Posts tagged Windsor
Windsor Home Park Circular Walk

Approaching Windsor Castle on the Long Walk

Start & Finish: Windsor & Eton Bridge, Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1PX
Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 42 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Coffee Shop at Windsor Farm Shop (5.4 km in), many in Windsor Town Centre
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Windsor, Windsor Home Park, Datchet, The Long Walk

This is part of a series of short circular walks containing the Thames Path National Trail. This one connects the 4th section of the Thames Path and Jubilee River series with the Runnymede and Old Windsor Circular. It’s also a great circuit of the perimeter of Windsor Castle and Home Park.

The walk starts at Windsor and Eton Bridge near Windsor Town Centre and follows the Thames Path in a north-easterly direction on the south side of the river. The first 1.3 km follows a path between the river and the railway line to Staines, passing Romney Lock. After the bridge that takes the rail line across the river the path follows the edge of the public part of Home Park. Continue following the river until Victoria Bridge. This is as far as you can go on the south side as Home Park becomes the private gardens of Windsor Castle the on other side of Victoria Bridge.

Cross over Victoria Bridge and take the path on the right to follow the Thames on the northern side. Here you’ll be able to see into the private areas of Home Park on the opposite side. The Thames Path joins the B470 after Datchet Golf Club and follows it for 130 metres, before briefly returning to the banks of the Thames for a short section to Albert Bridge. Cross Over Albert Bridge and follow the B3021 until the Old Windsor Roundabout. The Windsor Farm Shop is a good place to stop for a rest at this point.

At the Old Windsor Roundabout take a right and follow the A308 for 130 metres until you reach the Long Walk. Take a right onto the Long Walk to follow it all the way to the end at the castle. Here you’ll get great views of the castle ahead of you, the rest of the long walk behind you and the Frogmore Estate to the right.

At the end of the Long Walk, take a left onto Park Street, and continue onto High Street and Thames Street all the way back to the start at the Thames.

Richard gowerTrek, Thames, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Windsor Great Park: Queen Anne's Ride, Gravel Hill and Spring Hill

Cumberland Lodge

Start & Finish: Long Walk Gate Car Park, Crown Cottages, Kings Road, Windsor, SL4 2BQ
Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 89m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Three Castles Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, Round Berkshire Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Windsor, Windsor Great Park, Office of The High Sheriff, Cumberland Lodge

For the latest in our series of short walks around Windsor Great Park we returned the the Long Walk Gate Cark Park. This walk covers the full length of Queen Anne’s Ride, the buildings around Gravel Hill and back via the Deer Park.

From the car park, follow Queen Anne’s Ride in a south-westerly direction all the way to the Queen Elizabeth statue. Along the way you’ll pass a donut shaped sculpture commemorating the 1000 years of the Office of The High Sheriff and the replanting of the trees along the ride in 1992/1993. The equestrian statue at the top of Queen Anne’s Ride was sculpted by Philip Jackson to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002.

At the top of the Ride take the path to the left now heading west to Gravel Hill. Continue past The Royal School and Cumberland Lodge to the Cow Pond. Turn left onto Rhododendron Drive and follow it north to Bishop’s Gate. Take a left following the path along the Deer Park fence to the north of Bishopsgate Road and find the pedestrian entrance to the Deer Park.

Here you can either take the road to the Copper Horse Statue, and return via the Long Walk or, as we did, cut through the Deer Park. Having been to the Copper Horse Statue many times, the Deer Park walk was more interesting. Keep to the left side of the wooded Gore Plantation and cut through Withy Bed. Eventually you’ll re-join the Long Walk where you’ll follow it north toward the castle. After the Double Gate leave the Long Walk and take the path on the left to return to the car park.

Richard gowerTrek, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Windsor Great Park: Spittal Meadow & Queen Anne's Ride

Start & Finish: Long Walk Gate Car Park, Crown Cottages, Kings Road, Windsor, SL4 2BQ
Distance: 6.6 km (4.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 46m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Windsor, Windsor Great Park

This is a nice short walk in the Great Park with easy access to Windsor Town Centre. Start at the Long Walk Gate Car Park and take the path that leads in a north-westerly direction along the edge of the field. After ~700m take a left, heading south-west between the football club and the raised flood defense. About halfway across the next field, cross over the Bourne Ditch and trace the edge of the field as it curves round to the south-east. Follow this boundary path until it connects with the A332 and the Ranger Gate Car Park.

