Richmond Park

Mrs maytrees having a lunch party with a group of her friends including sister in law, youngest brother  John, and I  not being required for lunch with the girls at home, decided to try lunch at  the Colicci Cafe near to Richmond Park's Roehampton Gate and take a stroll in the Park afterwards. 

The lunch was okay. I had a beef burger and chips. Meals at Pembroke Lodge which is on the other side to the Park near to Richmond Gate are probably more up market not least because wedding receptions are frequently held there. 

We sat outside the Colicci Cafe in the warm sunshine. Amusingly, crows  occasionally attacked John's burger whilst he was chatting though for some reason mine was spared.

After lunch we decided to walk around the Park in an anti-clockwise direction along the largely gravel cycle path. 

The number of cars using the Park's ring road has decreased, though when the Lib/Dem Richmond council get round to banning cars from driving on the section of the Park road that runs toward Richmond Gate, there should be even fewer cars. However I gather that cars are prevented from accessing that area during week-ends, which is a start.

We duly arrived at Pembroke Lodge where a bench being available outside the attractive bike cafe there,  cups of tea and a rest  in the sunshine, were welcome.

Walking or cycling, from Pembroke Lodge to Robin Hood Gate is easier now than  year or two back, as the steep gravel hill has been paved over somewhat making it less slippy, though signs advising cyclists to dismount are still displayed,

It was at Robin  Hood Gate that our walk took what could be described as a 'long cut'. Instead of taking the left hand path back towards Roehampton Gate we took the right hand one towards Richmond Park  Golf course,  which John would be anxious to point out correctly, was my mistake.

Upon eventually arriving at the golf clubhouse we gathered that that  Roehampton Gate car park was some way away. A  short cut over the golf course may or may not have been possible, with John being rather keener than I to give that a go, despite  a friendly golfer suggesting that trying to find the short cut would not be wise. 

However  after retracing our steps for about a  half a mile (it seemed rather longer)  we came to the correct side of Beverley Brook, from where we were able to stagger  back to the car in about another 30 minutes.

Having left home by car at about 12:30pm we arrived back shortly after 5:30pm - Phew.