A Brief Guide To Windsor Castle

 What Is Windsor Castle?

In the county of Berkshire, lies the impressive Windsor Castle. As castles go, Windsor Castle is well worth a visit when you visit the UK(travel restrictions permitting). But, what exactly is Windsor Castle?

There are so many ways that this impressive castle could be described, however, as a Perth window cleaner, a common guy, it is a skill that I have to be able to put it's features in a way that could be easily understood by the average lay person.

Relationship With Queen Elizabeth 2

Windsor Castle is a dwelling. As such, this means that the castle is not just for show, it is a functioning Royal residence. According to Wikipedia 

"the Queen isolated at Windsor for several months during 2020, as well as celebrating Christmas there for the first time since 1987"

 and this is in addition to it's use as a winter retreat for the Royals away from the hustle and bustle of the Capital. Looking at the stately grounds, and attractive parks, it is not hard to understand why the Castle has this use. 

It's Use As A Dwelling 

Not only is the Castle a dwelling for the Royal household, this privilege means that it retains a substantial amount of staff who live and work there. Whilst the latest figures are not available, the 2006 figures show that there were 500 people living and working there at the time.

The Castle has experienced temporary closure during the Pandemic, as such, it is likely that the number of inhabitants has reduced substantially during this period. 

How To Get To Windsor Castle. 

It is worth repeating that the Castle is temporarily closed ( check the latest Government advice for updates at the official site here). However, when the Castle does reopen, the approximate travel times from London are: 

Train 22 minutes 

Bus 1 hour and 15 minutes 

Car 45 minutes. 

When it comes to visiting by train, the quickest route takes around 22 minutes from Paddington Station and arrives at Windsor and Eton Central Station. Although this is by far the quickest route, it will mean that you have to change trains at Slough, which, although inconvenient, may be a good trade off for a quick journey, and maximum use of time during your day out. The other option is slower but doesn't require changing trains. This is by departing form Waterloo Station to Windsor and Eton Central Station. This route takes more than double the time, at around 55 minutes. 

With that in mind, you may wonder if it would be better to go by car instead? This is not an option that we would recommend. London traffic is notoriously busy, there are tolls to pay, and the parking costs are hefty. 

Whichever route you choose, one thing is for sure...when you can, and do, visit Windsor Castle you will immerse yourself in a location that offers the best in History, Culture, and all that brand UK has to offer!