One of my favourite things to do in summer is to eat outside and this gets even better when you get decent enough weather to pack up some of your very own food and take it to your favourite sunny (or shady) spot.
Having already been to the beach this year, it was definitely time for a picnic in the park. I do love a beach because of the sight and sound of the water, but when you are in London you are often easily two hours away from a proper beach at any time. Luckily there is a lot of greenspace in and around the capital with approximately 47% of Greater London being referred to as ‘green’.
In July 2019 the sunshine made headlines across Europe for record breaking temperatures and the UK was no different. London saw highs of 38 degrees, which for London is completely insane. Luckily for me, I was off of work that very sweaty day and knew I just had to head to the park. I did not want to head anywhere near the infamously baking hot tube lines so venturing to central London was out of the question.
Instead, Bushy Park in the London Borough of Richmond was where I picked to chill. The second largest of the royal parks in the capital, I prefer it to Richmond Park (the largest) purely because of how it is kept. Richmond park is mainly wild very uneven and whilst it is a beautiful place to see, I often don’t feel very relaxed there. Bushy Park feels a lot flatter and I personally prefer this if trying to pick a shady spot under a tree to spend the afternoon. With lots of wildlife including deer, fishes and birds, lakes, streams and giant trees offering ample shade for maximum relaxation, Bushy Park is my park of choice.
Just minutes walk from Hampton Court Palace and Hampton Park, Bushy Park is surrounded by Teddington and Hampton with Kingston not being too far away. The spot I picked on this trip was right by the river and evidently an animal crossing place. I find it so cute that there is a slope down to the water on either side of the river banks to help the animals into and out of the water. This momma and baby deer that were looking to cross were too adorable not to snap a shot of as they passed.
The rules can vary from park to park, but in this one it is important not to feed the animals. Signs explain that you must not feed the birds in the park because this, somehow encourages the deer and tells them that it okay to approach humans and ask for food. Who knew deer were so smart?
If laying around in the sunshine is not your thing, there are other things to do in the park. It is a popular route for joggers and cyclists and those determined to do that oh so foreign thing to myself, called ‘exercise’. There are also the Upper Lodge Water Gardens which comprise a Baroque style collection of pools, basins and a canal. The Diana Fountain is also in the park which is regarded by many as one of the most important sculptures in the country. There is also a Waterhouse and Pheasantry Plantation within the park which first came to be, back in the 1940’s.
If you are hunting for a perfect picnic spot, do you tend to favour grassy land or beaches? Have you ever been to Bushy Park or any of the parks in London? Let me know in the comments below.
Ellies London 
What a lovely park this is!! Woah temperatures of 38 is insane, that is quite hot! I’d melt hahaha.I’d definitely love to have a picnic there with all the animals! 🙂
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It was a bit on the baking side but I love to sit in the shade and relax in the warm air. Anything really as long as I don’t have to take the tube – or any public transport really! It feels like a scene from a kids book, eating fruit among the deer! 🦌
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Aww this looks like such a lovely place! When I visit London I always forget that beautiful places like this exist and omg the deer!!
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It’s so easy to forget that London also has wildlife outside of the zoo! It’s lovely to relax in a quiet area of London where you can’t have traffic or people. Thank you for reading x
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Great post!
I’ve been struggling about how to write my home city london and this is a great way to break it up for different things people might want to see.
Thanks so much for the inspiration 😍
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Thank you for reading and for the follow. I love to sit down maybe twice a year and make a list of things I want to do in my city. I’m finding my lists are including more and more West End shows though! 💸🤑
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Yeah, I agree I’m always trying to see the latest show that comes out!
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What a lovely place and there is so many animals! Sounds like a wonderful summer day.
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It was so much fun! Unfortunately the sunshine seems to be over now and with it summer, but it was great whilst it lasted! On to Christmas next and Halloween 🎃
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Bushy park is my favourite as well. Hope we get more sunny days this year 😍😍
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I hope so too! This rain seems like it is never going to stop – I’m so cold 😦 I miss the sunshine of 2018 lol x
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That was one of my bucket list things to do. It may not happen in summer but I know Somaliland it in fall.
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It is so great to have a picnic in the summer time. I’ve had them in winter too – you just have to switch up the drinks for something a little more warming! I hope you get to go on one soon x
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I love having a picnic. We do it all year round, the only thing that puts us off is rain but we are becoming pro’s at the car picnic!
The park looks beautiful. I love deers so I’d be more than happy to share my picnic with a smart London deer!
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Car picnics are fab too! I like the winter/autumn picnics too – all you have to do is switch up the drinks for something a little more warming! I think for my winter list I might add a car picnic on to it as it been years since I drove somewhere pretty in winter and chilled! I’d like to share mine too with the deer they are super cute – giving like Snow White vibes, feeding all the woodland animals ♥
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Don’t think I’ve been to bushy? I used to like the little park in Epsom. Most places like that are great when the weather allows. Fingers crossed we get some more nice days.😊
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I don’t think that you have but it is super nice and really relaxing. The parks in Epsom were so chilled – I haven’t been there for a few months! I hope this is not the end of the summer either – I am not ready for winter to be back!
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This looks like such a lovely place to go for a picnic. I usually opt for grassy areas myself, if only so the sand doesn’t get everywhere! I’ve been to Hyde Park, St. Jame’s Park and Richmond Park in London.
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They’re all such great parks 🙂 You have got to try Bushy Park one day if only to see the animals 😁 Parks like Richmond and Bushy are so relaxing away from central London 🥰 x
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I’ve only one thing to say about picnics…..wasps……eating food being chased by a huge buzzy insect is not fun…..I’ve dropped many a lush ice cream in my time in a rush to avoid insects….
Saying that there’s nothing quite like an egg and tomato sandwich at the sea side……nostalgia days gone by
😘😘😘😘😘🥪🥪🥪🥪🥪
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Eating food and being chased by buzzy insects is not fun. There were no wasps on this picnic which was lovely. There were a few huge dragonflies though as we were by the water which was a bit freaky. Egg and tomato!! I like smokes salmon and cream cheese or egg and bacon!
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Oh my goodness!!! Those deer are so cute, and the heron!! What a lovely place to hang out.
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The deer are the best! I love them so much and the birds there too! You can see so much and it is never the same thing each time you visit (except the fish)! x
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