Autumn at Richmond Park

Service Description

For two special weeks in October red and fallow deer stags at Richmond Park pumped with testosterone bellow, grunt, roll in urine and adorn their antlers with ferny foliage before resorting to parallel walking, before physical battle - all to gain exclusive mating rights to harems of hinds. Away from the exciting hormonal clatter of antlers of the grassland plains, the oak woodlands provide a cool, relaxing canopy of natural fractals to "forest bathe" in. Here the kaleidoscope of colour shifts to warmer colours as the leaves turn, berries ripen, mushrooms pop up and nuts fall. You'll learn some new field skills to help you identify, and get closer to some of the 144 species of bird recorded here including residents like kingfishers, treecreepers, little owl, kestrel, stonechats and woodpeckers. The park is also home to seven species of bat, 250 fungi species and almost 2,000 invertebrates, including the nationally rare stag beetle - so there is plenty to see. You'll also learn how practising field skills brings a greater immersion in Nature; how it can help you build and protect your mental and physical health. This particular 4 hour experience should pump you full of enough happy hormones and physical steps to get you happily through to bonfire night! The magical potency of wildlife wellness peaks just after dawn, when wildlife is most active, visitor disturbance is lower and the rising sun can create atmospheric orange mist as it burns through the morning dew. Treating yourself to this privileged experience by getting up a little earlier is something you'll certainly not regret! However, for those who cannot get on site when the park opens there is an afternoon opportunity. You'll need good walking shoes, layered clothing and wet weather gear. Bring a packed lunch, or eat at one of the cafes.