Attractions At The Royal Windsor
One Of The Most Stunning Castles Around Is The Royal Windsor, Open Year Round, So Stay At A Closeby Caravan Or Camp Site As Your Base To Explore The UK
Follow in the footsteps of Meghan Markle and discover one of the most beautiful and stunning castles in the UK. Meghan is set to marry Prince Harry in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle this May.
Just over an hour from London by road, Windsor is the Queen’s favourite weekend home. It is not surprising given the sheer beauty of this area. Surrounded by the 4,800 acre Windsor Great Park, the castle stands proudly above the town. Within a few minutes walk is the River Thames, as well as an racecourse. You can tell immediately if the Queen is in residence at Windsor Castle as her Royal Standard will fly above the Round Tower. If she is not there, the Union Flag is flown.
Windsor Castle is open all year round, even when the Queen is staying there. This is the oldest and largest continuously inhabited castle in the world, having been built over 1,000 years ago. Surrounded by massive stone walls, the interior of the castle is made up of an outer bailey where on most days, you can watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony. This is also where St George’s Chapel can be found. In May, members of the Royal Family and the happy couple will follow the winding road leading down from the Round Tower and State Apartments through crowds of well wishers.
Take a look at the Chapel and it is easy to see why Prince Harry and Meghan chose it as the venue for their wedding. The wooden beamed roof soars high above the beautifully arched, intricate Gothic stonework and light seems to flicker with colour from the medieval stained glass windows. As you progress up the nave towards the altar, you pass under a great mass of banners. Every member of the historic order of Knights of the Garter has the right to hang their banner here. As a venue, it has an air of intimacy yet will hold a very large number of people while having a lot of Royal connections. Not only is the chapel of Windsor Castle, it is the burial place of 10 UK monarchs including Charles I, Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour.
Not to be missed while visiting Windsor Castle are the spectacular State Rooms created by Charles II to rival Versailles, and the amazing detail of Queen Mary’s Dolls House. Built to show every facet of 1920’s style life, the Dolls House is a miniature royal palace.
Take a stroll in the grounds and explore the gardens and Windsor Great Park. The sheer scale of the Parkland makes it hard to see everything, especially since it links into the stunning beautiful Savill Garden 4 miles away, which offers 35 acres of display gardens. A great way to see as much as possible is to take a horse drawn carriage ride around the winding paths of the gardens and park.
Windsor has more to offer than just the Castle, making it a great place to start exploring the UK. It is well located, as it is just 20 minutes from Heathrow Airport. The sight of planes flying low over Windsor Castle as they begin their approach to the airport makes fantastic photographs! RV’s and camper vans can be hired for collection at the airport via websites like www.ukmotorhomes4hire.co.uk, www.motorholme.co.uk and www.motorhomehireuk.net/heathrow.
There are several caravan and camp sites in the vicinity of Windsor such as the Hurley Riverside Park. Booking space in advance is recommended as they are very popular. If you are a member of the Camping & Caravanning Club, there are also several members only sites.
So what else can be seen at Windsor? A great way to discover the hidden history and fascinating stories about the town and its inhabitants is to book on a guided walk. For a more spooky version, try Haunted Windsor tours and discover tales of Herne the Hunter, unfriendly ghosts that lock doors, ghostly ladies who flit between tables in a restaurant and of course, the countless castle ghosts.
You can go to the races at Windsor Racecourse or take scenic boat rides along the River Thames. For something slightly different, there are amphibious vehicles known as the Windsor Duck which tour Windsor by road, then splashdown into the river for a short cruise. If you like sampling craft beer, then head for the Windsor & Eton Brewery and enjoy a guided tour.
Perfect for families is Legoland Windsor, a theme park where kids of all ages will be enthralled by intricate buildings made out of Lego, getting drenched in the water features, making models, riding rollercoasters and taking part in interactive adventures.
A few minutes walk from Windsor leads you to the pretty town of Eton, where Prince William and Prince Harry went to school. Every Friday afternoon, between May and September, you can join guided tours of Eton College and see where they played the iconic Wall Game and historic buildings dating back to the fifteenth century. There are several museums locally, and a good range of shops from antiques to delicatessens.
Further afield within easy driving distance is the River and Rowing Museum at Henley on Thames. This is the site of the Henley Royal Regatta. Every July, it attracts thousands of visitors to watch international standard rowing matches along the River Thames.
Runnymede should not be missed while in the area. It was on this site in 1215 that King John signed the Magna Carta. You can stroll through pretty meadows and woodland leading down to the river, as well as following footpaths to the John F. Kennedy Memorial and a memorial to airmen killed in WW2.
Angela Youngman
An experienced travel writer based in the UK. Angela has worked for numerous magazines such as Group Travel World, Calibre and Houston Hotel Magazine. She is the author of several guidebooks and e-books.
Make Sure To Check Out:
Legoland Windsor, where there are over 55 rides and attractions that children can fly through the treetops to escape fearsome dragons, ride the thrilling rapids with a Viking fleet, or join LEGO® divers on a magical underwater adventure on Atlantis Submarine Voyage.