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Richmond Park

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By Lucky
Directions aren't really my strong point. I'm the only person I know who managed to drive all the way to Windsor using only road signs, but then couldn't find the castle when I was there. I found Lego-Land a few times, but no castle. So yesterday Ameba and I decided to spend the day in Richmond Park - well, if I'm honest, the afternoon after we'd been through the huge Asda off the A3 to get supplies, and sorted out our differences with TomTom - finding a gate that was actually open was a slight issue for us and almost another Windsor repeat. But it was all worth it, because we spent the afternoon lolling about on blankets, reading books, taking photo's, nibbling on half of Asda and napping in the soporific sun. When we left it was with glowing faces and lungs full of fresh air. 




We lugged so much stuff to our picnic spot: we didn't have a handy ruler that we could place next to our pile, so here is a pile of Ameba next to our pile of stuff!

Isn't this what everyone does in the park? You can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl!

And when you're finished with your fingers it would just be silly not to do your toes!

These boots were made for walking...

This is the angle that we did most of our observations from - horizontal!

Can you spot the parrot? I was having a good chuckle while reading Spud: Learning To Fly (so good!) and looked up to see what I thought were bits of bread falling from the tree. A sideways glance confirmed that it wasn't Ameba just randomly chucking crusts... I was slightly puzzled until I looked up and saw a green parrot in the tree! How cool.

Pond life!

View from our picnic spot

Ameba and Iron Man

Reflections

Richmond Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve with royal connections that probably go back further than any of the other parks in London, beginning with Edward (1272-1307), when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign. In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape the plague in London and turned it into a park for red and fallow deer. In 1637 he decided to enclose the land, which was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way, and still today the walls remain, although they have been partially rebuilt and reinforced. Richmond Park is the largest Royal Parks in London and covers an area of 2,500 acres. From its heights there is an uninterrupted view of St Paul's Cathedral, 12 miles away.

It’s a good idea to have a vague idea of where you want to go in the park, so click here for a detailed map. The park is open from 7am in the summer and 7.30am in the winter, and closes at dusk all year round. Click here for specific closing times.

Richmond Park Office, Holly Lodge
Richmond Park
Surrey
TW10 5HS

T. +44 (0)20 8948 3209
F. +44 (0)20 8332 2730
richmond@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk



Lucky

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