Cross the A332 and enter the park through the Ranger’s Gate. Don’t follow the road, but take the sandy bridleway to the left. Continue until you pass Russell’s Pond and meet Queen Anne’s Drive. Take a left and follow Queen Anne’s Drive all the way back to the Long Walk Gate Car Park.

Richard gowerTrek, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Paddleboarding on The Jubilee River
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The Jubilee River is an artificial channel built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to take overflow from the River Thames to prevent flooding around Maidenhead, Windsor, and Eton. I know it very well having ran, walked and cycled every part of the paths around it. It was the obvious place to try out our new SUPs. There’s a very gentle flow and no motorised boats allowed on it.

Here’s a guide to paddleboarding the Jubilee River in five short sections. We did full loops of each section for a total of 20km. The obvious alternative would be a 10km point-to-point trip but with a lot of portaging around the weirs.

The Jubilee River diverts from the River Thames just north of Ray Mill Island, Maidenhead. This first section isn’t accessible and the navigable part starts from Taplow Weir. For this section, the first access point is Amerden Lane. There’s not much in the way of parking here although you can park at nearby Engage Watersports only if you are renting equipment from them. Better parking is at the far end of this section at Marsh Lane Car Park.

For the other sections, there’s car parks at Marsh Lane, Lake End, The Riverside Centre and the Thames Valley Athletics Centre. Some have height restriction barriers so be careful if you are carrying your SUPs on a roof-rack. Each car-park has a good entry point to the river within a few minutes walk.

The final navigable section ends at Black Potts Weir just to the south of the Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Eton. Beyond this there’s a very short part of the Jubilee before it connects to the Thames at Home Park, Windsor. You can access this final part via the Thames but there was construction happening on this section during 2021. I’ll return another year to check this section out.

Paddleboarding The Jubilee River In 5 Sections

GPX Files: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East and OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Jubilee River, Maidenhead, Taplow, Dorney, Eton Wick, Eton, Datchet, Engage Watersports, The Riverside Centre, Thames Valley Athletics Centre

Each colour below represents a different section described below. Top left is Taplow, bottom right is Black Potts Weir.

map source: Esri Topo via RideWithGPS

map source: Esri Topo via RideWithGPS

Section 1: Taplow Weir to Marsh Lane Weir

Entry and Exit Point: Marsh Lane Car Park, Taplow, SL6 0DH (SU 91412 80317) or on Amerden Lane (SU 90761 80915)
Section Length (one way): 2.1 km (1.3 miles)
Nearby pubs and Cafes: Lake House Cafe, Amerden Lane, Taplow, SL6 0EA

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Section 2: Marsh Lane Weir to Lake End Car Park

Entry and Exit Point: Marsh Lane Car Park, Taplow, SL6 0DH (SU 91412 80317) or Lake End Car Park, Dorney, SL4 6QT (SU 92888 79519)
Section Length (one way): 2.1 km (1.3 miles)
Nearby pubs and Cafes: The Pineapple, Lake End Road, Dorney, SL4 6QS

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Section 3: Lake End Car Park to Manor Farm Weir

Entry and Exit Point: Lake End Car Park, Dorney, SL4 6QT (SU 92888 79519)
Section Length (one way): 1.5 km (0.9 miles)
Nearby pubs and Cafes: The Pineapple, Lake End Road, Dorney, SL4 6QS

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Section 4: Manor Farm Weir to Slough Weir

Entry and Exit Point: The Jubilee River Riverside Centre Car Park, Slough Road, Slough SL1 2BP (SU 97021 78863)
Section Length (one way): 2.7 km (1.6 miles)
Nearby pubs and Cafes: Several on Eton High Street

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Section 5: Slough Weir to Black Potts Weir

Entry and Exit Point: Near Thames Valley Athletics Centre, Pococks Lane Eton, Windsor, SL4 6HN (OS Grid Ref: SU 97700 78264)
or Jubilee River Riverside Centre Car Park, Slough Road, Slough SL1 2BP (SU 97021 78863)
Section Length (one way): 1.75 km (1.1 miles)
Nearby pubs and Cafes: Several on Eton High Street

