Wow! What a night -- this walk never disappoints! Amazingly, 9 soles braved the risk of torrential rain and set off from Hampton Wick under very dark and brooding clouds hoping the worst of the rain had passed.... Not so, about half through the slightly longer route along the Long Water, the heavens opened and we encountered a heavy and sustained shower.....eventually this eased as we shifted to Bushy Park -- where there was an ominous sign of deer culling taking place -- though reading to the bottom of the sign, the small print indicated this would not start until 10:30pm -- plenty of time for our walk -- but, one nevertheless opted to walk to Hampton Court station. Since we were all a bit damp and it was very dark -- we opted for a short cut... At first things were pretty quiet, then some bellowing could be heard....and some dark shadows....some large..... then as our short cut regained the route, we were confronted with 2 young stags really going at it with head-to-head combat...with a third larger and more mature male running over and bellowing..... we decided to back track and try a slightly different route.....which all went fine until again 2 large stags on our path were bellowing quite seriously at one another... again we opted for a diversion... the group separated a bit here with slightly different routes...All made it to the pub and enjoyed well earned drinks and food. A grand night out! Very exciting indeed -- we have never had to make so many diversions! Conditions were torrential rain then partly clearing .

Just to annotate Stargazer's report slightly: the experience of being in the park in the dark, with stags that we could not see bellowing all around us, and whose exact movements we could not be sure of, was very exciting. Not quite as dangerous as it sounds, because the stags clearly had better night vision than we had, and in the heat of combat I am sure regarded us as of no more interest than the trees. (They are used to dopey humans stumbling around the place, after all.) But there were one or two moments when it was not at all clear which way we could safely go, and that is quite a thrilling experience to have in the middle of suburban London.

Night time. Pouring with rain. Wild animals bellowing (impressively loud). Very Jurassic Park like. Thanks walk poster!

8 on this fine evening . Absolutely fab, one of my favorite evening walks. I thought we might be a bit early for deer rutting activity, but we were not disappointed. The large stags in Bushy Park are definitely starting to make their claims. We had the exciting opportunity to watch one fine specimen keeping his ladies coralled as we walked past....he then followed us over a bridge at slightly close quarters....There was lots of bellowing and some higher pitched barks (perhaps the female?)....Also spotted in the darkening dusk skies, were a collection of bats...a group was out observing them with barometers which picked up their usually inaudible sounds....we also spotted Saturn....it was then through the secret gate and back into reality (and a very pleasant pub).

No comments published from the Thursday posting but I did the walk today - Sunday- a little trip down memory lane visiting my old student haunt. (I got off the train at Kingston). There is no option to enter Hamton Court Grounds as the gate to cross the bridge has I believe been locked for years. The enclosed path to the main road is now the only onward route so the written instructions need to delete the Hampton Court Grounds bit and the gpx route amended. Some splendid bellowing from the red stags in Bushey Park with a couple I spotted attempting to dress their antlers with reeds and marsh plants to make them more intimidating. Appalled that the Park authorities allow dogs to run free during autumn but the deer seem pretty forgiving and I myself passed within a few feet of a hind and some yearlings. I skirted round a large stag though as it was in full voice. A lovely autumn amble.

Just 2 initially emerged from the crowded train with a third appearing just as we were about to set off....Not much later, just as we approached Hampton Court Park, we met a fourth....The fallow deer were out in force with some young males practicing their jousting skills...We met number 5 just outside Bushy Park...where the red deer were out in force lots of bellowing which in the dark twilight was very spooky. A few truly magnificent beasts passed quite close by us but seemed more focused on other matters....Our fantastical journey finished by a gate and lamppost from where we all sojourned to the pub for drinks and/or food.

A fab night -- definitely one of the best evening walks with quick frequent trains, vast varied and wild parkland and a convenient pub -- what else could you want or need....

I am restraining myself from a huge rant about the Historic Royal Palaces "Trust" but the gates at Hampton Court Gardens have been closed since the start of the pandemic and they are now charging £26 (the palace entry fee) even to get into the bits of the gardens that used to be open to the public. A massive kick in the teeth to local walkers - OK I've started ranting now . . .

