Richmond Park and Sidmouth Wood Circular Walk

Richmond Park, Richmond, Surrey TW10 5HS.
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22 March 2025, 10.00 – 12.15
Richmond Park, Richmond, Surrey
BOOK FOR THIS WALK
Bereaved parent and TCF volunteer, Lilian, invites you to join her on her first Compassionate Friends walk in Richmond Park and Sidmouth Wood in south west London for bereaved parents, siblings (18 years+) and grandparents on Saturday 22 March, meeting at 9.45 am for a 10 am start. The meeting point will be close to a free parking area with bathroom facilities.***
This will be a circular walk of approximately 5 miles, taking just over 2 hours. The route passes 2 ponds. You will be walking at a gentle, steady pace suitable for beginners with a reasonable level of fitness as well as more experienced walkers. Along the way there will be some short stops to admire the landscape and hopefully some deer as well.
There will be plenty of opportunity to walk and talk with others along the way. Now and then Lilian will be offering the additional optional opportunity to participate in a few elements of grief-informed mindfulness so as to have the opportunity to learn how to disconnect from that ‘always thinking’ mind. Lillian hopes to offer a walk infused with the simple practice of being present in the moment, while connecting with our senses.
The majority of the trail is on tarmac paths, but around a quarter follows grass paths that usually are quite muddy after rain or in the winter. The ascents and descents are quite gentle and for not too long distances. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing for the terrain and weather.
Well behaved dogs on a lead are welcome.
Once the circular trail is completed, you are invited to join Lilian in a nearby pub for refreshments and an informal gathering.
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We ask that you wait until you have been bereaved for at least 3 months before joining our supportive walks. New walk dates are regularly added here, and we hope to welcome you at a future walk. Please call our Helpline on 0345 1232304 or email helpline@tcf.org.uk for support.
Our peer support is for parents bereaved of a child from one month old to an adult son or daughter, from any cause. We also offer support to bereaved grandparents and adult siblings (aged 18+)
We look forward to seeing those who have walked with us before, and to welcoming those who are joining us for the first time.
If you haven’t walked with us yet, please don’t feel daunted or anxious about joining. You’ll quickly find yourself part of a warm, friendly and supportive community of others who have experienced similar bereavements.
***A welcome email will be sent out approximately one week before the walk, providing additional information and details about the meeting point. This email will come from Lilian’s email address, so please keep an eye out for it. (It may sometimes end up in junk or spam folders, so please check there if you’ve registered and haven’t received the email.) Please contact us at info@tcf.org.uk if you haven’t received details about the walk and the meeting point 4 or 5 days prior to the walk date.
Please remember, if you bring a friend or relative for initial support, they will not be able to join the walk itself unless they are also a bereaved parent, grandparent, or adult bereaved sibling.
As this is a supportive walk, we ask that you stay together as a group for the duration of the walk.
Please note that individuals join a TCF walk at their own risk.
To register for the walk, please click ‘book for this walk’.
BOOK FOR THIS WALK
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