Sunningdale to Windsor walk

Length: 17.0km (10.6 miles), if ending the walk at Windsor Riverside railway station: 16.6 km (10.3 miles) if ending at Windsor Central, and 16.8 km (10.4 miles) if ending at Staines. Allow 4 hours for the walk. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow 8 hours – or 9 hours if visiting Savill Gardens.

This walk explores Virginia Water (a lake), Valley Gardens (which overlooks it), Windsor Great Park (a forest and deer park), and the Long Walk to Windsor Castle.

Near the start of this walk, you go through Coworth Park, with its polo playing fields, to enter the 4,800 acres of Windsor Great Park (no entrance charge), near the Virginia Water lake.

You pass through Valley Gardens, overlooking the lake, which have a vast collection of rhododendrons and azaleas, which flower spectacularly in May or June. Check @WindsorGtPk

Lunch is in a pleasant cafeteria over­looking the Savill Gardens (you have to pay to enter the gardens).

After lunch, the route is up Rhododendron Ride to Cow Pond, which is covered in an array of water lilies. From here, it is through some light woods and on to the Royal Lodge, to pass through gates into Windsor Deer Park.

You now have a choice of route onwards: make for the Copper Horse statue and simply embark on the full 4km of the Long Walk (which feels a bit long after a while), or follow the original (and more complicated) route through the park, joining it 1km further along.

When you eventually reach the gates of Windsor Castle you turn left into the town, to walk through some of its oldest streets and their many inns, cafes and restaurants are all suitable for a tea stop.

This walk may be undertaken all year round and it is relatively mud-free in winter. However, the best time to try it is in mid-May, when the azaleas are in full bloom, and the rhododendrons are coming into flower.

This walk is covered by our Club's insurance. Our Club is registered on The British Mountaineering Council (BMC)

© Club Hiking in London. Ltd (CASC) in collaboration with Saturday Walkers Club.
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