London 2025 - Day Five

 

Day Five and our second train journey.

Off to Paddington Station for our trip to Windsor.

We took a short train ride to Slough, changed trains, and then arrived in Windsor.  We traveled to the Central Station, which is closer for the castle, but we could have traveled direct to the Riverside Station, but that would mean a short trek up the hill to the castle.

We were early so we stopped for a quick breakfast.

A very short walk up the hill and since we had pre-booked our tickets, we walked straight in.

Another very short walk and we were at St. George's Gate where we picked up our audio guides.

A defensive (for shooting arrows out) or offensive (for stabbing swords in) position.

The Round Tower

On to the State Apartments through the Norman Gate, again no photographs but it was really magnificent

The Quadrangle - Prince Philip's funeral cortege left through the archway on the left to make its way down the hill to the chapel and you can still see the covered dais at the far end from the German President's visit

Equestrian statue of King Charles I in the quadrangle

St. George's Chapel

The front entrance to the chapel seen in the last few years during royal weddings held here

We walked down the hill to our afternoon tea reservation at the Sir Christopher Wren Hotel

It was ok, Vic gave it 4/5 stars, I gave it 3 as the bread was far too thick and there's the dreaded fruit!

We did have a lovely table by the window and watched the swans on the Thames

Back to the Windsor Royal shopping area next to the station

Waitrose, the Whole Foods of the UK, the first large supermarket we visited

Vic navigating the self-checkout - you had to weigh your fruit or vegetable to receive a bar code sticker which you then placed on your item for scanning

The Queen's Train is a full-size replica of a Great Western Railway class steam locomotive No. 3041, named "The Queen".  The locomotive was used by Queen Victoria to travel between Windsor and London, marking her as the first British monarch to use a train.   The replica is permanently parked at Windsor & Eton Central Railway Station and features the regal flourishes and design elements seen on the original machine, including the Royal Coat of Arms and the loco's name inscribed along the side.

The Royal Coat of Arms

Mind the Gap as we wait for the train back to London

It was a lovely day with only a little bit of drizzle which I think kept the crowds at bay.