been carefully converted in to a performing arts venue.
From the Hertford Union Canal it’s a short distance to the River Lee Navigation in Lee Valley Regional Park, an area full of open countryside, heritage sites, lakes and riverside trails. This surprisingly open waterway runs past well known parts of East London such as Bow, Hackney Marsh and Tottenham and on through the whole length of the beautiful park.
Soon after, you’ll reach Waltham Abbey, where you can visit the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Visitors can learn all about gunpowder making and tour the site on a land train. There are great stories to discover in an area that for 300 years was used for researching and making explosives, before its closure in 1991.
At Rye Park you can turn east if you have time and travel up the River Stort Navigation towards Bishop’s Stortford, where you can visit the Rhodes Art Complex. This complex is the home of Bishop’s Stortford Museum, which contains a wealth of interactive displays and archives, and The Rhodes Gallery, which showcases a variety of contemporary art.
Alternatively, you can choose to continue towards Hertford. Hertford is a country town, despite being less than 20 miles from London. You might like to explore the markets, which take place in the town twice a week, or soak up the historical atmosphere. You will find some great places to eat and explore along the way.
Book our Hertford and return canal boat holiday by using our online Availability Search, or by calling Black Prince on 01527 575 115.
