With a reasonable weather forecast for the bank holiday last week, I headed out of London to visit the historic town of Windsor. Less than an hour from London by train, Windsor is a great day trip destination whether you're into English history, the Royal Family or simply fancy a stroll or boat ride along the River Thames. Most visitors (myself included) head straight for Windsor Castle, but there's a lot more to see and do in and around the town — even when it rains (sadly, it did!).
How to get to Windsor
Located 20 miles west of London, Windsor is easily accessible by train. As I'm based south of the river, I took the train from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, which costs about £18 return (off peak) and takes just under an hour. If you're staying closer to Paddington, the journey to Windsor & Eton Central takes about 30 minutes, with a change at Slough (about £16 return, off peak). Both stations are very central and within a few minutes' walk from Windsor Castle and the River Thames.
Travelling by train in the UK can be a little complicated, as different operators run different routes and ticketing can be confusing. Check out National Rail's tips for saving money on train travel. I use Trainline to plan and book most of my train travel.
Windsor is about ten miles from Heathrow Airport and the journey usually takes 20 to 30 minutes by taxi. The 703 bus runs every 30 minutes or so and takes about 40 minutes. There's no direct train link — you'll need to change trains twice and the journey takes around 50 minutes. Check out this page for more details about travelling to Windsor from Heathrow and the other London airports.
Explore Windsor Castle
Originally built in the 11th century, Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world. It was a place of special significance for Queen Elizabeth II, whose final resting place is in St George's Chapel, and it's one of the official residences of King Charles III.
The castle is one of the UK's most visited tourist attractions and it's well worth booking a ticket online in advance. It's a little cheaper (I paid £31 instead of £35) and also means avoiding a potentially long queue for tickets on the day. I was there on a bank holiday (public holiday) and although I headed straight to Windsor Castle at 10 am, there were already a lot of people lining up for tickets. I walked straight in, passing through the airport-style security scanners and then picking up my multimedia guide, which is included in the price.
Allow two to three hours to visit the State Apartments inside and St George's Chapel. The multimedia guide lets you choose which order to visit the two main buildings, and provides a lot of detailed information about each room and all of the key sights. Each location has a one to two minute introduction, with further video clips on different topics, from history and the Royal Family, to art, architecture and décor. You can pick the clips that you find most interesting and skip the rest.
The State Apartments include many working ceremonial rooms. They are beautiful and feature some stunning pieces of art and architectural features, but unfortunately you can't take any photos inside. I was fascinated to look at Queen Mary's Dolls' House, a huge and impressive construction featuring miniature books, working electricity and running water. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more detail on the history of the castle — the focus was on the Royal Family — but I still learned a great deal.
I next headed down to the chapel, where many of Britain's monarchs are interred. I was intrigued to find that Henry VIII and his favourite wife Jane Seymour were buried with Charles I — the only English monarch to be executed for treason. Meanwhile, anyone who's seen Shakespeare's Richard II will find it fitting that the titular character is buried across the aisle from his cousin, Henry IV, who deposed him. The chapel has also been the venue of many royal weddings, including that of Prince Harry and Megan Markle in 2018.
Note that the chapel is closed to visitors during services, including all day on Sunday (worshippers are always welcome). If you're keen to watch the Changing of the Guard, you may want to check this calendar before planning your visit.
A Walk in the Great Park
After leaving Windsor Castle, head south along the aptly named Long Walk, a tree-lined avenue that runs for almost 2.5 miles. Continue along the Long Walk through Windsor Great Park, which is a lovely place for a stroll if the weather is playing ball. The Copper Horse statue of George III, perched atop a hill at the end of the Long Walk, offers beautiful views of Windsor Castle. There are about 500 red deer in the park so keep your eyes peeled.
Lunch at a Michelin-listed gastropub
I managed to nab a last-minute lunch booking at The Loch and the Tyne, chef Adam Handling's Michelin-listed gastropub in Old Windsor — a couple of miles south of central Windsor. It's about a 50-minute walk from the town but you can also take the number 8 bus or get a taxi.
Located in a scenic village setting, The Loch and the Tyne is attractively decorated with a wonderfully cosy, relaxed ambience. If it's a nice day, you can sit on the terrace but the heavens had opened by the time I arrived so I headed inside.