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Richard gowerSUP, Windsor, Berkshire, England Comments
Round Berkshire Cycle Route - Windsor Loop
Cycle path between The Rangers Gate and Clewer Green

Cycle path between The Rangers Gate and Clewer Green

Start & Finish: Windsor Bridge, Windsor, SL4 6AA
Distance: 23.3 km (20 Miles)
Elevation change: +/- 212m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Thames Path, Jubilee River Path, Three Castles Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 4, Ascot To Windsor Cycle Path
Pubs / Cafes on route: several on Eton High Street
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Round Berkshire Cycle Route, Eton, Windsor, Windsor Bridge, Old Windsor, Windsor Great Park

Previous section: Round Berkshire Cycle Route - Maidenhead Loop

This is the first in a series of short trips to tackle the Round Berkshire Cycle Route in smaller sections. The full route is 140 miles from Lambourne in the west to Datchet in the east. I’ll probably do the whole route in a single trip one day, but for now I’m happy to break it into smaller sections. See the leaflet about the route for descriptions of the main points of interest.

We started this loop at Windsor Bridge, close to both of the town’s train stations and several car parks. From here the route heads north toward Slough before diverting east to Datchet. After Datchet the route follows the B3021 parallel to the Thames joining the A308 into Old Windsor. Depending on your love of hills, the climb up Crimp Hill into the Great Park is either a high or a low-light.

Must of Windsor Great Park is reserved for walkers and horse-riders with cycling prohibited on many paths. The route 52 takes you along the the cyclable parts on very well maintained roads. At the southern end of the park you’ll exit at Blacknest Gate following Mill Lane then Buckhurst Road. When you reach the Ascot Gate you’ll leave the route 52 as it continues along Sunninghill Road to Bracknell. Instead, return into the park and take Dukes Lane North-East to The Village.

At this point you can join an inner circle of the route 52 up to Snow Hill and the Copper Horse and back to The Village via Bishopsgate Road. On the day we were there the gates to Snow Hill were closed to cyclists so we had to double back to The Village. Whichever option you’ve taken, the next stage starts with following the westerly road from The Village junction, up to Primrose Hill and north to the Ranger’s Gate.

Be careful when exiting the Ranger’s Gate as the A332 can be extremely busy. The road is the quickest route back to Windsor, but for a safer, more interesting route, take the cycle path to the left of the road and follow it to the grounds of Windsor FC and onto the B3022. The final 2km of the route winds through residential streets before returning to the river on Barry Avenue between the Thames and Alexandra Park.

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Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Thames, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Windsor Great Park: Savill Gardens & Virginia Water
IMG_5887.jpg

Start & Finish: The Savill Garden Wick Lane, Englefield Green, Egham, TW20 0UJ
Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 66m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: none
Pubs / Cafes on route: Savill Garden Kitchen inside the Visitors’ Centre
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Windsor, Windsor Great Park

This is an easy navigable walk on the southern end of Windsor Great Park. There’s a big car park at Savill Garden which makes it an obvious place to start. An alternative is the Virgina Water Lake Visitor Centre car park on the A30. Both are expensive but free parking is hard to find around there.

From Savill Garden take the south gate from the car park and continue due south for ~1km until you reach the Totem Pole. Virgina Water Lake starts to the south-east of the Totem Pole. Cross the footbridge and stay on the lake-side path continuing clockwise to the Blacknest corner in the south-west end of the park. Continue clock-wise, crossing Five Arch Bridge, now heading north-east. Cross the bridge the connects Johnson’s Pond to Virgina Water onto High Flyer’s Hill. Be careful here to stay on the north-east track rather than the road heading north into Guards Polo Club. Eventually you’ll reach Rhododendron Drive, connecting with the east side of Obelisk Pond and back to Savill Garden.

Richard gowerTrek, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Thames Path & Jubilee River Walk - Eton Wick and Eton
Windsor Castle from The Brocas

Windsor Castle from The Brocas

Start & Finish: Eton Wick Village Hall, Eton Wick Rd, Eton Wick, Windsor SL4 6LT
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 22 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Jubilee River Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, 461, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several on Eton Wick High Street
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Jubilee River, Eton Wick, Eton, Eton College

The Jubilee River is a man-made channel built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to take overflow from the River Thames to prevent flooding around Maidenhead, Windsor, and Eton. The path along side it passes through wildlife and woodland making a easy, pleasant walk or cycle. It also runs parallel and close to the Thames, allowing for several combinations of short trips that take in both.

