A Royal Day Trip to Windsor Castle
A whimsical escape to Windsor Castle is something I’ve been dreaming of for quite some time. Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the entire world. It’s been the family home of British kings and queens (39 to be exact!) for 1,000 years and it’s the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II.
In typical English fashion, the morning started with grey clouds and a light drizzle as I hopped on the train at London Paddington, headed for Windsor. Just a quick train ride until I was there. I was in awe of all that was to come.
As you enter through the castle gates just after opening, you are greeted with the quiet hush throughout the castle grounds. Feeling magically transported back in time, it’s truly a royal yet genuine experience unlike anything else.
The events for the day were to include a climb to the top of the iconic Round Tour during the limited-time ‘Conquer the Tower’ tour (open during August and September only), followed by a tour of the magnificent State Apartments and the opportunity to see St. George’s Chapel, recently the location of the wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle.
Recommended Reading: Lovely Day Trips from London
*Disclaimer: I was invited by Great West Way and the Royal Collection Trust to visit Windsor Castle. Though the ‘Conquer the Tower’ tour and the tour of Windsor Palace were both complimentary, all opinions are entirely my own.
Great West Way is an incredible resource if you’re looking for more places to visit along the route from London to Bristol.
The History of Windsor Castle
Before I start gushing about how incredible the experience was, I always like to dig into a bit of history first as this gives us a deeper understanding of what we are about to see. Built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, Windsor Castle was designed to protect Norman dominance around the outskirts of London, which is a one day’s march from the castle.
It’s a motte-and-bailey castle, occupying 12 acres (5.3 hectares) of land, and combines the features of a fortification, a palace, and a small town. It’s no wonder it feels a bit like a medieval maze once you get inside the castle walls.
Now let’s talk about the Round Tower as this is the oldest part of Windsor Castle. At the heart of Windsor Castle is the Middle Ward where the Round Tower stands high atop the motte (man-made hill). Originally built out of wood in 1170 by King Henry I, the wooden structures throughout the castle were later replaced by his successor, King Henry II. Then, during the reign of George IV, the Round Tower was raised another 30 ft. because, well, the Tower wasn’t imposing enough to his liking.
Come to find out, George IV was quite extravagant, to say the least, and much of the castle that you see today is thanks to him. He had the castle and its interiors remodelled in the 1820s at a great expense, but we’ll get into that later. Now, onward to the Tower!
The Highlights of Windsor Castle
The Round Tower
There is much to be seen within the castle grounds but the tour of the iconic Round Tower is only offered throughout August and September each year so let’s start there. Whilst the Queen retreats to Scotland for the summer months, guests can enjoy the picturesque views from Windsor’s highest point. The remainder of Windsor Castle can be visited year-round.
It’s 200 steps to the top so because of this, suitable shoes are a necessity and no backpacks or umbrellas can be taken with you, leaving your hands free for safety. Rest assured though. As someone who’s claustrophobic and afraid of heights, I did not have any problems with the climb to the top.
As you enter the Round Tower from ground level, you’ll see the first set of stairs stretched out before you. This staircase, in particular, was designed with defense in mind. First, you’ll see the archway, known as a ‘pinch point.’ Because the staircase narrows, it would have created a bottleneck. Here, there was also a lattice gate that would drop down during an attack. Lastly, at the top of the staircase, you’ll see a 10-foot cannon hidden in the wall which, in the case of an attack, would fire shrapnel at the intruders.
Our guide gave us so many insightful facts which I found very fascinating and even felt a bit like I was in an episode of Outlander or The Last Kingdom. After all, castle intrusions were quite common back in that day.
After the first set of stairs, you make your way onto the first viewing platform, looking out over the gorgeous Quadrangle. Because this overlooks the Queen’s Private Residence, photography is prohibited here so sit back and enjoy this intimate view where you’ll also see the State Apartments and the Sovereign’s Entrance. Since you won’t see any photos of the Quadrangle here, I can only recommend that you see it for yourself. It was one of my favorite views of Windsor as the buildings in the Upper Ward are just so stunning.
Then, it’s time for the remainder of the climb that leads to the grand finale. This spiral iron staircase is more enclosed than the first set of stairs with no breaks, but I didn’t find it at all dizzying or tiring, unlike say, Bath Abbey. When you make it to the top, you can see for miles. Literally. You’ll have a 360-degree view of Windsor parkland, the Thames Valley, and even the London skyline.
