Old Camden Town
Camden Town Underground station, London
Guided by Judith
Adult: £20 · Students & Seniors: £15 · Children: £5
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Weekly | 11 am | 1 pm | Winter Summer | Reserve Online |
Oyez! Oyez! A familiar face for Judith and her Camden Town walkers, who often meet this splendid town crier on their rounds.
Camden in your ears? You’re just a click away.
Short read: “Alternative London”
Long read: The carnival that never ends. The London smörgåsbord par excellence. A place where the past melts imperceptibly into the post-modern. A place of canals, cafes, cobblestones, Catacombs, craftsmen’s studios, street cred, NW1 literati, Industrial Age iron and brick, leafy terraces and crescents, antiques, artists, actors, and art deco. And that’s not to mention Camden Lock, London’s busiest and brightest market – and its fourth-largest tourist attraction – which “at its best combines the bonhomie, excitement and buzz of Rio’s Carnival!”
Camden slows down. Warm windows, moored boats and rippling reflections on Regent’s Canal.
The Lock is the centrepiece of the walk, but Judith, a local artist, also explores the sights behind the sights, unrolling the shifting scene like one of those Victorian panoramas: everything from street style and Neobeatniks to Dickens, Dingwalls, and Cut Purse Moll; and from George Bernard Shaw and Toss the Pieman to Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan and the Electric Ballroom. And, goes without saying, Amy Winehouse. Afterward, if you like, you can take a traditional narrowboat to the Zoo or Little Venice. Guided by local artist Judith More than any other London Walks guide, Judith guides her doorstep – perched as she is in her eyrie overlooking the old Inverness Street Market, she’s right in the eye of the Camden Town storm. Talk about local knowledge. Judith doesn’t just live it and guide it – she paints it, turns lived experience, the Camden Town buzz, into art.
Judith Clute. Artist, veteran London Walks guide and Camden Town local. She’s lived in the heart of Camden for half a century. She knows its streets, stories and characters from the inside.
Bonus Read (and Listen)
The last duel in London was fought in Camden Town on July 1, 1843. The London Walks Today in London History podcast for July 1 – click here to hear – tells the tale.
LONDON WALKS PRACTICALS
The Old Camden Town walk takes place every at 11 am every Saturday. Meet Judith just outside the exit of Camden Town Tube. (There are two exits out of Camden Town Tube. Judith will be outside the Camden High Street exit, NOT the Kentish Town Road exit. If you arrive by Tube, go up the escalator, through the turnstile, and bear right. That’s the exit that debouches out into Camden High Street.) N.B. the walk ends at Camden Market, just a few minutes’ walk from Camden Town Tube or Chalk Farm Tube.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Recently interviewed Judith for London Calling, the London Walks podcast. A click here whisks you to that interview.
LONDON WALKS REVIEWS
“Although the big companies tend to just shuttle vast hordes of people about, one tour company does give you an in-depth, personalized insight to the city, offering a dizzying array of themed tours conducted by very qualified guides. The theatre tours, for example, are led by actors and actresses from the London stage, while the historical walks are done by historians, not just some bloke who’s read a couple of books.” London
Only in Camden. A giant boot, a tangle of chains, a riot of colour. Camden High Street doesn’t do understated.
“Our second tour was a real change of pace – we did the “Old Camden Town” tour, guided by Judith. This tour runs on Saturday mornings, as that is the day that the Camden Market is most lively – and you will get to see alternative London at its best. If I had teenagers or college students with me, this is one tour that I would add to my list!
Good company. Great discoveries. Judith’s walkers enjoying Camden Town.
“The tour includes one of the sites where Charles Dickens once lived, historic rock and roll venues, the Regent’s Canal, and some of the most interesting, over-the-top shops you will ever see!” Billcat52 Lancaster, Pennsylvania
In Camden, even the buildings get dressed up. Look up for footwear on a magnificent scale.
