A Walk on London's Wild Side

Richmond Park with Central London Not Far Away

Saturday was a brilliant London day.  So, we decided to take full advantage of this Summer rarity by going on one of our long walks.  We hopped a train at Waterloo Station and in half an hour we were in Hampton Wick to start our trek.  The plan was to check out a few antique shops in Hampton Wick and Kingston and then head off to explore, Richmond Park.

The train ride went smoothly, no delays, but the antiquing?  Well, it started out a bit slow.  The first stop planned was the Hampton Wick Antique Centre.  I'd found it online and had checked their hours on their website.  I hate turning up and finding shops closed.  Their site assured me that they were open on Saturday and that they were conveniently located just across the street from the station.  Unfortunately, you just can't believe everything you read on the net these days, because not only were they closed, they were out of business.  The place was empty, but their website was still operating.

Anyway, we marched off down the street to the next shop on the list with me bitching about how unprofessional some antique shop owners can be.  The next shop was on the way to the bridge that would take us over the Thames to Kingston.  I was really glad it was on the way, because that shop was closed too.  Interesting things in the windows but locked up tight.  Things were not going well and I was feeling a real rant coming on.

Just One of the Signs of Deer

Fortunately, the news on the other side of the river was better and the rant never really developed.  The Kingston Antiques Market was a treat - two floors with loads of interesting antiques and vintage.  With Rob along for the ride, however, I left with only one item in my bag.  I always make the mistake of asking him what he thinks and then always seem surprised when his response is less than enthusiastic.  It's all junk to him.  I must remember that...

After an hour or so boring Rob with antiques, we had lunch at The Queen's Head and carried on through the city streets toward our date with another of London's Royal Parks.  One of the things the English do really well is parks.  I guess it's because originally many of them were the playgrounds of the royal families, which meant they were protected from urban sprawl. Richmond Park for example was a royal hunting ground complete with hunting lodge.  Why they needed a hunting lodge with Hampton Court Palace and Richmond Palace nearby, I don't know.  But, I guess every monarch needs a hunting lodge to show off his or her trophies.

Hyde Park was originally used for hunting too, I believe, but being closer to the centre of the city now it's become more of a modern city park - manicured lawns, flower gardens, cafés and sculptures sprinkled throughout.  Richmond Park on the other hand is pretty much just left to nature.   If you were blind to the cars, people, bikes and roads, you'd think you were in the wilderness.  Yet, it's all within the city limits.

The Bracken Around Pen Ponds

Richmond Park is tall grass, woods, bracken, ponds and herds of deer.  Yep, that's right, deer right here in London.  In fact, Richmond Park is known for the deer and you see them in just about every promotion for the park.  I was looking forward to seeing these herds.

We entered through Ham Gate and the signs of deer were hopeful - signs saying that deer roam freely, signs reminding that deer are wild animals and signs warning deer are dangerous.

We walked and walked, but saw no deer.  We did see plenty of London wildlife popping up in the tall grass - some having picnics, some sunbathing, others in amorous entanglements and some who should have kept their shirts on.  Other than the human wildlife, we saw a few birds, including two woodpeckers and a falcon.  We also saw where another bird had been, but it was no more with the fox leaving only a path covered in white and grey feathers.  All we saw of the deer, though, was their droppings in our path.  I was getting the feeling our deer tracking skills just weren't up to snuff.

We carried on.  We walked to the White Lodge.  We walked up hills, through the bracken, around the ponds, and still no deer.  We were just leaving a wooded path, when Rob declared that we shouldn't be surprised, because you just don't see deer in the wild.  The fact that there were about four or five cars buzzing along the road at that moment didn't seem to have affected his definition of 'the wild'.  

Two of Richmond Park's Famous Deer

We had spent an hour and half searching and were resigned to our failure.   We were heading for the Richmond Gate to exit back into the hustle and bustle of the city, when Rob suddenly said, "There's two."  

"Two what," I asked.

"Two deer!"

And, sure enough he was right.  There were two big doe up ahead of us.  They had just come out of the bracken which filled the space between the path we were on and the road.  They were looking a bit confused about their direction.  They had humans in front of them, humans to the left of them, the buzzing road to the right and we were down the path behind.  Everyone had spotted them and were moving in for a closer look.  Rob suggested we freeze and maybe they would turn around and come our way as a result.  And, it worked!  

Richmond Gate Entrance to Richmond Park

They started moving down the path toward the two statues that we had become.  This particular statute was holding an iPhone in place over its face waiting for the close-up as they passed.  They were coming closer and closer, but then the statue behind me decided he was too much in the path and moved out of the way.  The smarter statue with the iPhone had thought ahead and formed just off the path, but now the plan for a close-up was foiled.

These two doe were no dummies.  They knew statues don't move.  So, when they saw that statue step off the path, they stopped dead in their tracks and after a moment's thought they diverted back into the bracken from which they had originally emerged.   Eventually, they took up a position in the shade of an oak tree near to the road. 

We carried on for the couple of hundred metres we had to the Richmond Gate and re-entered the city.  Richmond is a lovely part of London - great views overlooking the Thames.  We walked down the hill through the high street and then headed for the Richmond Underground Station.  Twenty minutes or so later, we were back home.  I love London.