Windsor to Old Windsor.

I’m back in Windsor. The train from Waterloo took about an hour, that represents about 4 days walking back down the Thames Path!

For this late afternoon I’d planned a short walk to Old Windsor. A coffee from the Eliza Coffee Co at the station set me on my way at the cost of £2,50. I’m going to check out prices, high and low as I move into London.

There seems to have been a lot of rain since I was last here. The river is running full and the path turned to mud again. The familiar, once a minute,  planes coming into land are still overhead somewhere in the mist.  On the map there seemed to be a good path all the way on the south bank through Home Park, how innocent I was – this is royal Windsor and security is discrete but high. As I found out us commoners must stick to the roads.

A lane leads past old water works into a small part of Home Park given to the people of Windsor by Queen  Victoria. There are views across the misty meadows to the Castle where preparations are being made for a Royal Wedding next month. In today’s paper it is announced that politicians won’t automatically be invited and money to charity rather than presents from well wishers. Harry and Meghan are trying to appear less ‘Royal ‘ but the cost is still over £30m and how those charities would love to get their hands on that. Windsor Castle – the largest and oldest occupied castle in Europe, protector of the Thames and Royal residence to this day. No wonder the tourists flock here but there were none in the mud with me today.

Victoria’s charity doesn’t go far as at the next bridge (Victoria) further access along this side of the river is blocked.

Victoria Bridge.

The forbidden path, notice the mistletoe in the trees.

Across the road bridge a muddy path follows the Thames for a short distance until forced onto a busy road through Datchet. At least I was making quicker progress than the rush hour traffic along side me. I wouldn’t want to travel that road every night. What a shame that the path through the Royal Castle gardens couldn’t have been used, memo to Harry and Meghan. Security would never allow it with republicans like me about.

Of note since my last foray higher up the Thames is the absence of any Red Kites today and presumably from here on. Also in the intervening time more flowers are in bloom particularly Camellia and Magnolia in people’s gardens.

Another bridge (Albert- spot the theme) took me into Old Windsor and a perfect B and B which bizarrely was situated in the middle of a roundabout but turned out to be excellent, characterful old house in extensive gardens. The hosts being keen walkers helped.                    http://www.manorcottagewindsor.co.uk

Albert Bridge.

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