1
Leave Richmond Station at the main Kew Road exit. Turn left and use the zebra crossing to cross towards Oriel House. Turn right on the far side and almost immediately turn left into Old Station Passage, signposted 'Capital Ring'. At the end, turn left and go across the railway. Go past Richmond Theatre (A), on your left, with Little Green on your right. Cross Duke Street and almost immediately, at road narrows, turn right and cross the road to the corner of the much larger Richmond Green (B).
2
Fork left and take the left hand path, along the edge of Richmond Green. At the end, turn right along the pavement. (Note on the opposite side, house number 44 ½ and then Tudor Place, Maid of Honours Row (C) and Old Palace). At road narrows, cross to the left hand side and very soon turn left through Richmond Palace Gateway (D). Go clockwise round the green to go past the front of the old Wardrobe buildings and Trumpeters House and then leave along the path between white bollards in the far right corner. Turn left into the road (Old Palace Lane) and go past the White Swan Pub to the River Thames, by the White Swan sign and Asgill House (E).
If you turn right here you can extend the walk by 0.6 miles and visit Richmond Lock. Go under the railway and road. Continue along the path, actually a raised causeway, with the Old Deer Park (F) on the right. At Richmond Lock (G), to avoid steps, you can retrace your steps back to Asgill House, otherwise go across the bridge and turn left on the far bank to head alongside the river (Raneleigh Drive). At the road bridge (Twickenham Road Bridge), go up the steps, cross the river and then go down the steps back to riverside. Retrace your steps under the road and rail bridges, back to Asgill House.
3
Turn left to go past Asgill House and continue straight on along the riverside, past the Old Deer Park Information Board, go along Cholmondley Walk (H) and onto a cobbled road. At the White Cross Pub, keep to the riverside, passing the Slug and Lettuce pub and onto Richmond Riverside (I). Walk under Richmond Bridge (J) and continue on for some time along the river passing the tallest plane tree in London on the way. Shortly after the Canoe Club and just after the path bends, look out for a grotto and tunnel under the road, leading into Terrace Gardens (cafe).
For a shorter walk of about 3-3.5 miles, missing out Richmond Park, head left down the steps to the Terrace Gardens (K). Go through the tunnel under the road and then up steps into the gardens at the Grotto Gate. (K5). (To avoid steps, go back a few yards and cross the busy Petersham Road into park). Turn left and then right to go past the Glasshouse. Ahead is the cafe and to its right the River God statue. (K4). As you get near the cafe, turn left keeping the grass on your right. Keep left and then follow the path round to the right towards a wooden Summer House (K3). At the Summer House turn left and almost immediately, keep right and go past the Spring Well. (K2). Shortly after turn right, continuing uphill. Continue straight on at a Y-junction, until you reach the lower terrace. Go past the Fishmarker Stone (K1) until you reach the Aphrodite Statue (Bulbous Betty) terrace. (L).Go up the steps and behind the statue, up more steps on the left and along a winding path that takes you to the top terrace. Turn right along the Upper Terrace (Information Board) and shortly opposite Friars Stile Road, turn left and go up a few steps to the road (Richmond Hill). Turn right along road and shortly turn right and along terrace for the protected Richmond Hill viewpoint. (M) (Information Board and 1902 Act commemorative plaque). For the return, retrace your steps to Friars Stile Road and then continue at the end of paragraph [8] where you will probably wish to take the alternative route directly down Richmond Hill.
4
To reach Richmond Park, walk past this and continue straight along the river and then follow the path as it turns away from the river through Buccleugh Gardens and past toilets. Go ahead through a kissing gate across Petersham Meadows. (N) Continue straight on across the meadows and through a second kissing gate. Continue straight on to go past St Peter's Church (O) and come out on the main Petersham Road. Turn left and continue to the Dysart gastropub.
For a short diversion to the centre of Petersham Village with its attractive houses, before you pass St Peter’s Church, turn right towards Petersham Nurseries (cafe) and just by its entrance take a narrow footpath between brick walls which will eventually bring you out on a road (River Lane) where you turn left. At the main Petersham Road, turn left and continue past Petersham House, and the Dysart, where you rejoin main route at [5].