LONDON WALKS PRIVATE WALKS
If you can’t make one of the regularly scheduled, just-turn-up, public Old Camden Town walk do think about booking one as a private tour. If you go private you can have the Old Camden Town walk – or any other London Walk – on a day and at a time that suits your convenience. We’ll tailor it to your requirements. And – always with private London Walks and tours – we go to great lengths to make sure the guide-walker(s) “fit” is well-nigh perfect. Ring Fiona or Niamh or Peter or Mary on 020 7624 3978 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up and make it happen for you. A private London Walk – they’re good value for an individual or couple and sensational value for a group – makes an ideal group or educational or birthday party or office (team-building) or club outing.
Camden Town. Where the Mad Hatter looks perfectly at home.
GIVE THE GIFT OF LONDON WALKS
A private London Walk makes a very special, indeed a unique gift – be it a birthday or anniversary or Christmas present or whatever. Merchandise schmerchandise (gift wrapped or not) – but giving someone an experience, now that’s special. Memories make us rich.
You don’t come to Camden for beige. One of the neighbourhood’s unforgettable characters, known to London Walks guide Judith Clute.
LONDON WALKS – STREETS AHEAD!
Only in Camden Town. Leopard print, a waterfall of rainbow colours and enough flamboyance to stop traffic. Camden being Camden.
Gabrielle P. –
Such an enjoyable tour in Camden with Judith! She knows the place by heart, having lived in Camden since the 70’s, and it’s truthfully the best way to discover the place -with a local especially since it’s become so touristic.
Thanks Judith for all the stories and good guiding.
Martha –
I have taken many London walks over the years. They are a great way to learn about London and its different neighbourhoods. This walk was very enjoyable as I had never been to Camden Town and knew very little about it. Fellow Canadian Judith gave a us an enjoyable walk that covered Dickens, the lock, Camden Market and much more. Camden Town is hopping on a Saturday morning and we were able to take it all in. Thanks Judith!
Vera –
We had been to Camden several times before taking this tour and booked this one only as other plans we‘d made for the day had changed. Lucky us! Judith introduced us to places and stories of Camden Town that we likely never would have come across without her enthusiastic guidance. Recommended for anyone interested in getting to know CT beyond the toursisty market.
Malcolm –
Judith is a real star!
I found the Camden Town tour a real eye-opener: from the history, through the Victorian Industrial Revolution to the present day cultural scene. Judith took us through it all. The market area is amazing and she creates a gripping narrative of what it must have been like in the hey-day of steam, barges and horses. The musical element is fun and seeing where Amy Winehouse hung out is cool.
Donna –
A good walk all around the enormous with Judith, who’s lived there for years and is very enthusiastic about the town. Now, you don’t necessarily need a guide to the market, but I found the history of the place interesting. After the tour, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to shop and eat, and you can easily spend an entire day here.
Karen –
Did the Camden walk on a lovely autumn morning. Judith was charming with plenty of fun stories to tell. She worked hard to keep herself on track; she often searched for words. She passed over questions sometimes. Although we did learn some about the history of Camden town, I don’t think we’d do this tour again.
Lorna –
Judith our tour guide was so interesting and knowledgeable. She has lived and worked in Camden Town for many years and her passion for the area shone through. She laced the historical facts with quirky anecdotes which made the tour so much more interesting. A very informative and fun 2 hours. Thank you Judith
Carole –
A lovely and informative walk with Judith. She has great knowledge of an area where she lives and works. This was a very personalised insight into Camden, an area that I’ved moved around and through for a number of years but with clearly still so much to learn and enjoy. An eclectic mix of history, people and places.
Linda –
Lovely and informative walk with Judith. She has a wealth of Camden Town knowledge and history. Despite the rain & cold weather, a great way to visit.
Jane Platts –
A really interesting and fun walk, Judith was so knowledgeable and has so many stories, a great way to spend a couple of hours in a new place, it really brought Camden to life.