London: Camden Town

Beautifully alternative, Camden Town.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

FEATURED IN THIS POST

• camden town • Camden High Street •
• Camden Market • The Hawley Arms •
• Camden Square/ Amy Winehouse's former home •
• Camden street art • camden town map •​

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CAMDEN TOWN

Camden Road rail bridge/ overpass.

Arriving in Camden Town, with it's colourful streets and main attraction, the Camden Market, always brings an instant smile to my face. Stepping out of the underground station that first time, or jumping out of my taxi is always heartwarming.

​The bustle, colour and the incredible aura is what attracts me the most; what I like to call Brunswick, Melbourne x 1000, Camden Town is an uplifting place where it is a great experience just to walk down the road. 

My days in Camden are spent shopping on the high street plus wandering through the markets or searching for street art, and my nights spent rather inebriated, catching up with friends at the Hawley Arms, Good Mixer; the Monarch or Belushi's.

Every second I spend in Camden Town is treasured and I cannot wait to go back. Upon returning the redevelopment of the Camden Lock Village will be underway, or possibly completed, and it will be very interesting to see the change it creates to the area.

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CAMDEN HIGH STREET

The beautifully eclectic, colourful, quirky, and cool Camden High Street attracts enormous crowds of Londoners and tourists alike. On any day of the week here you will find yourself immersed in large crowds of people shopping and navigating the high street. Walking up Camden High Street from the either Mornington Crescent or Chalk Farm underground stations on the weekend is almost kaleidoscopic, one second you're walking by rather drab, grey and brown brick building's, plus have plenty of personal space, and the next second, cross the Camden High Street and Kentish Town Road junction (or the rail bridge if coming from the Chalk Farm direction) and bam, crazy colour injection come at you and personal space begone. If you're someone who hates large crowds possibly save this one for a Monday or Tuesday, although, it can become very busy any day of the week.

Camden High Street; the section between Camden Lock and the Buck Street Market.

The Camden Lock rail bridge/ overpass.

The familiar-with-a-photograph facades of Cold Steel and Evil by the Needle.

Camden High Street; close to the Buck Street Market.

Walking from the Camden Market back to my hotel on Jamestown Road.

The decorative shop facades of Dark Angel Tattoo & Body Piercing and Max Orient.

Corner of Jamestown Road & Camden High Street. This large artwork by talented UK artist, Oliver Switch, is positioned high above the street scene and is impossible not to notice.

The junction where Camden High Street, Kentish Town Road, Camden Road, Parkway and Greenland Road meet.

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THE CAMDEN MARKET

Established in 1974 the Camden Lock Market was the first of 5 markets to open and become what is collectively known as the Camden Market, the UK's largest street market and one of London's top tourist destinations, which attracts more than 100,000 people every weekend.

​READ MORE: Camden Market.

A tilt-shift image of the Camden Lock Market and the old facade of the Camden Lock Village.

A red double decker bus on Camden High Street, crossing Camden Lock, with the now demolished and soon to be redeveloped Camden Lock Village in the background.

One of the many bronze horse sculptures scattered around the Stables Market.

Inside the Horse Tunnel Market/ Stables Market section of the Camden Market.

Walking through the Catacombs (Stables Market) it looks like I may have snapped a thief slipping something into their pocket.

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THE HAWLEY ARMS

I ❤ HAWLEY

My local away from home and my favourite bar in the world, the Hawley Arms, is located at number 2 Castlehaven Road in Camden Town (very close to the Camden Lock rail bridge/ where Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road meet). This compact, dimly lit, charmingly decorated bar with a rock'n'roll edge always has an incredible atmosphere and becomes really busy on weekends, so if you're in a group of more than 2 expect to table search for a while. There is an upstairs bar (not always open) which frequently plays host to musicians and there is also an outdoor deck with a small seating area that is heated in winter.

The bar has a rich history and close ties with many musicians. Photographs of them appear on the walls throughout the building, most namely, Amy Winehouse, who as a local, used to frequent the Hawley Arms, quite often pulling pints behind the bar. 

The dimly lit, main, downstairs bar at The Hawley Arms.

My favourite thing to order at Hawley.
A pint of chips with mayo and sauce plus a glass of white wine.

Downstairs seating area at The Hawley Arms.

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CAMDEN SQUARE
​AMY WINEHOUSE'S FORMER HOME

Located approximately 15 minutes walk from Camden High Street (10 minutes walk from Camden Road Overground Station), you will find Camden Square and the location of Amy Winehouse's former home. The house at number 30 (and the trees across the road) have become an unofficial shrine since the singer's untimely death on the 23rd of July 2011, serving as a place many of her fans flock to leave flowers and notes of respect.  Being a gargantuan fan of Amy Winehouse and her music, visiting number 30 Camden Square was a must for me during my first visit to London back in August 2012. 

Camden Square street sign.

Camden Square with number 30 in the background.

One of two tree shrines located across the road from Amy Winehouse's former home.

Some of the tributes left by fans at the unofficial tree shrine across the road from number 30 Camden Square.

My contribution to the tree. I wouldn't have thought black sharpies/ texta's of any kind would be hard to find in London. Sainsbury's didn't have anything but pens and I wasn't walking to Morrisons, so white out it was! (the brush kind, they didn't have pens!)

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CAMDEN STREET ART

One of the top places in London to view amazing street art along with the Leake Street Tunnel, Shoreditch and Brick Lane, is the colourful Camden Town. Nestled along the side streets off Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road you can find artwork from many well renowned, international and local artists such as Otto Schade, Onesto, Pegasus and Gnasher.

​READ MORE: Camden Town Street Art.

John Lennon by Gnasher.

Atmosphere (Amy Winehouse) by Pegasus.

Tagging of the Mona Lisa by Dotmaster.

Rhino by Otto Schade (Osch).

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CAMDEN TOWN AREA MAP

Legend:

London Underground

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London Overground

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This article is available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

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