Heritage Thames
Why not take a two day trip and discover the heritage trail that takes you from Windsor Castle, across the river to Eton College and discover 1000 years of history?
Day One
Start your exploration with a visit to Windsor Castle, official residence of the Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A royal home and fortress for over 900 years, the castle remains a working palace today. The Castle covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal home, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of hundreds of people. See the changing of the guards at 11am and take a wander around St George's Chapel, one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England.
Having spent the morning at the castle, stop for a well-earned rest at the Crooked House Tearooms, with it's fresh local produce and extensive menu ... you could even visit a bit later in the day and sample one of their famous cream teas, each one named after British royals!
Once refreshed, you can re-join the heritage trail which leads directly from the Castle to the famous Eton College. Passing the Old Kings Head in Church Street, bearing a plaque on it's wall recording the warrant for execution of Charles I in 1648 and said to be where William Shakespeare wrote The Merry Wives of Windsor. Just parallel to Church Street is Queen Charlotte Street, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the shortest street in Britain at only 51 feet 10 inches.
Once in Eton, you might fancy spending a few hours in its famous antique or farmers markets. You could also take a trip to the Windsor Farm Shop, on the edge of the Home Park, which has been created by converting some Victorian potting sheds. They sell a range of products from the Royal Farms and small local specialist suppliers. Having stocked up on fresh, local produce, there are plenty of excellent B&Bs and guesthouses in Windsor where you can spend the night.
Day Two
Having spent a relaxing evening in Windsor, why not hop aboard a passenger boat to take you from Windsor to Runnymede and admire the beautiful landscape of the River Thames on the way? The trip takes an hour and a half, during which you will pass through Romney Lock, Datchet Mead (where Sir John Falstaff got a ducking in The Merry Wives of Windsor) and Old Windsor Lock. You will also see Old Windsor, court of Edward the Confessor and the Cooper Hill War Memorial before disembarking at Runnymede where you will find the memorial where King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215.
While at Runnymede you can also visit the memorials to John F Kennedy and the American Bar Association, the Lutyens-designed Fairhaven Lodges, the important archaeological site of Ankerwycke, the remains of a 12th Century priory and the magnificent Ankerwycke Yew, believed to be over 2,000 years old. If you want to relax for lunch, the Magna Carta Tea Rooms aren't far away where you can recharge your batteries before returning home.