Richmond
How far? 9 miles, 20min by train.
Why go? With beautiful parks and the River Thames, a town centre bursting with shops and many restaurants, Richmond makes a popular day out. Nearby lies King Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace, the oldest Tudor Palace in England, and Kew Gardens — 300 acres of parkland with more than 400 varieties of plants. Visitors enjoy the view from Richmond Hill, which is protected by an Act of Parliament. Richmond Park, enclosed by Charles I for hunting, is London’s largest royal park.
What next? T: 020 8891 7272. www.visitrichmond.co.uk
The Thames is crossed by 33 bridges and four tunnels (not including Tube tunnels). The oldest surviving bridge is the Clattern Bridge at Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, which dates back to 1293.
