Things to do during your bed and breakfast Windsor stay at the Clarence Hotel guest house.
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 atmospheric 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 life size 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 from your bed and breakfast Windsor accommodation.
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.
We hope you enjoy your bed and breakfast Windsor stay with so many things to do. |
