Richmond Park is London's largest green space, though some of it is more like golden heath than a green and pleasant park. It's out of town enough to feel like you're away from the traffic, though from the park's highest point, King Henry VIII's Mound, you can see central London's Eye and Gherkin.
As well as open space - some of it's landscaped into flower gardens, some of it grows wild and free with bog and bracken, wetland, woodland and ancient parks - people visit the park to see the 650 strong herd of
red and fallow deer, who are adorable when appreciated one at a time but rather more intimidating when they've joined forces and are all staring you down. The deer are part of the delicate ecosystem of the park – they're organic lawnmowers.
Jed and Forte, the shire horses, have been enlisted to help out with park maintenance as well. Rabbits burrow under the park keeping the soil aerated, squirrels chase each other amongst the tree branches pecked by woodpeckers, and you may even see a stag beetle if you look closely enough.
One of the prettiest areas is the
Isabella Plantation, a woodland garden and prime fairy real estate – if fairies are living at the bottom of anyone's garden it's this one – it's designed to be lovely in every season. Isabella Plantation isn't so much landscaped as organically encouraged to flourish, and it's rife with life – both
flora and fauna.
The large duck and water bird population includes some pretty exotic models you definitely won't see in the park at the end of your road – the most attractive duck I've ever come across lives here. It also has a rogue population of parakeets who've escaped from captivity and bred here happily. Ah, nature is a many splendid thing when it's properly in action.
As well as cafes and kiosks, Richmond Park has several old hunting lodges on its grounds, some of them offering banqueting facilities – lovely for weddings, ladies. You can fish on Pen's Pond if you get a licence, sail your model boats on the pond near Sheen Gate, ride your horse before midday, or if you're a kid of any size or shape you can use the playground near Petersham Gate - there are also so brilliant kite flying spots.
