What to do in and around Windsor
WINDSOR CASTLE – click here for more detail on Windsor Castle
THE LONG WALK
This is a much filmed walk leading from Windsor Castle to the Copper Horse and is used by the Royal Family to enter and leave the Castle. The Frogmore Royal Mausoleum which can be seen in the distance was built by Queen Victoria to house Prince Albert and herself.
NELL GWYNN’S HOUSE
Burford House on Church Street which dates back to 1640 was the residence of Nell Gwynn, a famous actress and who (as she called herself) was King Charles II’s Protestant Whore. A tunnel is reputed to connect Burford House with the Castle.
RIVER TRIPS FROM WINDSOR
French Brothers operate trips from an area near Eton Bridge offering 35 minute trips which go upstream to Boveney Lock and 2 hour cruises going to Monkey Island, Maidenhead.
Salters operate from Thames Side (close to the Donkey House Pub). This company offers trips to Staines and Marlow.
The boats are furnished with licensed bars.
GOING TOPLESS AROUND WINDSOR
This is best done on open top buses which depart from the High Street, outside Windsor Castle. Round Windsor sightseeing tours operate from Easter to the end of September.
RUNNYMEDE
Renowned for the signing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215. The Charter established the principle of constitutional monarchy and affirmed the individual’s rights to justice and liberty (in theory anyway). The American constitution was subsequently based on this Charter.
Also located at Runnymede meadow is the Kennedy Memorial.
WINDSOR GREAT PARK
This contains over four thousand eight hundred acres of woodland, farmland, open fields and glades which used to be part of the Great Royal Hunting Forest. Although Crown property, much of it is now open to the general public and forms a delightful setting for picnics and quiet strolls. Also within the Great Park there lies the world famous Legoland.
SAVILLE GARDENS
The gardens are open throughout the year and are situated close to Windsor Great Park. Reputed to be one of the Late Queen Mother’s favourite gardens and spanning over 40 acres, they are considered to be one of the finest gardens of its type in the northern temperate region of the world.
THE THEATRE ROYAL
This is one of the most elegant theatres in the country with its auditorium richly decorated in red, gold and white surmounted by a magnificent chandelier. Many West End productions have evolved at this theatre and many are transferred there. The Royal Family are frequent visitors to their local theatre, often bringing their Ascot parties.
WINDSOR RACECOURSE
One of the finest private race courses in Britain, magnificently located next to River Thames. Travelling to the race course by boat from Eton Bridge is a particularly enjoyable experience.
ASCOT RACECOURSE
This is one of the most famous racecourses in the world with the first race meeting having been held there more than 270 years ago in the presence of Queen Anne. Royal Ascot combines the very best horse racing with traditional pageantry and style in a perfect setting. It forms the highlight of the summer social calendar, an athmospheric cocktail of priceless thoroughbreds and spectacular fashions.
DORNEY COURT
This is undoubtedly one of the finest Tudor houses of its type left in Britain.
The Palmers have lived at Dorney Court since 1628 but the house has been on the site since 1513.
The Grade 1 listed building is further designated as being of outstanding architectural and historical
ETON COLLEGE
This world famous public school (meaning private) has educated boys, including no fewer than 18 British Prime Ministers. Until recently, the School was also attended by Princes William and Harry, together with a host of foreign Princes.
Eton was founded in 1440 to provide an education for seventy poor scholars – and still does provide these seventy scholarships today – no doubt more than made up for by the 1200 boys who have to pay fees in excess of £20,000 per annum.
Tours of the College are available daily in the afternoons and “Lower School” the room where the tour begins must be one of the oldest classrooms in the country. Pillars inserted to avoid calamity are said to have come from the timbers of Spanish Galleons sunk in the Armada.
The public can also visit the College Chapel on various musical occasions. Excellent performances are enhanced by the fan-vaulted ceiling, which is not as it looks, medieval, but a repair completed in 1959. The Chapel lost its glass through bomb damage but some of the finest work of the modern artist, John Piper took its place. This series alone, on the parables and the miracles, makes the visit well worthwhile.
You can also see the Museum of Eton Life, containing many mementoes of the school’s history through the ages and a short film covering Eton’s activities. Interesting as they may be, an extra pleasure can be to study the rather dazed bewilderment of some of the overseas visitors not usually exposed to the British passion for tradition.
SHOPPING
The addition of the designer collection of shops within the Windsor Royal Station has enhanced the town’s reputation as one of the most stylish shopping centres outside of London with top fashion designer names, high street outlets and three department stores plus a treasure trove of specialist shops offering rare antiques, collectors’ items and gifts.
