Walking Britain London Walk
New River from Highbury & Islington
Walk Route Description
Click thumbnails for larger images.
Appearing as a blue line on a London map, New River Walk is located half a mile to the east of Highbury and Islington railway station in north London. Lying to the south of St Paul's Road and it runs in a roughly north-east to south-west direction, ending at Canonbury Road.
In fact, the name is a misnomer. As a sign to one side of the path running alongside the water channel explains, New River is neither new nor a river. It is in fact a man-made channel. The main part of the walk follows a footpath alongside a water channel, a surprisingly scenic stretch set amid a residential part of Islington. The walk can be done in the form of a triangular route, starting from, and finishing back at, Highbury and Islington station, for instance walking along St Paul's Road first. The riverside stretch is a contrast to the two busy main roads that complete the triangle.
Under the right weather and lighting conditions it can be a very pretty place as I hope my photos illustrate. A good time to go is in the autumn on a bright sunny day when the autumnal colours of the trees are starkly apparent. All the more so when you see trees reflected in the still water which appear as if seen in a mirror.
Maps | |||
| Ordnance Survey Explorer 173 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer 173 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Landranger 176 | Sheet Map | 1:50k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Landranger 176 | Digital Map | 1:50k | BUY |
It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k. | |||
Recommended Books & eBooks
Walking in London
A guidebook to 25 walks in London's green spaces and nature reserves, covering both the city centre and Greater London area. Taking in woods and forests, parks and heaths, canals and rivers, the guide includes a wealth of information about some of the species you might encounter as well as the history and conservation of these areas.
More information
The End to End Trail
