London-Notting Hill/ Portobello Road Market

[Blue and Green]

This trip Mr Blue and I would like to visit the Notting Hill area and Portobello Market on our next trip to London this summer.  Our options are

1. Saturday afternoon (probably busy and crowded but everything open) or

2. Thursday morning (only open until 1:00) or

3. possibly Friday morning ( full market open but we would have to leave the area by 11:30 due to another commitment).

 

Also, Mr Blue travels in a standard wheelchair, which I am usually fine with pushing unless there are a lot of steep hills. Ideally, would like to walk around Portobello market a bit, maybe followed by a taxi tour of the Notting Hill area? Would love to hear from anyone with insight or advice about touring this area London.

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, Blue and Green said:

Also, Mr Blue travels in a standard wheelchair, which I am usually fine with pushing unless there are a lot of steep hills.

 

It's been a while since I've been there, but I think that you will have to expect some slopes if you're exploring Portobello Road market. You'll probably be able to find other photos of the market online, but here are a couple of pages that will give you a little idea of the kind of gradients that you might come across (and my memory is consistent with what's in these photos):-

• https://www.parkvilla.co.uk/2018/04/14/portobello-road-market/
• http://www.portobelloroad.co.uk/the-market/

[Cindy]

I used to hang out at Portobello Road as a teenager, and visited again last summer for the first time since the 1970s. It’s a great outing if you can handle the chair. Unfortunately I think it would be hard to push a wheelchair through Portobello Road...it’s pretty sloped in places.

 

If you decide to go, Friday morning would be fine. You would easily be able to get a good taste of the market before 11:30.

 

https://theworldthroughmylens.blog/2018/08/07/all-around-the-town/

Edited February 12, 2019 by Cindy

[Blue and Green]

Thank you for the great photos, links. Looks like a colorful, vibrant, and busy area!

 

 

[Bob++]

Saturday is the main antiques trading day and trading generally starts around 8:30-9:00am. It’s best to arrive early if you want to avoid the crowds (and find the bargains) before they get too bustling.

 

This site http://www.goodtimetorollon.com/travelguides/london suggests that Portobello Rd is good for wheels.

 

The Portobello Road Market is a famous flea market in London. From the hotel, (assuming you are staying there) you can roll your way through beautiful and charming Notting Hill passing by plenty of antique shops, vinyl records stores, vintage clothes and food stalls that are generally lined up on both sides of the street among street musicians. You can find everything from vintage cameras to fresh flowers and if you feel like having a pint or a coffee, there are wheelchair friendly places to do so. Just try to do it in the morning as it gets pretty busy down there, specially on Saturdays. It will take you about 2 hours to visit the whole market.

Another interesting and eclectic market to explore is the Old Spitalfields Market, in east London. It's a nice place to wander. Like the Portobello Market, it also has plenty of vintage clothes, old maps, books, and random stuff for you to browse. Great atmosphere. If you make it there, make sure to roll to Brick Lane too, famous for their street art displays and their food. It's very nearby and actually, Brick Lane Market is a paradise for wheelchair foodies, packed with food-trucks and stalls selling all different kinds of food from all over the world. Here you can buy 3 different types of cheese or go Ethiopian Vegan for less than €10. So much great food to pick from.

With a bit of planning you could easily roll yourself down through Portobello Road then Uber yourself up to Brick Lane, so you can experience a bit of west and east London vibe in one go. There you have a full day of great shopping and great food.

[Blue and Green]

Thank you so much! What a great site. Just the information I was looking for...and glad to see some info about the area around the Tate as that is on our agenda this trip as well.