This is the third of a series of 4 circular walks of roughly 10 km that take in sections of both the Jubilee River and Thames Path. This one starts at Eton Wick Village Hall and takes in Eton High Street, meeting the 4th and final section.

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The Complete Route: Thames Path & Jubilee River Walks

Left to right: Maidenhead to Datchet in 4 sections. Map base: ESRI Topo via Ride With GPS

Yellow = Maidenhead & Bray, Red = Dorney & Eton Wick, Blue = Eton Wick and Eton, Greet = Eton and Datchet

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Thames, Berkshire, England, WindsorComment
Thames Path & Jubilee River Walk - Dorney and Eton Wick
Jubilee River near Dorney

Jubilee River near Dorney

Start & Finish: Eton Wick Village Hall, Eton Wick Rd, Eton Wick, Windsor SL4 6LT
Distance: 9.9 km (6.1 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 25 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Jubilee River Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A but some shops on Eton Wick Road
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Jubilee River, Eton Wick, Dorney Lake, Boveney Lock, St Mary Magdalene's Church, Boveney

The Jubilee River is a man-made channel built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to take overflow from the River Thames to prevent flooding around Maidenhead, Windsor, and Eton. The path along side it passes through wildlife and woodland making a easy, pleasant walk or cycle. It also runs parallel and close to the Thames, allowing for several combinations of short trips that take in both.

This is the second of a series of 4 circular walks of roughly 10 km that take in sections of both the Jubilee River and Thames Path. This one starts at Eton Wick village hall and meets up with section on on Harcourt Road in Dorney Reach.

The Complete Route: Thames Path & Jubilee River Walks

Left to right: Maidenhead to Datchet in 4 sections. Map base: ESRI Topo via Ride With GPS

Yellow = Maidenhead & Bray, Red = Dorney & Eton Wick, Blue = Eton Wick and Eton, Greet = Eton and Datchet

Richard gowerTrek, Thames, Chilterns, Berkshire, Windsor, EnglandComment
Runnymede Memorials Circular Walk
Far East side of the NT estate near the Runnymede Hotel and Spa

Far East side of the NT estate near the Runnymede Hotel and Spa

Start & Finish: The National Trust Car Park, Windsor Rd, Englefield Green, Windsor SL4 2JL
Distance: 7 km (4.5 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 91 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4
Other Pubs / Cafes on route: Magna Carta Tea Room (SL4 2JJ), Runnymede Cafe (TW20 0AE)
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: National Trust Runnymede and Ankerwycke, RAF Memorial Runnymede, Lutyen’s Kiosks, Magna Carta

This is a short walk that packs in a lot of history. Runnymede is a National Trust site on the banks of the Thames to the South East of Windsor. It’s most famous for being the location where the Magna Carta, a charter of rights and basis of modern law, was signed by King John in 1215. This walk combines a pleasant section of the Thames path with the main memorials and monuments in the area.

Start at the National Trust car-park (free to members) opposite the Tea Rooms. From here follow the Thames Path for ~2.75 km to the Runnymede Hotel and Spa just before the M25 river crossing. Both the National Trust managed banks of the river and the Pleasure Ground are great places to stop for a picnic in the summer. Watch out for the Queen Elizabeth statue in the Pleasure Grounds and the paintings on the lock-keepers cottage at Bell Weir Lock.

At the Eastern end of the Runnymede Hotel you’l find a footpath that takes you away from the river, through the car-park and up to the A308 Windsor Road. As you cross the road you’ll see 2 octagonal brick buildings called the Lutyens Kiosks. These were commissioned by architect Edward Lutyens to commemorate the death of MP Urban Broughton who died in 1929.

With the kiosks behind you continue along the footpath across the fields in a westerly direction for just over 1 km. Here you’ll find a path that takes you up into Cooper’s Hill Woods and onto Cooper’s Hill Lane. Continue for ~1km past the Kingswood University campus on your left to the gates of the RAF Memorial on your right. The RAF Memorial commemorates more than 20,000 airmen and women who were lost in the Second World War who have no known grave. I’ve been there several times before and always found it to be a peaceful, thought-provoking place.

