The view from Richmond Hill looking south over the Thames is the only view in England protected by an Act of Parliament (the Richmond, Ham and Petersham Open Spaces Act, 1902). The river curves through meadows and woodland below, unchanged in its essentials since the eighteenth century when Turner, Reynolds, and other painters came here to capture it. The Terrace Gardens below the crest of the hill are a good place to sit and take it in.
The Terrace Gardens themselves are Victorian pleasure grounds cut into the hillside, with flower beds, ornamental fountains, and shaded paths leading down toward the river. They connect via a footpath to the towpath, making a pleasant loop: up through the gardens to the hilltop view, then back down along the riverside. The Star and Garter pub near the top of the hill has occupied the best spot on the ridge for over two centuries.