Bushy Park: Red Deer, Chestnut Avenue & Waterworks

Bushy Park is massive. Honestly, you can come here thinking you know where you’re going and then five minutes later you’re completely unsure which way you’re supposed to be walking. There are so many different paths and areas to explore.

Bushy Park is large enough to feel open but flat enough that it rarely feels dramatic in the same way as Richmond Park. Its appeal is more gradual: deer crossing the grassland, the formal line of Chestnut Avenue, a substantial family playground near Hampton Court and, deeper inside, sixty acres of enclosed woodland gardens around ponds and streams. I’ve been here before, but every time I come back, there seems to be another part I haven’t properly explored.

The Deer Give the Size Away Before You See Them

And then you start seeing the wildlife. Deer everywhere. Some are just sitting under the trees, some are walking around, and some are quite close to the paths. I actually didn’t expect to see so many. And you know you’re in Bushy Park when you start seeing deer droppings everywhere. There’s honestly no escaping it.

You do have to keep your distance, though. They’re wild animals, so it’s better just to watch them and let them do their thing. Bushy Park is home to more than 320 red and fallow deer, and the Royal Parks asks visitors to keep at least 50 metres away, and makes clear that feeding them is illegal.

The Seasons Change the Rules

Three refuge areas also exist so deer can move away from visitor pressure. They are not viewing enclosures and people and dogs should remain outside them.

Corners That Are Easy to Miss

That’s the thing with Bushy Park: it’s so big that you can easily miss parts of it. There are woodland areas, open grassland, water, trees and little paths that take you somewhere completely different. Some of the areas feel almost completely natural, like you’re nowhere near London, and that’s probably my favourite thing about it. You can have the traffic and the city not too far away, but once you’re inside the park, it feels completely different.

The Waterhouse Woodland Gardens cover around sixty acres. They replace Bushy’s long grassland views with winding paths, ponds, streams, mature trees and more enclosed planting. Places such as Fisher’s Pond, Triss’s Pond, the King’s River Garden and Silver Birch Glade create a very different pace from the open deer park. Dogs are not permitted inside.

Not One Park, Several Places Put Together

Even on a slightly dull summer day, it was still really nice to walk around. There were people walking their dogs, cyclists going through, people exploring the paths, and deer just doing whatever deer do. It doesn’t feel like one park with one view. It feels like several different places put together, and honestly, I think that’s the best way to experience a place this big: don’t worry too much about following the perfect route.

For Families, the Hampton Court Side Is the Logical Start

The adventure playground sits close to Diana Fountain and the Hampton Court entrance. It is designed for children up to twelve, with a sandpit, timber climbing structure, swings, balance features and equipment for younger children.

The playground opens daily at 8:30am, subject to its morning safety inspection, and last entry is thirty minutes before closing. Children’s toilets, baby changing, an accessible toilet and drinking water are available in the playground area.

The Diana car park kiosk is much closer than the main café, which matters more than it sounds. The Pheasantry sits inside the Woodland Gardens, so a tired child leaving the sandpit is not automatically five minutes from a full café meal.

The Pheasantry Works Better as a Midpoint

The Pheasantry Café is inside the Woodland Gardens rather than beside the main family playground. Current Royal Parks information lists opening from 9:00am–6:00pm in summer and 9:00am–5:00pm in winter, with weather-related variation. It is card-only.

Its location makes it particularly useful on a garden walk. Crossing a large part of the park only because someone wants lunch is less efficient.

One Route That Uses Bushy Park’s Contrasts

The 2026 Mobility Buggy Changes the Practical Distance

From 1 May 2026, a free mobility buggy operates between Diana car park and Crocodile Gate at the Woodland Gardens. It runs Wednesday–Sunday, 11:00am–3:00pm.

Saturday Morning Is a Different Bushy Park

Bushy is the birthplace of parkrun, and the main 5K event begins at 9:00am on Saturdays. Recent official event reports show fields well above 1,500 participants, so the scale is very different from a small neighbourhood parkrun.

If your aim is a quiet family walk, avoid the start and finish area around event time. If parkrun is the reason for travelling, arrive early and expect a large organised event rather than a low-key jog.

Parking Is Free, but Driving Still Needs Planning

Royal Parks parking inside Bushy Park is currently free. Main parking areas include Coleshill Road Gate, the Pheasantry and Diana Fountain, with additional weekend parking via Clapperstile Gate. Disabled parking is available at several locations.

The catch is that vehicles can no longer drive directly between Teddington Gate and Hampton Court Gate. Each side mainly provides access to its nearby parking. Choosing the wrong approach can therefore matter more than the absence of a parking charge.

Public Transport Is Better Than the Lack of Tube Suggests

There is no Underground station within easy walking distance.

Accessibility Is More About Distance Than Gradient

Bushy is generally flat, which removes one barrier found in hillier parks. The harder issue is scale. A route that looks simple on a map may still involve a long return across open ground.

Disabled parking, accessible playground toilets and the 2026 buggy service help. The main café also has indoor and outdoor seating. Grass and smaller paths can still become soft after rain, and not every garden route is as broad as the main avenues.

Small Practical Details Worth Knowing

• Pedestrian gates are normally open 24 hours, except during deer-cull restrictions.
• Vehicle-gate closing times change through the year; check the live park page.
• Public toilets cost 20p and use contactless payment rather than cash.
• Cycling is allowed only on designated larger roads and routes, not every path.
• Dogs are not permitted in the Woodland Gardens.
• Barbecues and fires are prohibited.
• Parking inside Bushy Park is free.

My Take

Even on a slightly dull summer day, it was still really nice to walk around, and I can imagine how different it must feel in winter, but summer is definitely the time when the park feels most alive. There were people walking their dogs, cyclists going through, people exploring the paths, and deer just doing whatever deer do.

I’ve been to Bushy Park before, but every time you come back, there seems to be another part you haven’t properly explored, and honestly, I think that’s the best way to experience a place this big. Don’t worry too much about following the perfect route. Just walk around, explore the different paths, look out for the deer, find the ponds and see where you end up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research Method

This guide is based on a personal visit to the park, combined with independent research. Photographs on this page are original. Herd numbers, the 50-metre rule, seasonal lead requirements, playground opening, Woodland Gardens access, parking, gate arrangements and the 2026 buggy service were checked against The Royal Parks. Gate times, café hours and cull-period restrictions change through the year, so check the live park page before an early or late walk.

Nearby guides: Richmond Park and Marble Hill Park