On exiting the RAF Memorial, take a left onto Cooper’s Hill Road and retrace your steps to a footpath that takes you North into the woods at the Western corner of the memorial property. This path takes you steeply down and back to the fields where the main Runnymede memorials are located. The final 1 km of the walk is worth taking slowly to fully appreciate the history and significance of the memorials and works of art. In order you’ll pass Writ In Water, The American Bar Association Magna Carta Monument, The JFK Memorial and The Jurors artwork. The National Trust page for Runnymede is a great start for finding out more about these.

After The Jurors, you’ll be back at the A308 Windsor Road with the Car Park on the other side.

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Richard gowerTrek, Thames, National Trust, Windsor, Berkshire, Surrey, EnglandComment
Beat The Boat 10k

When: June 30th 2019
Where: Eton Riverside, Berkshire, UK
Course: Out and back from The Brocas park at Eton with a large loop at Eton Wick and a small loop at the start and end.
Other routes touched: Thames Path, NCN 4
Finish time: 52 minutes

This was a fun 10k with a difference. The route was mainly along the Thames Path between Eton and Dorney chasing 1 of 5 pacer boats down the river. I was aiming for the 55 boat but I got overexcited when I overtook the 50 boat with 1 mile to go. I thought I'd smashed it but didn't realise that the final half km was a lap of the big field at the finish, so the 50 boat caught up. I still beat the 55 boat with 3 minutes to spare.

 
Richard gowerRun, 10k, Windsor, Berkshire, EnglandComment
Thames Path & Jubilee River Walk - Eton and Datchet
View across the Thames from Home Park to the confluence with the Jubilee River

View across the Thames from Home Park to the confluence with the Jubilee River

Start / Finish: Car park at the Jubilee River Riverside Centre, Slough Road, SL1 2BP
Distance: 7.4 km (4.6 miles)
Elevation change: +-/ 22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Thames Path, Jubilee River Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 4, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many either side of Eton Bridge
Map: OS Explorer 160 Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Jubilee River, Windsor, Eton, Eton College, Datchet

The Jubilee River is a man-made channel built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to take overflow from the River Thames to prevent flooding around Maidenhead, Windsor, and Eton. The path along side it passes through wildlife and woodland making a easy, pleasant walk or cycle. It also runs parallel and close to the Thames, allowing for several combinations of short trips that take in both.

This is the fourth of a series of 4 circular walks of roughly 10 km that take in sections of both the Jubilee River and Thames Path. This one starts at the small car park at the Riverside Centre on the Jubilee River north of Eton.

The first 1 km from the car-park follows NCN Route 61 before it diverts north toward the Grand Union. Here, keep on the Jubilee River heading south-east after the footbridge, crossing over Eton Road, under the railway line and into Datchet Golf Club. The confluence with the Thames is hidden from the path by high hedges that border the golf course. When you cross the bridge on King Edward II Avenue look back along the east bank and you can see the junction of the rivers.

On the bridge you’ll also get a great view of Windsor Castle and, to the south, the private areas of the Castle estate. Immediately after bridge, turn right onto Home Park and follow the Thames Path as it bends round towards Eton Bridge. After crossing under the railway line for a second time the path crosses a light industrial area containing a boat repair yard and Romney Lock. Despite living near Windsor for most of my life I didn’t even know there was a lock there as you can easily miss it. After the lock the path follows the edge of the Railway Station car-park and opens out to Windsor Riverside.

Here's a good point in the trip to take a break and there’s loads of choice on either side of Eton Bridge. The route continues back on the Eton side of the bridge with a couple of options. The short option would be to follow Eton High Street / B3022 as it will take you directly back to the start. A longer but more interesting alternative is to take a left turn off Eton High Street through Church Close. This takes you on paths round the back of the college buildings and playing fields, then along the Slough/Windsor railway spur leading back to the Jubilee River west of the car park.

The Complete Route: Thames Path & Jubilee River Walks

Left to right: Maidenhead to Datchet in 4 sections. Map base: ESRI Topo via Ride With GPS

Yellow = Maidenhead & Bray, Red = Dorney & Eton Wick, Blue = Eton Wick and Eton, Greet = Eton and Datchet

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Windsor, Thames, Berkshire, EnglandComment