London's greenest corner, where a royal deer park meets a riverside of grand pubs and a home to a celebrity pub dog. Here is how we would spend a day in Richmond and Kew with your dog.
Richmond and Kew are proof that a dog can have a proper day out without ever leaving London. Richmond Park is the giant of the city's green spaces, a two-and-a-half-thousand-acre expanse of ancient oaks and wild deer, and around it runs a stretch of the Thames lined with some of the best dog-friendly pubs in the capital. Add the plantation gardens, the riverside greens and a scattering of dog cafes, and you have a day that feels a world away from the city.
A big park in the morning, a riverside stroll, a good lunch and a pint in a proud old pub is the shape of the day here. This is how we would spend it, with the real, well-reviewed places we would actually take our own dog.
1
Morning: the great park
Richmond Park is the star, a vast royal park where herds of red and fallow deer graze beneath ancient oaks and dogs can walk for hours. Keep them on leads near the deer, and on leads through May to July when the deer are birthing and again in the autumn rut, but otherwise there is space here to make any dog think it has left the city entirely. Within it, the Isabella Plantation is a gorgeous woodland garden, glorious in spring, with dogs welcome on leads.
For riverside grass, Ham Lands and Ham Common give a dog easy roaming close to the water, popular with local dog walkers.
The Thames here is at its loveliest, and the towpath between Richmond and Ham is an easy, handsome walk. Ham House, the great seventeenth-century mansion, welcomes dogs on short leads in its formal gardens, shop and Orangery garden, and Marble Hill across the river is a fine park for an off-lead run under supervision. It is a stretch of river made for a slow potter with a dog.
This corner of London loves a dog at the table. Noci does superb dog-friendly pasta, Cinnamon Bazaar welcomes dogs to join you, and Cocotte is a lovely dog-friendly spot too. For the full treat, Starbarks is a dedicated dog cafe serving pupuccinos, pupcakes and dog ice cream, so yours can order lunch as well.
The Mitre in Richmond is home to Rudi, a genuine celebrity pub dog, with a fire and a garden and a warm welcome for every hound. The Roebuck, up on Richmond Hill with that famous view over the Thames, welcomes dogs everywhere with bowls and treats, and by Richmond Green the Prince's Head looks after humans and hounds equally well.
On the river, Bingham Riverhouse is a lovely dog-friendly boutique hotel with the Thames on the doorstep. The Coach and Horses at Kew welcomes up to two dogs with a doggy hamper, and the Orange Tree provides a bed and bowl, both handy bases for the park and the river.
A royal deer park, a stretch of the Thames lined with great pubs and a genuine celebrity pub dog. Richmond is the best day out a London dog can have.
What to pack for a day out
The short list that turns a good day into an easy one. Throw it in the boot before you set off.
Water bottle and collapsible bowl
Towel for the boot
Poo bags, always
Spare lead and a long line
Treats for the pub
ID tag and vaccinations up to date
Questions dog owners ask
Are dogs allowed in Richmond Park?
Yes, dogs are welcome in Richmond Park, but keep them on leads near the deer and always under close control. During the deer birthing season from May to July and the autumn rut, dogs should be kept on leads and well away from the deer for everyone's safety.
What is the best dog walk in Richmond and Kew?
Richmond Park is the great one, with acres of oaks and open grass, and the Isabella Plantation within it is a beautiful woodland garden. The Thames towpath between Richmond and Ham, and Ham Lands, offer lovely riverside walking too.
Which Richmond pubs take dogs?
The Mitre in Richmond is home to celebrity pub dog Rudi and welcomes all dogs, the Roebuck on Richmond Hill takes dogs everywhere with bowls and treats, and the Prince's Head by the Green looks after hounds well.
Can dogs visit Ham House?
Yes, dogs on short leads are welcome in the formal gardens, shop and Orangery garden at Ham House, though not inside the mansion itself. The surrounding Ham Lands and river towpath make a lovely dog walk to combine with a visit.
Where can I stay in Richmond with a dog?
Bingham Riverhouse is a dog-friendly boutique hotel on the Thames, the Coach and Horses at Kew welcomes up to two dogs with a hamper, and the Orange Tree provides a bed and bowl, all handy for the park and river.
Richmond & Kew through the seasons
Spring
The Isabella Plantation erupts in azaleas and the park is at its freshest. Keep leads on from May near the birthing deer. A big park walk and a garden wander is spring here at its best.
Summer
The park and riverside get busy and hot, so walk early, carry water, and seek the shade of the plantation and the riverside trees in the heat of the afternoon. Keep dogs cool and well clear of the deer.
Autumn
The park oaks turn gold and it is the deer rut, so keep dogs on leads and give the stags a very wide berth. Crisp walks and cosy hillside pubs make for a glorious autumn day.
Winter
The park is at its most atmospheric under a low sun and the pubs are at their cosiest. Wrap up for a brisk deer-park walk, then thaw out by the fire at the Mitre with a dog at your feet.