Richmond Park London

Richmond Park London is a national nature reserve, created by Charles I around 1634, as a deer park, where he used to go hunting. To be honest, I didn’t hear about the park before visiting London. Since we stayed in London around 10 days, we had enough time to visit the city, so one day, one of our friends proposed us to go to Richmond Park London, to see something different.

Richmond Park London has an area of 995 hectares, and it is the largest Royal Park of the city. Located 12 kilometers away from the city center, you need about an hour to get here, but still, many London people prefer to send their weekends here, in nature.

After entering the park, you will be surprised how quiet the place is, and how fresh is the air. We visited it during winter, but it was so sunny and warm, that we couldn’t believe we are still in rainy London.

The park is simply huge, so I recommend you to make a plan about what you want to visit or to do. It is highly advised to stay on the path if you don’t want to get lost. We entered the park from the north, and decided to leave it on the east, and it took as an entire day to walk this distance, so just imagine.

There are many paths and things to see in Richmond Park London, so you should organize yourself from the beginning. There is also the possibility to visit the park freely, and to see where your steps are taking you, but make sure you have a map, so you can check it when you want to leave the park.

Richmond Park London is famous for being the hunter land of Charles I. However, the park is not used anymore for hunting, so the deer population increased every year. Do not be surprised if you see deer on the way; they are everywhere. But you must be carefully, not to scare them, and try to stay on safe distance from them. It is not recommended to feed the animals, but take your time to enjoy their presence.

We were simply walking around the park when we noticed two deer, very close from us. They didn’t get scared or anything, so we walked in their direction. We were surprised to discover an entire hoard of deer, eating, chilling, and living there, in harmony with the nature.

The deer at Richmond Park London are quite accustomed to visitors, but it is still important to leave them alone, and not to disturb them. There are other animals in the park: a lot of squirrels, rabbits, ducks, and many more. Admire them all!

There are also other things to do in the park: if it is summer, many people organize picnics here, but if it is cold outside, I recommend you the restaurant-café of the park, where you can find delicious food, and really great cakes.

Continue your visit walking to the lake. There are actually two lakes in the park, but they are connected. The lakes are incredible, clean like a mirror, and full of dukes. Take some minutes to admire this beauty, before proceeding to anything else.

The best thing is to catch the sunset over the lake, because you will have the chance to take unique, spectacular pictures. It is hard to describe in words the beauty of Richmond Park London, and the calm and relaxing day we had there, but I strongly recommend you to visit it, and you will understand what I am talking about.

Tips and tricks to visit Richmond Park London:

• The entrance to the park is free, and there are 13 gates;
• Even if the access is free, you must respect the opening hours:
• There are several houses and lodges in the park, and I recommend you not to miss the White Lodge;
• Do not miss the King Henry’s Mound, a unique point in the park that gives you a beautiful view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, in the city of London, 16 kilometers away from the park;
• If you visit the park during summer, there are several plantation you must see, including Isabella Plantation;
• You can also admire some memorials and the poets’ corners;
• If you like biking, the access in the park with bicycles is allowed, to take it with you;

The best way to enjoy Richmond Park London is to spend there an entire day, so do not do it in rush. Relax, and have fun!