This circular paddle route gives you a different view of London, with street art, industrial heritage, new developments and a real East London vibe, alongside pockets of nature. One of the capital’s most urban paddles, it’s easy to reach by public transport, with a canal side car park nearby. The route is mapped in OS Maps, with lock portages marked.
London Limehouse Loop: An Urban Paddle Through East London
A circular paddle route through East London’s waterways
This route is adapted from Paddle London: The Best Places to Go with a Paddleboard, Kayak or Canoe (Route #29), with the addition of a loop through the Olympic Park.
Think London isn’t a paddle destination? This urban route may change your mind.
A few minutes on the Overground from Stratford, Hackney Wick is the starting point for this circular route for exploring East London from the water. Most people come here for canalside breweries, bars and hip food spots. For paddlers, it also offers something else: access to a diverse paddle route linking several historical waterways.
- Difficulty: Moderate (mostly for the portages)
- Water type: Canal / Navigation
- Distance: 10.7 km
- Portages: 8 locks (good packing makes all the difference)
- Licence: Required (Canal & River Trust / Paddle UK)
- Start/finish: Hackney Wick (details in the map)
Start: Hackney Wick
Already passing colourful street art, I roll my paddle bag from Hackney Wick station down to the canal by The Milk Float and Barge East. There’s a stretch of grass to set up on, with the London Stadium in the background.
While getting ready, curious passers-by often stop to ask what I’m doing or where I’m heading, usually followed by a cheerful “don’t fall in”. If I’m meeting others arriving by car, it’s an easy place for them to join me, with a car park a 10-min paddle away along the Hertford Union Canal.
Hackney Cut to Olympic Park
I paddle this route clockwise, heading towards Old Ford Lock. The Hackney Cut on the Lee Navigation is a vibrant start: converted warehouses, bold graffiti, narrowboats and sometimes music drifting across the water. It’s busy, but that’s part of the appeal. We’re paddling through London, not away from it.
At Old Ford Lock, I portage and take a left for a spin around the London Stadium. This optional extension is one of the highlights. The Bow Back Rivers were once industrial, then derelict and overgrown, before being restored for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The channels here feel more intimate: narrower, edged with reeds, with wildlife gradually returning. Paddling through them offers a unique view of the Olympic Park, with the stadium and the Orbit rising above the water. On match days, more than 60,000 people fill the stadium, so it’s worth planning around the crowds.
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Lee Navigation to Limehouse Cut
Back on the Lee Navigation, Three Mills Island appears ahead, familiar to many as the setting for MasterChef. This stretch is always changing, with new canalside developments alongside historic structures. Cranes appear and disappear between visits.
From Bow Lock, boats once had to navigate the tidal currents of Bow Creek to reach the Thames. In 1770, the Limehouse Cut was built as a shortcut. In boating terms, a “cut” is simply a man-made channel dug through the land.
Limehouse Cut
The Limehouse Cut offers a welcome change: straight, wide and still lock-free. Around Poplar, I often stop for a break. Bartlett Park makes a good halfway point and the pull of e5 Poplar Bakehouse is hard to resist. Sitting outside with a hot drink and a fresh pastry, it feels unreal to be by the old canal with Canary Wharf as a backdrop. A striking contrast.
Limehouse Basin to Regent’s Canal
At Limehouse Basin, boats sit moored in the marina, with the Thames just beyond the lock. If you look carefully between the buildings, you can catch a glimpse of the Shard in the distance.
From here, the route turns onto Regent’s Canal. Heading north, the setting shifts again. This section is more residential, with four lock portages that break up the paddle. Mile End Park brings a greener feel, with open space along the water’s edge.
Hertford Union Canal
The final section, the Hertford Union Canal, is short but full of character. Built as another shortcut, it links Regent’s Canal back to the Lee Navigation. The canal runs alongside Victoria Park, with gardens reaching down to the water’s edge. It offers a glimpse into ordinary London life.
The three locks, Top, Middle and Bottom, mark the final effort. Between them, the walls are layered with murals and graffiti, constantly changing and turning the canal into an open-air gallery.
Finish: Back to Hackney Wick
I complete the loop back at Hackney Wick, having seen East London from a completely different perspective: its waterways. That sense of calm stays with me even after stepping off the board and packing up. That familiar Blue Mind feeling lingers. I find a spot by the canal, something to eat, something to drink and let the paddle sink in. Spoiled for choice, Crate Brewery is a solid favourite.
Follow Anu’s adventure on her Instagram Page @mysupstories
Find out more about Anu Aladin’s New Book – Paddle London
Paddle London invites you to see the capital from the water. A practical and inspiring guide to exploring in and around London, it features 40 urban and rural routes across the Thames, canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs, combining clear maps, photos and essential guidance with history, wildlife and public transport–friendly access.
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By Anu Aladin
Anu Aladin is an experienced paddleboarder and writer based in South West London. A former co-owner of Paddleboarding London, she previously ran SUP lessons and guided tours. Anu has now drawn on that experience and local knowledge to write her first guidebook, Paddle London.
With over a decade spent exploring the capital from the water, Anu paddles year-round. She writes about her adventures on her blog, My SUP Stories, bringing together routes, the people she meets and practical SUP tips.
Anu is passionate about showing how accessible paddling can be in London, often travelling by public transport with her inflatable board. She believes in the restorative power of water, whether paddling or sitting in a sauna. On the board, she’s always spotting street art, canal boat names, bridges, pylons and gasholders, and she’s convinced cinnamon buns are an ideal SUP snack.
