Bushy Park

Bushy Park is a Royal Park in southwest London, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames near Hampton Court Palace and Teddington. It is a large formal and informal park notable for mature tree avenues, water features, and managed deer herds.

The park contains broad open lawns, formal avenues, ponds and wetlands and is crossed by the Longford River. Popular activities include walking, cycling on signed paths, birdwatching, and deer spotting; the Diana Fountain and long chestnut-lined approaches are common focal points. Part of the park is landscaped and part remains more natural, providing a mix of recreational and wildlife habitats.

Originally part of the Hampton Court hunting grounds, the park was shaped over centuries for royal use and leisure. The Longford River was constructed in the 17th century to supply water to Hampton Court and has influenced the park’s wetlands and ponds since then.

The park sits immediately north of the River Thames beside Hampton Court Palace, about 15-20 kilometres southwest of central London. It is bordered by suburban neighbourhoods and the grounds of Hampton Court and is readily accessible by rail and road from London.

• Deer viewing: Home to free-roaming herds of fallow and red deer that are most active at dawn and dusk, making early morning or late afternoon the best time for wildlife viewing.
• Size and management: Managed as one of London's Royal Parks, it covers roughly 445 hectares (about 1,100 acres) and is the second-largest royal park after Richmond Park.

What to See #

• Chestnut Avenue: A long, straight tree-lined avenue that runs toward Hampton Court and is one of the park's most photographed features; the avenue has mature horse chestnuts and provides clear sightlines across open parkland.
• Diana Fountain: A 17th-century formal fountain and cascade set by the Longford River, located near the park's eastern side close to Hampton Court; it is a central meeting and viewing point for visitors.
• Longford River: A man-made channel created in 1638 that flows through the park to supply water to Hampton Court; it shapes marshes, ponds, and wetland habitats used by waterfowl.