Word on the Water
A floating secondhand and new bookshop housed in a converted 1920s Dutch barge, permanently moored on Regent's Canal near King's Cross.
- Hidden gem
- Price: Free
Open in A Reason to StopFree on the App Store. iPhone, iOS 26 or later.
Did you know
The shop faced repeated eviction threats after opening in 2011 and had to move mooring several times before securing its current permanent spot near Granary Square, following a public campaign that drew support from authors and the press to keep it afloat.
Local tip
The barge roof doubles as a small stage for occasional live music and poetry evenings, so check its social media before visiting if you want to catch one rather than just browsing the shelves.
Finding it
- Address
- Regent's Canal towpath, King's Cross, London Borough of Camden, Greater London, England, N1C 4BH
- Nearest station
- London St Pancras International, 366 m away
Details change, so check with the place before you set off.
More places nearby
- Coal Drops YardTwo Victorian coal-drop sheds beside Regent's Canal, linked by Thomas Heatherwick's twisted 'kissing roof' and now home to independent shops, restaurants and bars.
- Camley Street Natural ParkA tiny wildlife reserve squeezed between King's Cross and St Pancras on the Regent's Canal, with ponds, wildflower meadow and a small cafe.
- London Canal MuseumA King's Cross museum on the history of London's canals, housed in a former Victorian ice warehouse built by ice-cream pioneer Carlo Gatti, with two real 30-metre ice wells underneath it.
- Platform 9¾, King's Cross StationThe half-trolley fixed to the wall near King's Cross's concourse, marking the fictional platform Harry Potter departs from for Hogwarts.