Richmond Park

Lonely Planet review

At just over 1000 hectares (the largest urban parkland in Europe), Richmond Park offers everything from formal gardens and ancient oaks to unsurpassed views of central London 12 miles away. It's easy enough to escape the several roads that cut up the rambling wilderness, making the park an excellent spot for a quiet walk or picnic, even in summer when Richmond's riverside can be heaving.

Such is the magic of the place, it somehow comes as no surprise to happen upon herds of more than 600 red and fallow deer basking under the trees. Be advised that the creatures can be less than docile in rutting season (May to July) and when the does bear young (September and October). It's a great place for bird-watchers too, with a wide range of habitats, from neat gardens to woodland and assorted ponds.

Coming from Richmond, it's easiest to enter via Richmond Gate or from Petersham Rd. Take a map with you and wander around the grounds; flower-lovers should make a special trip to Isabella Plantation, a stunning woodland garden created after WWII, in April and May when the rhododendrons and azaleas are in bloom.

Pembroke Lodge ( 10:00 - 17:30 summer, to 16:30 winter), the childhood home of Bertrand Russell, is now a café set in a beautiful 13-hectare garden and affording great views of the city from the back terrace.