Camden Walking Tour: Regent's Park, Primrose Hill & Camden Market

This Camden Walking Tour is 4.5 miles long and explores London’s most vibrant market, prettiest park and the artistic side of the city’s inner north. Our self-guided walking route includes a map and instructions.

London has grander parks and busier markets, but few walks combine the two as well as this one.

Starting in the heart of Regent’s Park, this 4.5-mile route winds through rose gardens and past a boating lake before climbing to one of the best views in London.

Then it drops into the colour and chaos of Camden, where four connected markets spill across cobbled lanes, canal-side yards, and converted railway arches.

This walk is a great way to explore the area north of central London, a vibrant neighbourhood known for eclectic markets, live music, old-school pubs, and beautiful green spaces.

It’s a walk of two halves with a very satisfying contrast. The first half is quiet, green and elegant. The second is loud, eclectic and alive.

Paul and I regularly take this walk. We usually start mid-morning, grab a coffee in Primrose Hill, and end up at the food stalls of Camden Market for lunch.

Walk it briskly, and you’ll be done in just over two hours. Take your time — and you should — and it easily fills a half day.

Camden Walking Tour Overview

• Start: Regent’s Park Tube Station
• End: Camden Station
• Distance: 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres)
• Walking Time: – Just over 2 hours (half day with stops)
• Best for: Market Lovers

This self-guided walk starts at Regent’s Park Tube Station and ends at Camden Town Tube Station. It takes you through Regent’s Park, up to the viewpoint and high street of Primrose Hill, before exploring Camden Market.

The walk is 4.5 miles (7.25 kilometres) and, if you walk without stopping, it would take just over 2 hours. But there’s plenty to see along the way, so allow at least half or even a full day.

The walk has two sections, a green section through Regent’s Park and a section through Camden Market. If you want to skip the park and just explore the market, then get the tube to Chalk Farm and start the walk from there.

The walk is free to complete, and is one of our favourites in our London self-guided walks series.

Map: Camden Walking Tour

Below is a map of the walk. The main attractions are marked so you don’t miss any of the sights. If you have the map open on your phone as you walk around you can follow your progress.

When to Do the Walk

The walk can be done any time of year, but our favourite time is late Spring, when the roses in the park are in full bloom.

Camden Market is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 10 am to 6 pm.

It can get incredibly busy on weekend afternoons, so try to complete the walk midweek. If that’s not an option, aim to get to the market before lunch to avoid the worst of the crowds.

We usually start the walk around 10 am, grab a coffee in Primrose Hill, and reach Camden Market around midday.

Self-Guided Camden Walking Tour

Regent’s Park

Make your way to Regent’s Park Tube Station. Exit and walk around Park Square to enter Regent’s Park.

Covering 410 acres of the city’s inner north, it was designed in the early 19th century by John Nash as a pleasure ground ringed by sweeping cream-coloured terraces that still frame the park today.

There are several paths criss-crossing the park, but we have picked our favourite route. Follow the route on the map above and you’ll pass the following sights.

The formal Italian Garden is one of the park’s most photogenic corners — geometric flowerbeds arranged around stone walkways, ornate urns, and tiered fountains that change with the seasons.

Running alongside it, the Boardwalk is lined with mature trees that form a canopy overhead in summer.

From there, the route enters the Inner Circle. At its heart is Queen Mary’s Garden, home to the finest public rose garden in London.

Over 12,000 roses representing 85 different varieties bloom here in late May and June, filling the air with scent and the paths with photographers. Even outside rose season, the Japanese Garden Island and the Triton and Dryads Fountain make it worth the detour.

The route continues past the boating lake and the bandstand, one of the prettiest in any London park, which hosts free concerts through the summer months.

As you approach the northern edge of the park, you’ll skirt the boundary of London Zoo — the world’s oldest scientific zoo, founded in 1828.

The route exits the park over a bridge above Regent’s Canal. Cross Prince Albert Road and take the path opposite, bearing diagonally right towards the summit of Primrose Hill.

Primrose Hill Viewpoint

It’s a gentle climb of around 10 minutes from the park to the summit. The reward is one of the best viewpoints in London, and unlike many, it’s completely free.

Primrose Hill was once a great chase appropriated by Henry VIII. In his time, it was a lively place with murders, duels and prize fights occurring on its slopes. It is one of only 6 protected viewpoints in London.

At 63 metres, Primrose Hill is not especially high, but from the summit, you can pick out the Shard, the BT Tower, the dome of St Paul’s, Canary Wharf, and the London Eye.

Primrose Hill Village

Head back down the hill towards Regent’s Park Road and enter Primrose Hill village.

It’s worth taking a few minutes to explore. The streets around Fitzroy Road and Chalcot Road are lined with beautifully painted Victorian terraces, independent cafes, and boutique shops.

Regent’s Park Road itself has cafes and restaurants that spill onto the pavement. Arvo is a charming café with a strong brunch menu; It’s Bagels! sees locals queueing for the freshest batch; Anthony’s Deli serves fresh-baked pastries, and Lemonia (a personal favourite) has been serving Greek lunches for generations.

Follow Regent’s Park northwards, leaving Primrose Hill and cross the railway tracks. Turn right to stay on Regent’s Park Road, then right again onto Chalk Farm Road.