5
At the Dysart, use the pedestrian lights to cross towards Richmond Park. Go through Petersham Gate into Richmond Park (P) and go straight on gradually uphill, along the main gravel path. (Cycle Path - beware bikes). Go past a children’s playground and toilets. At the brow of the hill, by a seat and just before the brick wall on the right ends, branch left uphill, along a well use dirt path. Follow the path round left and then right as it climbs up to go parallel to a wire fence. Continue straight on at the junction with Capital Ring path, following the fence and then go up some 36 rough path steps. Just after the steps, go through a gate on the left and follow the path ahead to the white house, Pembroke Lodge (Q) (cafe). (No dogs in Pembroke Lodge Gardens - see notes for alternative). Through the main Lodge gates on the right by the car park are a refreshment kiosk, toilets and the Visitor Centre (open weekends). Here, with the climbing over, you may wish to take a well deserved break, before commencing the return journey. Or you may wish to take a break by viewpoints or in the gardens, for a few minutes time.
6
Follow path past the front of the Lodge. Turn right at a road, signposted King Henry’s Mound and then shortly fork left on a tarmac path keeping the lawn to the right. Go between seats and the Rose Garden and shortly, go left, to the first of a series of viewpoints. Turn right at the main path and, at the next junction, fork right alongside a hedge and, by a gate, turn left uphill to King Henry’s Mound (R) viewpoint (information boards) and proceed to the upper level by the telescope. (Note the iron 'window' in the hedge behind with a legally protected vista of St Pauls, 10 miles away.)
7
Leave the Mound, keeping views to the left and go down a slope. Turn right at a Y junction and go through the arches of the John Beer Laburnum Walk. (Just before gate note poem to James Thomson). Go through a kissing gate into main park and fork left along metal fence. Continue along the path until you reach a roundabout and Richmond Gate. (Toilets on left). Cross to the other side of the road before the gates (beware of traffic leaving and entering park) and leave the park coming out opposite the Royal Star and Garter Home, (S). Keep right and continue to a roundabout.
8
At roundabout, use the zebra crossings to cross to the RSPCA Fountain and the Royal Star and Garter Home. On the far side, turn right and go down Richmond Hill. Cross Nightingale Lane and continue along the terrace with magnificent views to the left and information boards at the main viewpoint (M). After the viewpoints, continue along the pavement and go down steps into Terrace Gardens (K).
To return directly to the station and avoid the steps, continue down Richmond Hill and follow the road until you pass Water Lane on the left and rejoin the main route at [10].
9
Inside the gardens, go along the upper terrace, down steps on the left and follow the path to the Aphrodite Statue (Bulbous Betty) (L). Go to the front, down a few steps and turn right along the lower terrace. Look for the Fishmarker Stone (K1) on your left and follow the tarmac path downhill (not the steps) as it leaves rockery. Keep left at all junctions until you arrive at the Spring Well (K2) on the left and shortly after the Summer House (K3). At the front of the Summer House turn right and follow the path downhill, round the edge of the lawn. As you approach the cafe, note the River God statue (K4) ahead but go right, continuing downhill past the Glasshouse. At the exit gates turn left. (Step-free route - go directly across road to riverside). Shortly after turn right to go down steps and under the road through the flint lined Grotto Gate (K5) tunnel. At the riverside, turn right and retrace your outward route, back under Richmond Bridge. After Richmond Riverside Terraces, turn right, by the Slug and Lettuce Pub, into Water Lane. At George Street turn left.
10
Continue straight on towards what was the House of Fraser store and go across the pedestrian crossing. Turn left along King Street with the old store on your right. Turn right into Paved Court to emerge at Richmond Green. Continue straight on with the Green on your left, past the Cricketers Pub. Cross Duke Street and continue past the Theatre. Immediately after the railway, turn right into Old Station Passage by the Capital Ring sign. At the main road use the zebra crossing, on the right, to cross back to the station.
