Today I reached Windsor, with its famous castle.
I didn’t go into the castle, as I didn’t arrive until late afternoon, but I did get a look at it from the outside. One thing I had not appreciated how massive Windsor Castle is. Even today, it dominates the town around it – it must have been a truly imposing sight in the days when royal power had real meaning.
Like Carcassonne in the Languedoc, it almost seems too perfect an example of a medieval castle to be true and, like Carcassonne, it is. The current castle has been restored repeatedly over the years, with many of those restorations long postdating the time when there was any real need for fortifications. But, for all the renovations, there is still a sense of both authenticity and authority.
If Her Majesty ever decides to sell up, however, the listing will have to describe it as “ideal for insomniac aviation fanatic”. Windsor Castle sits only a couple of miles directly west of Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, and Heathrow’s runways are aligned east and west. I had wondered why my hotel, which looks directly onto the castle walls, was so reasonably priced. I now know.
Day 24 Route: Marlow to Windsor via Thames Path. Terrain: riverside path. Weather: warm, mix of sun and cloud. Daily distance: 22.9 km/14.2 miles. Cumulative distance: 582.3 km/361.0 miles. Accommodation: Harte and Garter Hotel, Windsor.
Come Wind, Come Weather 