Red deer are the largest wild terrestrial mammal in Britain. The male antlers can grow up to a metre across and are a status symbol of strength, rarely used as weapons. They are a reddish-brown colour  in the summer and start to look grey in the winter. The females are solitary when giving birth, but then gather into herds with their young and non breeding males.

I usually make two trips to Scotland each year to see them in the wild of the highlands but I am also lucky to live near three of the Great Parks in England that have Red deer roaming free which can make great practice for the wild trips and I can also choose a nice early morning to go (when it’s not raining).When you’re in Scotland you have no control over the wild weather that rolls in over the mountains. 

Windsor is home for 500 deer, Richmond has 630 Red and Fallow deer and Bushy park in Hampton court has 320. It’s worth getting up early to avoid the crowds disturbing the deer, and the sunrise light is always the most dramatic. I prefer Windsor park, it’s nearer to me and there’s usually less members of the public trying to get close with their iPhones!