We went to visit our friends Alejandro and Lorraine in London, and together we took a day to explore the Hampton Wick area.

There’s something magical about stepping into an area where history and nature intertwine so seamlessly. Our day in Hampton Wick,  which is tucked along the River Thames in southwest London, was fantastic.  We explored the rich history of the area and enjoyed sharing the day with our friends Alejandro and Lorraine.

 They were our unofficial tour guides and  showed us this unique part of London It made the day feel like a mini countryside escape in the middle of the city.

We began our walk in Kingston upon Thames with Alejandro and Lorraine leading the way, crossing the Clattern Bridge.

This bridge is the oldest surviving bridge in London. Dating back to the 12th century, it has stood through centuries of change, from medieval markets to modern-day shoppers bustling around Kingston. Alejandro and  Lorraine pointed out how easily this hidden piece of history can be overlooked by people rushing past.

Just a short walk from the bridge, we came to a small fenced in Stone on display. This unassuming stone turned out to be the Coronation stone. It is an ancient sarsen block tied to one of England’s most fascinating traditions.

This weathered stone is believed to have been used for the crowning of several Saxon kings between the 9th and 10th centuries, long before Westminster Abbey became the coronation site.

Standing there together, we reflected on how this simple stone once held kings and the weight of a nation’s hopes. It was one of those moments where Alejandro’s love of history and Lorraine’s eye for detail made us appreciate it all the more.

We continued on and walked into the Hampton Court Park.  It is a massive park area and was once Henry VIII’s hunting grounds,. It is now home to herds of majestic fallow deer.

In the park it was not long before we spotted deer and a lot of them. Lorraine was the first to notice them quietly grazing under the trees, and we all stood in silence, watching their graceful movements.

We took our time and walked through many different areas of the park. We came across  so many deer and they would just simply watch us walk by. No fear from these protected deer.

There is a golf course within the park area and we saw an albino deer standing in the shade as golfers walked by.

There were wide open meadows that felt more like the countryside than in the city.  The whole experience was like being in a nature reserve with deer running freely throughout.

We came across an area known as the long water and at the end is a  great view of the Hampton court Palace in the distance.

It truly was an enjoyable day and reminded us just how much London has to offer beyond its bustling center.

“Travel and have a good chinwag with strangers”