Richmond Park, London: Red & Fallow Deer, History, Walks & Views

Richmond Park, in south-west London, is the largest of the capital's Royal Parks, covering 856 hectares (2,120 acres) of grassland, ancient oaks, ponds and woodland gardens. Herds of red and fallow deer roam freely across it, just as they have since Charles I made it his hunting park.

Why Richmond Park Is Special

It is astonishing to find a landscape this wild inside London: open acid grassland, bracken, veteran trees hundreds of years old and deer that wander right past you. Most of the park is a National Nature Reserve.

It is also full of history and views, from King Henry's Mound to the lawns of Pembroke Lodge, with the whole of the Thames Valley at your feet.

The History of Richmond Park

In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape an outbreak of plague in London and turned the land on the hill above Richmond into a park for hunting red and fallow deer. In 1637 he enclosed it with a wall. The decision was unpopular with local people, but he allowed pedestrians a right of way, and the park has been open to walkers ever since.

The two Pen Ponds were dug in 1746. Fallow deer from the park were sent to New Zealand in 1867 and 1876, the first fallow deer introduced there. Pembroke Lodge, now with tea rooms and gardens, was the home of the 19th-century Prime Minister Lord John Russell and his grandson, the philosopher Bertrand Russell.

The park played a part in both world wars and in the 1948 and 2012 Olympic Games. Since 1987 it has been listed at Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens; it was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1992, London's largest, and a Special Area of Conservation in 2005 for its ancient trees and their stag beetles. In 2020 Historic England listed King Henry's Mound, possibly a prehistoric barrow.

What to See & the Best Walks at Richmond Park

Climb King Henry's Mound in the gardens of Pembroke Lodge for the protected view of St Paul's Cathedral, ten miles away, and the panorama of the Thames Valley to the west. Walk around Pen Ponds, and in late spring visit the Isabella Plantation, a woodland garden famous for its azaleas around Still Pond.

The Tamsin Trail, a path of about seven miles around the park, is perfect for a long walk or cycle.

Wildlife at Richmond Park

The park is home to several hundred red and fallow deer. The Royal Parks ask visitors to keep at least 50 metres away from them, never to feed or touch them, and to keep dogs on leads near deer, especially in the birthing season in early summer and the autumn rut, when the stags roar and fight. The ancient trees support rare beetles, including stag beetles, and you may see the mandarin ducks of the Isabella Plantation.

Gardens, Countryside & Antiques near Richmond Park

Garsons Esher is a short drive south-west, and RHS Garden Wisley is about half an hour away. For more great walks with views, see Box Hill in the Surrey Hills.

Richmond Park Through the Seasons

Spring brings the azaleas of the Isabella Plantation, at their best in late April and May, and the deer have their young in early summer, when you should keep well away. September and October is the rut, a spectacular sight from a safe distance. Winter frost on the grassland is beautiful; note that the pedestrian gates close at night during the deer culls in February and November.

Getting to Richmond Park

Richmond station (London Underground, Overground and trains from Waterloo) is about a mile from Richmond Gate; buses stop at several gates. The park's pedestrian gates are open 24 hours, except at night during the culls.

Richmond Park: Questions & Answers

Are the deer in Richmond Park wild?

The red and fallow deer roam freely across the park. Keep at least 50 metres away, never feed them, and take extra care during the birthing season in early summer and the autumn rut.

Can you see St Paul's from Richmond Park?

Yes. There is a protected view of St Paul's Cathedral from King Henry's Mound, in the gardens of Pembroke Lodge.

Our Advice

Our advice: Arrive early on a weekday, walk up to King Henry's Mound for the view, then follow the paths down to Pen Ponds, giving the deer plenty of space. Finish with tea at Pembroke Lodge.