Linda's Guidebook
Walking and hiking
Bushy Park just across the island bridge offers a lovely backdrop for a morning stroll and an area to take in the deer.
At over 1000 acres, Bushy Park is the second-largest of London’s eight Royal Parks. Lying just north of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond upon Thames, Bushy is famed for its mix of waterways, gardens, and roaming herds of red and fallow deer.
Bushy Park’s landscape is a patchwork quilt of English history spanning a millennium: you can see the remains of medieval farming systems, the legacy of a Tudor deer park, 17th century water gardens and decorative features representing the height of neoclassical taste, and traces of military camps that played remarkable roles in the World Wars.
This great expanse of low-lying land became a royal park in 1529 when it was given to King Henry VIII by his close adviser Cardinal Wolsey, along with Wolsey’s home – Hampton Court Palace. One of the park’s defining features is the Longford River, a twelve-mile canal created entirely by hand in the 1630s to ensure a steady water supply to Hampton Court. The river now looks like an organic part of the landscape and supports a wide variety of plants and animals. But it also enabled several stunning water features to be built, which give Bushy its distinctive character.
Look out for the spectacular Diana Fountain, a centrepiece of the mile-long Chestnut Avenue designed by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the world’s most celebrated architects. Visit the newly-restored Upper Lodge Water Gardens, a historic gem hidden away in the north of the park. See if you can spot some of the arresting birdlife, from kingfishers to kestrels. And enjoy a walk in the peaceful Woodland Gardens after fuelling up at the Pheasantry Café.
216 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bushy Park
Hampton Court RoadBushy Park just across the island bridge offers a lovely backdrop for a morning stroll and an area to take in the deer.
At over 1000 acres, Bushy Park is the second-largest of London’s eight Royal Parks. Lying just north of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond upon Thames, Bushy is famed for its mix of waterways, gardens, and roaming herds of red and fallow deer.
Bushy Park’s landscape is a patchwork quilt of English history spanning a millennium: you can see the remains of medieval farming systems, the legacy of a Tudor deer park, 17th century water gardens and decorative features representing the height of neoclassical taste, and traces of military camps that played remarkable roles in the World Wars.
This great expanse of low-lying land became a royal park in 1529 when it was given to King Henry VIII by his close adviser Cardinal Wolsey, along with Wolsey’s home – Hampton Court Palace. One of the park’s defining features is the Longford River, a twelve-mile canal created entirely by hand in the 1630s to ensure a steady water supply to Hampton Court. The river now looks like an organic part of the landscape and supports a wide variety of plants and animals. But it also enabled several stunning water features to be built, which give Bushy its distinctive character.
Look out for the spectacular Diana Fountain, a centrepiece of the mile-long Chestnut Avenue designed by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the world’s most celebrated architects. Visit the newly-restored Upper Lodge Water Gardens, a historic gem hidden away in the north of the park. See if you can spot some of the arresting birdlife, from kingfishers to kestrels. And enjoy a walk in the peaceful Woodland Gardens after fuelling up at the Pheasantry Café.
Take a gorgeous riverside walk down to Kingston. It will take a few hours and you can take in the extended Bushy Park, the golf estate and the riverside properties before relaxing in the Kingston shopping area over a cup of tea or a pint.
195 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Kingston upon Thames
Take a gorgeous riverside walk down to Kingston. It will take a few hours and you can take in the extended Bushy Park, the golf estate and the riverside properties before relaxing in the Kingston shopping area over a cup of tea or a pint.
Sightseeing
Just up the road and a lovely visit on a cloudy rainy day as plenty to see inside. Also magical on a sunny day due to expansive gardens. Check the palace website for details and current events
Experience the public dramas and private lives of Henry VIII, his wives and children in the world of the Tudor court. Admire Henry’s Great Hall and Tudor kitchens. Discover the spectacular baroque palace built for William III and Mary II and explore Hampton Court Palace’s outdoor spaces and 60 acres of magnificent gardens.
546 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court WayJust up the road and a lovely visit on a cloudy rainy day as plenty to see inside. Also magical on a sunny day due to expansive gardens. Check the palace website for details and current events
Experience the public dramas and private lives of Henry VIII, his wives and children in the world of the Tudor court. Admire Henry’s Great Hall and Tudor kitchens. Discover the spectacular baroque palace built for William III and Mary II and explore Hampton Court Palace’s outdoor spaces and 60 acres of magnificent gardens.