One of the UK’s most popular waterside spots is in London

Brighton beach, Loch Ness, Kynance cove. These are the places that typically come to mind when you think of the most fabulous waterside locations in the UK. So it might come as a surprise to hear that one of the most popular watery spots in the country is actually in London. 

Camden Lock has been revealed as the fourth most popular waterside destination in the UK. 

Research by InsureMy found that Camden Lock averages 7,425 searches on social media every month. The insurance company analysed all 128 waterside locations in the UK found on the Canal & River Trust’s website to come up with the top 10 most popular.

Taking the top spot was Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire with an average of 17,508 monthly searches. But Camden was the only London spot to make it into the country’s top 10. 

Camden Lock is known for its proximity to the legendary Camden Market, and its gorge views of Regent’s Canal. It’s the perfect place for people watching and gongoozling (watching the canal boats drift by). In the research, hashtags #camdenlock and #camdenlocks were found to have 180,000 posts on Instagram, showing the area to be very popular on the ‘gram. 

Stewart Barnett, head of marketing for InsureMy said: ‘Brits visit waterside destinations for a variety of reasons, whether for a peaceful escape, nature watching or a leisure activity.

‘It's fascinating to see a diverse range of locations featured in the study's top 10 rankings, with West Yorkshire claiming the top spot and London securing fourth place. Despite their contrasting atmospheres, both destinations offer unique experiences.’

See you down the Costa del Camden.  

The most popular waterside destinations in the UK

1. Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire
2. Rudyard Lake, Staffordshire
3. Wigan Pier, Greater Manchester
4. Camden Lock, London
5. The 46 mile Llangollen Canal, England and Wales border
6. Earlswood Lakes, West Midlands
7. Caen Hill Locks, Wiltshire
8. Trent Lock, Nottingham
9. Dundas Aqueduct, Monkton Combe near Bath
10. Goytre Wharf, South Wales

More outdoors with Time Out

As well as stunning locks, London has got a tonne of brilliant waterside locations. These are the best lidos and outdoor swimming pools in the city. And here’s our list of the best canal and riverside pubs.

ICYMI: This London train station has been named one of the coolest in the world.

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