6 emerged at Hampton Wick station from the correct Shepperton bound train while another arrived at Hampton (without Wick) from the OTHER train to Shepperton that left Waterloo at the exact SAME time...the lone starter met the group in Bushy Park, making for 7 on this enjoyable outing in mild and somewhat dark twighlight conditions. As with last year, a real cracker of an evening walk. This year we were even treated to the start of the rut! Very atmospheric....loads of bellowing from some magnificent creatures and a fair bit of antler-tapping...The great expanse of Bushy Park and sheer number of deer really transports you away from London as if by magic....we eventually returned from Narnia through a gate just a stone's throw from a pleasant and accommodating pub near the station for refreshments before catching the correct 22:02....again two options at the same time.

You will definitely need to follow route B (see paras 4-6) as the palace grounds have been closed since lockdown and Historic Royal Palaces are clearly in no hurry to reopen even the parts that used to be open to the public.

A select group of 3 alighted from the specified train in cloudy but largely dry conditions for this very pleasant evening outing. I had not done this walk before and had never been to Bushy Park....both were a revelation...I think this is probably one of better evening walks with an interesting and varied route through both manicured palace gardens (when opened) and expansive parkland, comprised of woods, heath and wetlands...coupled with a nice pub and frequent trains what more can you really ask for on an evening walk.....

Bushy Park most certainly has an enormous deer population...they were everywhere....though sadly (based on the signage on the gate at the end), their numbers will be dropping over the coming weeks....

Unfortunately, as predicted, the route through the palace grounds was closed, but the alternate route provides a short diversion which quickly reconnects with the bulk of the walk through Bushy Park....A woodland in Bushy Park that the route goes through was also closed...but a look at the map quickly revealed that we could skirt the edge of the wood and pick up our route on the far side...As the written words for this walk are economical in places on the route through Bushy Park, I would suggest also having the GPX file at hand....While relaxing at the pub over drinks and light meals, a regular evening walker appeared, having inadvertently embarked on the walk from an [unofficial] alternate starting point....making for 4 in total.

Wow, I think this must be the nearest walk to me in the whole database so I will try to join you, although I'll probably be on the train behind your one especially if the planet hasn't been saved by Thursday.

Re the "Alternative Route" and "Through the Palace Grounds" options mentioned in paras 2-5 of the Walk Directions, since 2016 it has no longer been possible to enter the Palace Grounds by the back gates on either side of the Long Water: Historic Royal Palaces now charge for entry to the formal gardens at all times of the year. If you approach the Palace on the left-hand side of the Long Water you'll be stuck unless you can find the park exit gate out to the Thames Path (a perfectly nice route if the Palace Grounds are still open to walk through, but some way off the published route). There's no problem if you stay on the right-hand side of the Long Water.

See also the Hampton Court Circular walk page, a longer version of this short walk.

n= 4 fine but cool

Missed the posted train due to a very packed Jubilee Line and arrived at Hampton Wick 15 minutes late. The walk poster and two new faces were waiting and off we set. Quite quickly got away from the busy road and into Home Park and splendid isolation. Save for some deer, a swan and a lone jogger, we were alone as we made our way through the park, past the pond and through the avenue towards Hampton Court Palace. Admired the Palace and the flowerbeds through the bars of the gate and then made our way . A short walk along the road and we entered the grounds via another gate and were able to wander around "The Wildeness", the rose gardens and the kitchen gardens. Again, in splendid isolation, we were able to admire the front facade of the Palace.

After this we made our way over to Bushey Park, eventually making our way through the Woodland Gardens. Really lovely with quite a lot of colour and once again, we were the only people in there. As we got to the gate where we hoped to exit the Woodland Gardens, we found it locked (maybe the reason we were the only ones there?) and had to make our way back to where we entered, hoping the gate was open. And, thankfully, it was.

It was growing dark, so we cut the route short and made our way out via the Lion Gates and caught a bus to Kingston to make our way home.