Josh King gets out his tripod and 35mm and Nathan May trawls the Encyclopaedia’s in search of the Northern Lines favourite places.

If you go down to the lock today, you really are sure of a big surprise. Camden is a town in transition, and we look at its changing faces

Founded by Charles Pratt, Earl of Camden, back in 1791, and later ‘touched up’ by no one’s favourite street artist Banksy, Camden Town has been at the heart of our beloved Northern Line ever since.

Attracting all sorts, from the most dedicated of Goths to born-again hippies in search of hallucinogenic shrooms, Camden has plenty of filth and grime to offer the scuzziest of shoppers.

The market stalls, trading all week, are always popular, if packed with army surplus, musty vintage and day-glo spandex. Ignore the crack dealers and focus on the fact it's a great alternative to the average Pret high street. (although there are two Prets, an Eat and a Maccy Dees)

The place has a huge variety of culinary options too - not all that mouth watering, but you can fill a shopping-sized hole cheaply. Everything from bartering your way to Chou Mein heaven, or sampling a cream filled doughnut, to filling your own crepe.

FOOD TIP: Gilgamesh – amazing design and a super anglo – eastern menu.

If it's supping a beer then you're spoilt for choice.

The area had also attracts the best in new music for years, with mainstream fare at Koko, with undiscovered gems slugging the guts out at Purple Turtle or Barfly. Of course, you can cram a month's worth of gigs in during the Crawl in April. While it's gone off the boil somewhat, it still boasts a heady line up and a unique buzz.

PUB TIP: Almost anywhere – my fave is the Lock Tavern due to the Pear Cider…but you can get that anywhere these days. Check out The Elephant’s Head for ultimate punk fever.

For fact fans

The lock at Camden was originally planned as a hydro-pneumatic water saving extravaganza…but it didn’t work. So they just used a normal one instead.

Want us to come to your local? Think you could do better? Well tell us what you want and we’ll strive to get our Oyster card tagged at more places than Christian Gross

www.theothersidemag.co.uk