London Richmond or Bushy Park Deer Parking

Conker

Conker

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Hi All
I am planning a first trip to Richmond for the Red Deer .
It is around a 2 1/2 hour drive, so I am looking for any info on the best places to park for access to the most likely/reliable area as can be with moving animals .
I will be travelling via the M4 Bristol direction.
With a long drive that will be early morning the last thing I want is to be hunting for a car park area that suits best.
Thanks in advance and if people want to PM me info instead of post public that is also most welcome.
Cheers
 
I haven't been to Richmond park yet since the lockdown but been to bushy park couple weekends back. Both have car parks in the park. If you arrive early they should be fairly empty-ish or at least not full.

Also as tempting as it might be don't break the 20mph speed limit in the parks because I have seen a number of people get caught by that since there there are police around with mobile speed cameras sometimes.
 
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Both the parks have good free parking, but both are experimenting with road closures at the moment so its impossible to access all the car parks from one gate. You mat find it more effective to take s bit of a walk. You can access PP car park from any gate except Sheen but depending on your entry you may have a drive to get there.
 
Both parks are big but Richmond Park is much bigger, when you arrive at the park you won't know where the deer are. Bushy Park being smaller is much better in terms of locating where the stags are gathering their harems which is where the challenging by the other stags takes place.
You may still have a decent walk to find the deer even in Bushy Park.

The biggest car park is the one near the Diana Fountain. Because of the current pandemic situation you cannot drive right through the park from one end to the other.
To access the above car park you can only enter the park from the south side.

This is good for you coming from the west by the M4. I'll leave it to you to decide your best route but essentially you need to approach the park by the A308 towards Hampton Court Gate.
 
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one other thing not related to the parks, but for your journey. Hammersmith bridge is currently closed to traffic which does have an big effect on the traffic in the morning. Chiswick and Kew bridges are nightmarish as a result so ,depending on time you arrive, I'd be inclined to head a few miles round the M25 and enter London via the m3 and not the M4
 
I know you are going there for deer but there's also some nice landscape-ish shots you can get. Also I find fallow deer cuter and nicer than red deer.

I have photographed the Diana fountain in Bushy park to death lol

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boyfalldown said:
one other thing not related to the parks, but for your journey. Hammersmith bridge is currently closed to traffic which does have an big effect on the traffic in the morning. Chiswick and Kew bridges are nightmarish as a result so ,depending on time you arrive, I'd be inclined to head a few miles round the M25 and enter London via the m3 and not the M4
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great info thanks
 
nandbytes said:
I know you are going there for deer but there's also some nice landscape-ish shots you can get. Also I find fallow deer cuter and nicer than red deer.

I have photographed the Diana fountain in Bushy park to death lol

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cracking shots
 
Living near Richmond Park I can concur with the suggestion to come into either Park via the M3. Whoever designed the new road layout at Kew Bridge needs dealing with appropriately, the road now narrows needlessly at the traffic lights on the Brentford side.

Parking early at Pembroke Lodge - 9-9.30 - is possible. Just watch for the cyclists who treat it as their own Nurburgring, treating pedestrians as targets - keep your eyes peeled on tracks as well as the roads, Circumference of Richmond Park is about 8 miles but you're never more than 40 minutes from one side to the other by foot. I've seen Deer all over the park, so they could be anywhere. Been to Bushy once...
 
welshwizard645 said:
Living near Richmond Park I can concur with the suggestion to come into either Park via the M3. Whoever designed the new road layout at Kew Bridge needs dealing with appropriately, the road now narrows needlessly at the traffic lights on the Brentford side.

Parking early at Pembroke Lodge - 9-9.30 - is possible. Just watch for the cyclists who treat it as their own Nurburgring, treating pedestrians as targets - keep your eyes peeled on tracks as well as the roads, Circumference of Richmond Park is about 8 miles but you're never more than 40 minutes from one side to the other by foot. I've seen Deer all over the park, so they could be anywhere. Been to Bushy once...
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Great advice thank you
 
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Conker said:
I am hoping to do Sunday as that is my next day off, fingers crossed for the weather to hold.
Planning to get there for around 7 to 7.30
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fantastic - just so you know the car parks on Sunday morning, particularly in Bushy are really busy. If you arrive a little later you may have trouble parking.Drop me a PM and I'll join you for coffee after you've finished if you'd like. I don't do 7:00 on a Sunday though so after you've done
 
boyfalldown said:
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fantastic - just so you know the car parks on Sunday morning, particularly in Bushy are really busy. If you arrive a little later you may have trouble parking.Drop me a PM and I'll join you for coffee after you've finished if you'd like. I don't do 7:00 on a Sunday though so after you've done
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Great stuf cheers.
 
I intend to be in Bushy early-ish Sunday. At that time the Diana Fountain car park is usually fairly clear but if it's full and the Pheasantry car park is full then try the little used Clapperstile car park.
However it's unlikely that you'll have much difficulty at that hour. Maybe see you there!
 
footman said:
I intend to be in Bushy early-ish Sunday. At that time the Diana Fountain car park is usually fairly clear but if it's full and the Pheasantry car park is full then try the little used Clapperstile car park.
However it's unlikely that you'll have much difficulty at that hour. Maybe see you there!
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cheers Bushy is my plan
 
Would've gatecrashed and join you folk, we've booked tickets for Kew Gardens on Sunday as I want to do macro stuff. That to me is a short walk away from home (just like Richmond Park),,,,

have a great day!
 
Looks like we are going on Sunday too to Richmond park. But this is with family, and later in the day.
 
footman said:
Which car park will you use and why on earth were on here at 4.36 this morning :D ?
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not sure, ideally the Penn Pond on but i can see it being full when we get there.

having back issues unfortunately, wakes me up when the pain killers wear out.
so i needed something to take my mind off the pain while it took affect again :(
 
nandbytes said:
not sure, ideally the Penn Pond on but i can see it being full when we get there.

having back issues unfortunately, wakes me up when the pain killers wear out.
so i needed something to take my mind off the pain while it took affect again :(
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Penn Ponds is my favourite one, I've had my best bird shots from there, kestrels, little owls, woodpeckers etc. It's a pity the kiosk has changed hands, not the same quality.
I'm also a poor sleeper due to pain. I managed to acquire polymyalgia a year ago and although it's under control now I established a poor sleeping pattern due to night time pain. I deal with that fairly well by vaping cbd oil which was not easy for a non-smoker!

I don't get the pain any more but if I lie awake for too long it's the anxiety and frustration that stops me getting back to sleep. A few minutes vaping (and sometimes a cup of tea!) seems to sort that out. Before I took the steroids the cbd reduced my day time pain to almost manageable levels, doesn't work for everyone but worked for me. This is not a recommendation that you try it, just my personal experience.

Disclaimer:This does not constitute medical advice. :)
 
I went to Bushy a couple of weeks ago and discovered the one of the entrances to Bushy is blocked off before you reach the Diana Fountain and you'll be directed to parking at the cafe otherwise you'll have to enter via the Hampton Court side.
 
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