Photographing Deer at Bushy Park, London
Known for being one of the most bio-diverse Urban parks in the UK, Bushy Park located in London is a go-to destination for seeing free roaming herds of red and fallow deer along with local wildlife including jackdaws, pelicans, Tawny owls, voles and over 4,700 species of invertebrates.
Dog Friendly!
With over 1,000 acres of historic parklands to explore, what makes Bushy Park even better is being able to bring along your furry companions. There’s plenty of space for dogs to roam as long as they’re kept on leads to keep the local wildlife safe.
Things to do
Even if you’re not wanting to bring along a camera, there’s still plenty of enjoyment to have at Bushy Park, whether that’s taking the family out on a sunny afternoon, going for your morning jog through the various trails, or to just take some time out from your busy life and take in the nature that surrounds you. You can even cycle, swim and bowl at the park (why not grab an ice-cream at the truck by the play area!)
Getting close to deer
The wildlife at Bushy Park are used to being around people and seeing dogs, so there may be occasions where you’ll find yourself quite close to the deer. Whilst this can be exciting, it is recommended to to keep a good distance and to slowly walk away if they start to approach, this will help the deer identify you are not a threat. This happened to me whilst I was walking past a pond and deer started to jump out of the water into the fields - I kept calm and gave them space to go to where they were heading and others around me did the same. Ultimately, this ended up being a fun experience and allowed me to photograph the deer a safe distance away. Naturally, the deer are quite curious and will often stop and stare, especially if they have young, so be patient and let them move on when they’re ready.
What to bring when photographing deer at Bushy Park:
- Backpack/bag
Not only do you want a bag for your photography equipment, I would also recommend bringing along food/drink for yourself and your dog, as well as a dog bowl, dog bags and any other items you may need.
- Reasonable footwear/clothing
Make sure you have a good pair of sturdy shoes, especially if you’re planning to spend all day at the park. On my visit it was a hot day, so I also made sure I had protection from the sun and felt comfy.
- Camera gear
On my trip I brought along my DSLR camera with a 70-200mm lens, a GoPro and my phone to help capture wildlife photos and content for social media - I found this set up worked great and allowed me to capture what I was planning to achieve. Bushy park is bigger than you may think, and there’s lots to take photos of! So make sure you bring spare batteries and lens cleaner, just incase.
Travelling to Bushy Park
Pedestrians gates 24/7
Vehicle gates 6:30am-7pm
Car
If you’re wanting to travel by car, there are 4 main car parks to choose from and car parking in Bushy Park is free of charge. These include parking at Coleshill Road Gate, Pheasantry Café, Diana Fountain and additional weekend parking at Clapperstile Gate.
Train
Hampton Wick and Teddington are the closest mainline stations near Bushy Park, located North-East of the park serviced by South Western Railway. The park gate is just a 5 minute walk via this route.
Check out my TikTok page, with my recent visit to Bushy Park: