Seventeen Polyramblers gathered at Kingston Train Station for the circular walk. A group photo was taken after a health and safety briefing.
We then crossed the A308 onto Wood Street and then Fife Road and left onto the pedestrian road. We then turned left at the end of the pedestrian road onto Clarence Street and continued straight on to Kingston Bridge, and walked across the bridge staying on the left-hand side of it. We continued straight to the roundabout and then left onto Hampton Court Road where we crossed over at the zebra crossing in front of the Wick Memorial Garden. We then made a right turn on to Church Grove (B358) and walked up to the pedestrian crossing by St. John’s Church where there is a gate in the park wall (Church Grove Gate) went onto a tree lined avenue (Church Grove Passage) to another gate which led us into the park. Bushy Park started as a royal hunting ground with several water features constructed during the reign of King Charles I.
Once in the park there are various paths but we continued right onto a broad grass path. We walked past a bench where one could sit and listened to the Skylarks. We saw deer with some trying to shelter from the heat and others grazing. Lots of photos taken.
We continued straight and crossed a small bridge over two ponds. We walked left to Heron Pond and after a short walk along the pond we continued right on a narrow path with lots of Ferns presumably the Warren Plantation. We continued straight on to a building on the right and then left onto an unnamed road which led us Chestnut Avenue. We crossed the road and continued left towards the Pheasantry café where we had lunch and the toilets.
After lunch we continued our walk through the park to the Waterhouse Plantation where we saw lots of fish, water lilies and a lot more.
We then crossed over to the Woodland Gardens where a slight detour got some of us separated from the leading group, but we were reunited. We then walked through an overgrown path where we avoided the stinging nettles with arms raised above our heads. We then made our way to the Diana Fountain (not the Princess) and Hampton Court Gate where we continued our walk towards Hampton Court Park.
We turned right on to Hampton Court Road, we crossed the road and walked on the left towards Hampton Court Palace. The Palace was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey then passed to Henry VIII in 1529 when he fell out of favour. It was extended in the 17th century by William III and Mary II. We had a brief water break within the grounds of the Palace.
Fourteen of us continued the walk along a short stretch of the Thames path past the Palace to Hampton Court Park onto the golf course. We continued along Long Water with three lime tree avenues (added by Charles I Mary II). We then continued walking right at where there was T-junction and then left after a short distance to rejoin the Thames Path Kingston. 2 went left which was the way back to Kingston Gate.
We all got to Kingston safely where some went shopping and the rest either took the buses or train back home.
Lucy & Nita.
Photos: Hilary, Nita, Ida & Patricia
