gökotta (Swedish) – to wake up early in the morning with the purpose of going outside to hear the first birds sing.

If you enjoy long walks away from the city, spotting wild animals getting on with their daily activities and perhaps having a couple of them warm up to your presence and sharing a peaceful moment, then you’re my kind of person. In which case this is my recommendation. Next time you find yourself in London you must visit Richmond Park. With over 600 red and fallow deer, squirrels, hares, foxes, badgers, a variety of birds and many more animals (plus the numerous dogs being walked), you’ll surely go back home with a smile. However, I would recommend avoiding visiting the park during weekends if you can, as it gets so crowded that you may not spot as many creatures as you would during the less busy days.

However, be warned that although these animals have gotten used to seeing us humans roaming around and getting a little closer than we should, they are still wild and unpredictable when ‘threatened’. Don’t try to get too close – while some of them don’t mind it, others will give you a stare (you’ll find the relevant image below) until you’ve walked away. Better not to gamble on this…

I hope the following images will convince you that this is a MUST DO for wilderness lovers.

– click on the images to enlarge –