Chalk Farm Road

As you walk down Chalk Farm Road towards Camden Market, you’ll pass the Roundhouse. This iconic music venue is housed in a former engine shed. We were lucky enough to see Amy Winehouse in this remarkable venue.

Check roundhouse.org.uk to see what’s on.

A little further along on your left, have a look down Harmood Street (to see street art painted on the walls) and Hartland Street (for more brightly painted houses).

The entrance to Camden Market is on the other side of Chalk Farm Road.

Camden Market

There is nowhere quite like Camden Market. What started as a small crafts market beside the canal lock in 1974 has grown into one of London’s great visitor destinations — a labyrinth of cobbled lanes, converted railway arches, canal-side yards and covered food courts spreading across both banks of Regent’s Canal.

It’s loud, colourful, and completely unlike anywhere else in the city. On a busy weekend afternoon, it can feel overwhelming, but arrive on a weekday morning or early on a Saturday, and it is more relaxed.

The market is open every day from 10am to 6pm, with weekend days bringing the most stalls and the liveliest atmosphere. Along with Borough Market, it is our favourite market in London.

The market divides into four distinct quarters

• Camden Stables Market
• Camden Lock Market
• Camden Hawley Wharf Market
• Camden Buck Street Market

It’s easy enough to just amble round the different sections and re-join our self-guided walk later, but we have planned a route that we think captures all the best bits. Follow it (as best you can) on the map above.

Camden Stables Market

Enter through the large black gates signed towards two massive robots and you’ve entered Stables Market. It got its name from the saddlers’ workshops, horse hospital and stables that were tucked under the arches of the railway viaduct.

The cobbled lanes, low brick ceilings and winding underground passages give it a character that no amount of modern development could replicate.

Today those arches and tunnels are filled with an extraordinary mix of stalls — vintage clothing, independent designers, antiques, tattoo studios, record shops, and alternative fashion. It rewards wandering without a plan.

Don’t miss the Amy Winehouse statue, a bronze figure of the Camden-born singer that’s become one of the most visited landmarks in the market.

Winehouse grew up nearby and remained closely associated with Camden throughout her career — the Roundhouse, the Jazz Café and the Dublin Castle were all part of her world.

Also worth finding: Saddle Row, a covered walkway strung with hundreds of red, yellow and orange umbrellas, making it one of the most photographed spots in the market; and the Hansel & Gretel store, a fairy-tale sweet shop and ice cream parlour tucked into the arches.

Camden Lock Market

Leaving the Stables, this Camden Walking Tour opens out onto the canalside at Camden Lock. Perched on the edge of the lock and framed by three-storey Victorian brick warehouses is West Yard.

This open-air space is where you’ll find some of the best street food in London.

Stalls cover an extraordinary range — Chinese dumplings, Japanese ramen, Indian curries, Ethiopian injera, Wagyu beef burgers, and wood-fired pizza. We usually opt for the Korean bao buns.

If you fancy something sweet (and we always do), try the elaborately decorated doughnut stall or the Churros and Chocolate stall.  

The upper floors of the surrounding buildings are filled with craft goods, artisan jewellery, handmade ceramics, and quality independent products.

Camden Hawley Wharf Market

Cross Camden High Street and enter the newest addition to the market — Hawley Wharf, which opened in 2021 after years of development.

Where the Stables is all Victorian character and underground passages, Hawley Wharf is clean lines, exposed concrete and canal views. It’s quieter and more relaxed.

Our self-guided walk does a loop of Hawley Wharf Market. Head along the lane by the side of the railway arches, turn right down Kentish Town Road, and right again to return along the Regents Canal towpath.

Along the way, look out for the 3 Locks Brewing Company tap room, which pours its own craft beers from a railway arch; and Soho Creamery, serving vegan ice cream with inventive flavours.

Camden Coffee Roastery is here too — one of the best independent roasters in north London.

On a warm afternoon, this stretch of water is one of the nicest places in Camden to sit and have a break.

Camden Buck Street Market

Back on Camden High Street, turn left and walk into the heart of Camden Town. This is the Camden most people picture — chaotic, colourful, and entirely itself.

Punk heritage and art school energy still define the street, even as the area has smartened up around the edges.

Street art covers the entire frontage of the buildings; buskers set up on every corner; and the shops sell everything from vintage band T-shirts to handmade boots.

The final quarter of the market — Buck Street Market — occupies what looks, deliberately, like a stack of oversized shipping containers on the east side of the High Street.

It focuses on sustainable fashion, fair trade goods, and independent brands. Climb the external stairs to the rooftop bar for a drink and a view back over the High Street.

Camden at Night

Camden has one of the best concentrations of live music venues in London, and if you visit the market in the afternoon you can plan an evening here.

The Roundhouse stages everything from intimate gigs to major touring acts, the Jazz Café is one of the finest small venues in the city.

The Electric Ballroom has been a Camden institution since 1938, and the Camden Comedy Club runs laugh-out-loud nights most evenings of the week.

This Camden Walking Tour ends at Camden Town tube station on the Northern line. Note that on Sunday afternoons, the station is exit-only due to overcrowding.

If you find it closed, the nearest alternatives are Chalk Farm to the north and Mornington Crescent to the south — both around a 15-minute walk along the High Street.

For similar walks, check out our favourite self-guided walks in London series. If you fancy a day trip into the countryside, then read our best country walks near London.

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