Richmond Park outer perimeter – (Surrey) – 16/12/07 – 7 miles approx – Helen

Caught the 65 to the Dysart Arms, where I used to train for a brief period with Ranelagh Harriers, before climbing the hill and entering the park at Richmond Gate, by the Star and Garter home. The outer perimeter of Richmond Park is approximately 7 miles, with much of the footpath shared between walkers and cyclists.

It was a crisp and sunny December day, and lunch consisted of an assortment of crisps, sausage rolls and scotch eggs (none of which impressed/enticed Helen as much as I had hoped). To enhance the Christmas theme of the weekend, I pointed out the Reindeer to Helen, but I am not convinced she really bought into that. Later on we stopped and had a coffee, at what we assumed was a public café, but what in fact turned out to be the golf course member’s club house. Refreshed but slightly bemused we set off again finding the real public café about 50 yards on. The walk was intended to include an inner circuit of the park, but Helen was having blisters from her new boots, so we quit while we were ahead, returning to the 65 bus stop by the same Richmond Gate way we had come in.