A Visit to Richmond Park

A Visit to Richmond Park

London’s beautiful parks hold much to be discovered. Hyde Park, being the world-famous attraction that it is, tends to draw crowds. Unbeknownst to most, Richmond Park lies about 10 miles southwest of Hyde Park and is a much more intimate park experience.

Surrounded by the districts of Kingston, Ham and Wimbledon, Richmond Park is a much more local experience for the London tourist. Here is everything you need to know before your visit.

Richmond Park – by Daniel Buckle – Unsplash

Note: Richmond Underground Station would be the most accessible way to get near the park. There is still about a twenty-minute walk from here until you reach the first park entry gate (look for the Richmond Cemetery).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Daily

ADDRESS: Richmond, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Richmond

The History of Richmond Park

There are a total of ten royal parks contained within Greater London; Richmond Park is one of them.

London’s royal parks date back to the earliest centuries, and generally hold multiple links to royal families. In 1625, King Charles moved his residency out of central London and into Richmond, in attempt to escape the outbreak of the plague.

Noting that the open lands of Richmond held much deer life, he enclosed the land and made it his personal hunting ground. It is said that the locals of the time were less than pleased by this.

Richmond Park – by Johan Mouchet – Unsplash

It was only in the early 20th century that King Edward VII eventually developed the park into a suitable public ground. Multiple recreational grounds were added, including a golf course.

It is also interesting to note that the London Borough of Richmond was made official back in 1965 and it included a large portion, but not all, of Richmond Park. It is shared three ways with both Wandsworth and Kingston. Take a guided walking tour through any of these boroughs today and you’ll see how they fit around the park grounds.

Richmond Park really made the map back in 2012, when the mens and women’s cycling races for the Olympic Games were routed through the grounds.

Richmond Park – by Diliff – Wikimedia Commons

What to Expect from Richmond Park

You’ll enter Richmond Park via any one of the six original gates that were built back when this used to be a hunting ground.

Once inside you’ll be greeted by lush greenery, impressive botanicals, wildlife and over 30 different ponds scattered across the land.

Deer is the main form of wildlife that one can find in Richmond. Having been enclosed here for so many years, they have developed breeding patterns and communities that are monitored by the city of London.

Richmond Park – by Simon Wilkes – Unsplash

Each here around 200 deer are culled by the city and the meat is sold off to licensed hunters living around London. A handful are also reported killed each year by dogs.

Amongst the vast plant life you can expect to find a variety of bird life, toads, frogs, squirrels, snakes and a lot of rabbits. For the most part, none of these will bother you unless you bother them. Man and wildlife coexist in perfect harmony in Richmond; squirrels are happy to be fed your scraps.

Richmond Park – by Robert Bye – Unsplash

Walking through the park might feel oddly familiar to you. This happens to a lot of travelers. Richmond Park was used in the filming of the Sherlock Holmes movies. Robert Downey, Jr and Jude Law feature here on screen multiple times.

Things to do in Richmond Park

Sporting Activities

Throughout the 1900s, sporting attractions were added to the park as needed. Today there is an intricate path system available for anyone who would like to go running or cycling.

There are field areas suitable for casual football games, as well as the original golf course that was created over 100 years ago.

For those who enjoy horse back riding and fishing, these are both available in the park. If the weather is good, one might even get the chance to power kite.

Richmond Park – by Collins Lesulie – Unsplash

Picnic

There is a plethora of things to do and see in this park, but sometimes it is best experienced through just a simple picnic.

Birthday parties, romantic dates and family gatherings are frequently seen being enjoyed through a park picnic. Bring along whatever you need to keep yourself comfortable; unlike Hyde Park, Richmond Park is never filled with food vendors and there is but one cafe.

Find the Viewpoints

King Henry’s Mound is the famous viewpoint inside of Richmond Park. It is the only spot in the park where one can get a view of central London, which is a considerable distance away.

Getting to the viewpoint requires a bit of a walk and some self-navigation skills. Actually seeing London requires the weather to play its part, but on a good day you should be able to see all the way to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Viewpoint at Richmond Park – by David Sinclair – Unsplash

Attractions in Richmond Park

Diana Fountain

One of the thirty plus ponds in Richmond Park is home to the Diana Fountain. It’s a beautiful structure right in the heart of the park, made with a marble base and bronze body.

I find this the most relaxing spot in the park from which to enjoy a sunset in the summer. This is also the best area in the park to visit with kids as there are numerous playing facilities situated here.

Diana Fountain – by Jim Linwood – Wikimedia Commons

Hampton Court Palace

No guided walking tour through central London could prepare you for the architecture you’ll find at the Hampton Court Palace in Richmond Park.

This was King Henry VIII’s personal palace, where he lived with his many, many wives. Hampton Court Palace looks very much like a castle a child would draw from imagination. It’s whimsical yet functional; a palace steeped in British history dating back 500 years.

Hampton Court Palace – by brian gillman – Wikimedia Commons

Isabella Plantation

The Isabella Plantation is the section of the southernmost tip of Richmond Park. It’s the only evergreen section of the park, known for it’s beautiful floral life year round.

Being such an attraction, the Isabella Plantation is carefully managed by London’s Royal Park group year round. I like this breathtaking spot most for a picnic!

Isabella Plantation – by Mark Percy – Wikimedia Commons