History & Culture in
London
Adële Donaghie explores the capital by van and finds plenty to get her teeth into

London's East End, Southbank and Greenwich yield a wealth of surprises, treats and inspiration for visitors who prefer their city breaks to be well spiced with adventure and serendipity.

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This month's caravanners
Adële Donaghie and partner, Rob Aherne
Outfit used
2008 Eifelland Deseo Plus
2007 Kia Cee'd 1.6 CRDi LSl

My other half, Rob, is your typical bloke: he loves football, he has trouble cooking, but most of all he hates shopping. I am your typical woman and I was born to shop. So weekends away from the caravan are often spent apart. However, city breaks suit us well:
I can shop and he can explore. This makes London an ideal caravanning destination: there’s loads to do. It might sound strange, but it’s easy to go caravanning in the capital. There is a good choice of suburban sites, served by decent transport links and, of course, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
We set out armed with our A-Z street atlas, the essential companion for any London trip. It helps you see the capital as it was meant to be seen: on foot. My favourite way to explore it is to pick a Tube line, stop at a station I choose at random and start walking. I discover hidden gardens, treasure-trove art galleries, quirky shops and – my favourite – bustling markets.
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The East End is always a hive of activity but Sunday is when it really comes alive, as relaxed shoppers and browsers take the place of stressed city workers. There are four Sunday markets in this area, which is also packed with history. It seems there is a monument to the area’s colourful past at every turn.
This is a trip for early birds. The famous Columbia Road Flower Market is held at 8am-2pm, so we woke up early, skipped breakfast in the Deseo and hopped on a train. From Waterloo we caught the number 26 bus to Hackney. There are quicker ways of getting to the East End, but you’ll miss the sights if you ride the Tube. The bus travels along the Strand and Fleet Street, past the Royal Courts of Justice and in the shadow of St Paul’s.
We hopped off at the first stop on Hackney Road, near the junction of Columbia Road. Every other day of the week it is a quiet residential street, but on Sunday there’s an explosion of colour and a flurry of activity. Around 50 flower stalls overflow with technicolour displays. Behind them are shops selling everything from secondhand ceramics to vintage clothing, We sped past the stalls, turned left into cobbled Ezra Street and stopped at Jones Dairy Café. This is one of the few remaining Welsh bakeries that were once a feature of most London districts. We tackled two plates of kippers and scrambled eggs on toast, and were ready for a day of sauntering, shopping and sightseeing.
The flower market has a huge array of the common and the exotic, and unlike many products at this end of town, they are all reasonably priced. From Columbia Road we made a five-minute cut through Chambord Street Estate on to Bethnal Green Road and then Brick Lane. This area is renowned for its colour and vibrancy, largely down to the waves of immigrants that settled in the area.
It is currently a stronghold for Bangladeshis, a fact reflected in its nickname: Banglatown.
Look closer and you can see clues to other groups that sought refuge here. Jews fleeing persecution in czarist Russia came to the area and with them the bagel. Round these parts, it’s spelt ‘beigel’, is pronounced ‘bi-gul’ and is a far sight tastier than the heavy supermarket version. Beigel Bake is the oldest bagel bakery and an institution, serving fresh fare 24 hours a day. Owner Sammy Davis Jnr (I kid you not; he might not be black but he is Jewish) told us the smoked salmon and cream cheese is still the top filling.
In the past, Brick Lane was associated with drink rather than food. When Huguenots landed, they brought the technique of brewing with hops. It proved popular and the Truman, Hanbury, Buxton brewing empire was built. The old brewery building is now home to designer shops, creative agencies and nightclubs that attract arty Londoners. To see where the fashionistas get their clothing and gifts, pop into the Sunday Upmarket off Hanbury Street.
Back on Brick Lane, we went south to Fournier Street. The large square structure there, built in 1743, was a Huguenot church before becoming Spitalfields Great Synagogue and then the Brick Lane Jamme Masjid, the area’s mosque.
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SEE ALSO IN THE FEB 08 ISSUE OF PRACTICAL CARAVAN
The above article with all its photographs, full info on each recommended caravan park, places to eat, places to visit, and details of useful local services.

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