Richmond to Teddington Lock, Thames Path and Richmond Park – 16km / 10miles

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GRADE: Beginner – it is a 16km/10mile walk mainly on good paths, and it is mainly flat. There is only about 150m of total ascent in Richmond Park. 3.5 hours’ walking time + lunch.

Starting from Richmond station, we walk towards the Thames and join the Thames Path, a 184-mile/296km long national trail following the river Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton, south east London. We follow the Thames for about 5km. On our way along the second-longest river in the UK, we pass Ham House, a beautiful historic house with formal gardens, claimed by the National Trust to be “unique in Europe as the most complete survival of 17th century fashion and power”, followed by Eel Pie Island, named after eel pies served by the inn on the island in the 19th century and boasting very colourful past, and then Ham Lands Nature Reserve, a large area of grassland and scrub and an important nature conservation site. We then reach Teddington Lock, first opened in 1811, and leave the river behind, turning west, towards Richmond Park.

Richmond Park is the largest of London’s Royal Parks and was created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park. If we are lucky, we will get to see some of its 630 red and fallow deer, roaming freely within much of the park. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve, containing an abundance of wildlife such as woodpeckers, squirrels, rabbits, snakes, frogs, toads, stag beetles and many other insects living in grasslands and woodland gardens among the varied landscape of hills. We take in the vast open spaces and continue walking towards Pen Ponds – a lake dug in 1746 and divided in two by a causeway. The lake makes a great place for water bird spotting. We follow the paths within the park for about 7km, then cross Petersham Common, and finally rejoin the Thames Path, and retrace our steps to Richmond station.

MEETING TIME: 10:30 outside of Richmond station.

COST: £10.00 organiser fee payable on RSVP

TRAINS: There is a train from London Waterloo at 10:09 which arrives at Richmond station at 10:28, journey time 19 minutes. Using your Oyster card is the cheapest way to travel at £3.20.

https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/London/RMD/230820/1000/dep/230820/1700/dep

Due to Covid-19, we currently cannot travel together and organise group tickets. If you choose to do so on your own, please remember to follow all current government safety and social distancing guidelines.

WALK STARTS: 10:30 from outside Richmond station

LUNCH: We will stop for a picnic at a suitable spot around 12:30-1:00pm. Please bring packed lunch and plenty of water to keep well hydrated.

WALK ENDS: Approximately at 15:30 at Richmond station

RETURN TRAINS: There are 10 trains an hour to London Waterloo from Richmond station. Using your Oyster, you only pay £3.20 per single journey.

CONTACT: Phone number for the day: 0799 0489 040

What to bring: Face covering and sanitiser (compulsory) lunch, snacks, water, suitable clothing and hiking footwear. Click here:
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