A WINDSOR TALE ….
This is true story. Once upon a time in the year 1770, a pharmacy called Woods of Windsor began in the shadow of Windsor Castle. In those days, the resident apothecary served not only needs of the Royal Family in the Castle but also the Court, distinguished visitors and the townspeople of Windsor.
Exactly two centuries later, in 1970, Roger and Kathleen Knowles acquired what was by then a run down pharmacy and while cleaning out the attic discovered old recipe and prescription books dating back to the founding of the business. the new owners found that they had uncovered a treasure trove of original perfume formulae and began to produce fragrant perfumery, gentlemen’s toiletries and scented pot pourris packaged to reflect the historic environment in which they had been originally created. The old books were bound to preserve them for posterity.
Since this discovery Woods of Windsor has expanded to over 40 countries and the original shop in Windsor is now the company’s flagship store. Built in 1699, it stands on the corner of Thames Street and Queen Charlotte Street which at 51 feet 1 inch is England’s shortest street.
THEME PARKS IN THE AREA
Windsor is highly favoured for top attractions. A survey published in 2002 of the most popular attractions disclosed that Windsor Castle, Legoland and Chessington World of Adventures were within the top five most visited attractions in the UK.
LEGOLAND WINDSOR
All set in beautifully landscaped grounds just 2 miles up the road. From the moment they take the slides down into the park from the main entrance, in LEGOLAND the child is definitely king. They can learn to drive themselves in specially adapted cars in the Driving School. They can pilot their own lifesize LEGO boats. They can role-play in the shops in My Town, join in the fun at the Magic Theatre or even make their own TV programmes. They can go exploring in the Wild Woods, hunt for treasure with the pirates, pan for gold or ride the Pirate Falls.
Younger ones meanwhile, can discover their own little world in the DUPLO Gardens and play to their hearts content with the interactive music and water games. And of course, wherever you go there’s every sort of LEGO brick imaginable.
Let them loose in the Imagination Centre where they can design, build and test their own creations. And when they’ve had their fill of building show them how the experts do it in Miniland, a triumph of LEGO construction where the world comes alive in miniature.
Miniland
This is a collection of villages and scenes from various European countries all build from literally millions of standard LEGO bricks. The 11 scenes cover an area the size of three football pitches and are bustling with activity. In Amsterdam, water buses ply the busy canals. In London, Tower Bridge opens to let the Royal Yacht pass while a cut-away section reveals tube trains arriving at crowded stations. Cranes unload ships in the Dockland scene while the Eurostar Express plunges into the Channel Tunnel to re-appear in France on the other side of the water.
There’s the sound of High Mass stealing out from under the gleaming white domes of Sacré Coeur in Paris; the sound of shipbuilding from the boat yard in the Swedish town; and surely that is the skirl of bagpipes floating over the water of Lock Ness?
But again and again it is the tiny details which impress – the miniature window displays in the shops, the lively outdoor café, the boys on a skateboard, the old lady at the upstairs window, the Highland games taking place in the landscaped grounds of Blair Athol Castle.
Even after several visits, you would still be discovering fresh touches of wit and charm you had not noticed before.
And exactly how those LEGO model cars and lorries drive along streets, turn corners, stop and start at traffic lights when there are no wires or rails to be seen? Sheer magic! But then, that’s Miniland.
LEGO Dragon Knights Castle
Nothing stands still at Legoland, especially the kids. Dragon Knights Castle is complete with turrets, drawbridge and fire breathing dragon. Climb aboard the Dragon and scale the heights and depths of the Dragon Knight’s Castle before blazing a roller-coaster trail through the trees.
With so much to see and do, a day out in LEOGLAND will be like no other – stimulating involving and, above all, great fun.
How to get there
By Car : Located on B3022 (just 2 miles from Windsor town centre).
By Bus : Legoland buses operate from the High Street.
THORPE PARK
Staines Road, Chertsey
Located only 15 minutes by car, Thorpe Park has more than 100 rides plus a stunt dive show, the filming of a remake of Tarzan, a 1930s style farm, craft centre and nature trails. Cafes, Restaurants, Shops. Open daily 10 am – April to October.
CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURE
Leatherhead Road, Chessington
Shops, Cafes. Open daily 10 am – 5.15 pm March to November.
Only about 35 minutes from Windsor by car, this is an excellent and well developed theme park which is well worth a visit.
It has something to appeal for all ages, from gentle rides for young ones to some serious white knuckle rides.
Allow plenty of time (a full day) to enjoy all that this park has to offer.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED , In our opinion, this theme park is one of the best in the South of England..