Look down over the beautiful St. George’s Chapel and the stunning Long Walk. From here, you’ll also get a close view of the flag tower, which flies the Royal Standard when The Queen is in residence and the Union flag when Her Majesty is away from Windsor. The tour groups are kept small so you’ll have plenty of space to take in the peaceful surroundings.
‘Conquer the Tower’ tours run from 1 August – 30 September at regular intervals from 10:15 to 15:40. You can buy a combined ticket to Windsor Castle and the ‘Conquer the Tower’ tour here.
Recommended Reading: UK Travel Guides
After our ‘Conquer the Tower’ tour, we took a short break for tea and cake. The cakes were sent over from Buckingham Palace where they were prepared by The Queen’s award-winning Chef. It was the absolute treat of a lifetime! (The cakes are not included in the tour, sadly.)
The State Apartments
Next, we were met by a warden who took us on a tour of the State Apartments. (Travel Tip: You’ll find wardens throughout all of Windsor Castle and they are so resourceful and knowledgeable, happy to answer any questions you may have.)
There are two routes you can take, the Ceremonial Route (showing you the main State Apartments that are used today by The Queen and members of the Royal Family) and the Historic Route (showing you the rooms that were built for Charles II and his Queen, Catherine of Braganza). You can take a self-guided tour of both routes using the complimentary multimedia guides.
I was blown away by the splendour of the Ceremonial Route. Photography is not permitted inside so I highly recommend coming to see it for yourself. I’ve visited quite a few castles and palaces over the years, and the rooms here at Windsor Castle were more grand, detailed, and beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen before (aside from the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles of course).
With around 1,000 rooms and 484,000 square feet, Windsor Castle is officially one of the largest residences in the world. From the impressive display of portraits to Henry VIII’s armor c. 1540, I was blown away.
The Royal Collection Trust is currently investing in a series of projects at Windsor Castle that will transform the visitor experience. For example, George IV’s Inner Hall is being opened up which will allow visitors to enjoy the incredible view of the two-and-a-half-mile tree-lined Long Walk. I can only imagine what it’ll be like to go back in a few years.
After finishing the tour of the State Apartments and getting a detailed look into the history of Windsor Castle, its 39 monarchs, and the fire of 1992, it was time to finally see St George’s Chapel.
St George’s Chapel
St George’s Chapel is the final resting place of ten monarchs, second only to Westminster Abbey. Watch your step as tombs are scattered throughout the Chapel, including the tomb of Henry VIII. Like the State Apartments, this was a truly remarkable experience to see up close and personal, especially after watching the 2018 Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Ms Megan Markle.
Along with St George’s Chapel, you’ll also find the charming Horseshoe Cloisters and the Changing the Guard ceremony with the New and Old Guard entering and leaving through the Henry VIII Gate (when The Queen is not in residence).
What to do in Windsor
You could easily spend an entire day inside the walls of Windsor Castle but there is also much else to be seen around the town of Windsor. I suggest going on a hunt for the famous Windsor Crooked House (hint: it’s not far from the castle) and stopping in for a cream tea at Clarence Brasserie & Tea Room. Their scones are delicious!
Don’t forget about The Long Walk. From the Castle gate to the foot of the statue of King George III (The Copper Horse) The Long Walk measures 2.64 miles in length and when you’re done with your tour of Windsor Castle, I highly recommend going for a stroll.
King Charles II’s vision for The Long Walk was inspired by none other than Versailles and today, The Queen and visiting Heads of State travel by carriage to the Castle up the Long Walk on the first day of a State Visit.
Getting There
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Windsor is just a short train ride or drive from London. After all, you can see the London skyline from the top of the Round Tower. Hop on the train at Paddington Station, where you’ll make a quick transfer in Slough to Windsor/Eton. As soon as you walk out of the train station, Windsor Castle greets you with all of its royal splendour.
Thank you for joining me for a magical day at Windsor Castle. Click here to learn more and/or book your tour of the iconic Round Tower in August or September. I had such a lovely time, learning so much about the royal history of Britain. It’s an experience I’ll be talking about for years to come and highly recommend a visit as it’s the perfect day trip from London!
If you’re looking for more ideas on places to visit between London and Bristol, head over to Great West Way!
Lastly, you can find more of my UK whimsical wanderings over on Instagram @ChelseaDinen so please do stop by and say hi!