The food was delicious. I tried two of Handling's signature dishes to start — the cheesy doughnuts (served under a cloud of parmesan and with a side of bacon jam) and the 'Mother' (celeriac, truffled egg yolk, date and apple, created after the chef's mother became vegetarian). The mains are more traditional gastropub fare — my burger was excellent and the fish and chips looked fab. I was glad I (just about) saved room for pudding: wobble-worthy chocolate panna cotta with juicy strawberries and elderflower.
If The Loch and the Tyne is fully booked, you could also try The Greene Oak, which is also Michelin recommended. It's located in Oakley Greene, a village just west of Windsor.
Visit the Magna Carta Memorial
To walk off — or work up an appetite for — lunch, stroll over to the nearby village of Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215. The Magna Carta is one of the most important legal documents in English history, setting out basic rights and individual freedoms (including the right to a fair trial) and outlining the principle that no one — not even the monarch — was above the law.
Runnymede is about 3.5 miles south of Windsor. I walked from Windsor in just under an hour (I stopped in Old Windsor for lunch on the way back); it's about 10 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by bus (take the number 8 to Old Windsor). If you time it well, you can even travel by boat!
The site features beautiful, serene meadows and riverside walks, as well as various memorials and art sculptures (I liked The Jurors, in particular). Visitors from the US may be interested to know that the memorial to the Magna Carta was erected by the American Bar Association, and the British memorial to John F. Kennedy is here too. I didn't get my fill of history at Windsor Castle, so I took the opportunity to visit another site of huge historical significance.
The memorials and meadows are free to visit, and there's a National Trust-run car park, tea room and toilets at the site.
Stroll through Windsor's history
Once back in Windsor, I had planned to take a boat trip with French Brothers, who run 40-minute and two-hour outings on the River Thames. I actually did the latter a few years ago on a corporate away day and it was a fun way to enjoy beautiful views of the town, castle and surrounding countryside. Sadly, the weather was still in 'bank holiday mode' (sunshine and blue sky one minute, downpours the next).
Instead, I downloaded the Windsor & Eton Heritage Walking Trail and took myself on a self-guided walking tour. The route is about a mile long and covers a lot of the town's history, over cobbled streets and down narrow alleyways. I was amused to learn that Windsor is technically 'New Windsor', despite being founded in the 12th century, to differentiate it from the even older 'Old Windsor' nearby, which dates to the 7th century.
After passing the Guildhall, a very crooked house (now a cafe and bar — a great place to stop for a drink) that dates to the 18th century and the statue of Queen Victoria, I walked back along the castle walls. The guide allowed me to spot the only surviving original window, which lights up a 'sally port' — an escape tunnel to be used if the castle was sieged.
If you prefer guided walking tours, these tours run twice daily at 11 am and 2 pm. And for a fun alternative, check out the amphibious 'duck' tours, which take you through Windsor by road and river.
A taste of Eton
I then crossed over the Thames into the neighbouring town of Eton. The High Street is a lovely place for a stroll: there are lots of pubs, cafes and shops — particularly antiques, art and book shops. Central Windsor was extremely busy, especially around the castle, so it was nice to be able to enjoy the quieter, more relaxed pace of Eton.
Of course, Eton is most famous for Eton College, the boys' public school founded in 1440 by Henry VI. Eton has produced 20 UK Prime Ministers and countless other notable old boys. If you're interested in learning more, they sometimes run guided tours. Otherwise, you can still get a glimpse of the chapel and some of the other main buildings as you walk past the campus.
Royal retail therapy
If you're looking for a souvenir of your visit, there are gift shops at every price point throughout the town. The shops inside Windsor Castle are on the more expensive but more tasteful side. If it's raining, there is at least some shelter inside the Victorian Windsor Royal arcade, which has a number of boutiques and eateries. I found more independent shops — mainly selling art, antiques and homewares — across the river in Eton.
Make a weekend of it
If you have more time, why not extend your stay in Windsor and spend the night there? If you're travelling with kids — or brick lovers of all ages — a visit to nearby Legoland is a must. And if historic country houses are more your thing, check out Cliveden, a National Trust property a few miles west.
I left it too late to get a good hotel deal on this trip, but hotels I was considering included the Sir Christopher Wren Hotel (next to the river and just steps away from Windsor Castle) and the Macdonald Windsor which is also very central. On a work trip a few years ago, I was lucky enough to stay at Oakley Court, a luxurious hotel and spa set inside a Victorian mansion house a few miles west of the centre. The Fairmont looks lovely too and is especially handy for visits to Windsor Great Park and Runnymede.
Found this post useful? Please consider supporting my blog by buying me a coffee.
No comments:
Post a Comment