A Dream Destination
An article about the grandeur of Windsor Castle
Traditionally the sites are famous for and named after the cities and towns they are located in, but Windsor, a suburban town and tourist destination in the south of England, is famed because of the site of Windsor Castle. The Castle originally got its name from the town it was located in but it was because of this Castle the town got its ultimate fame. This town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire is situated south of River Thames, which forms its boundary with Eton, a town which owes its fame to Eton College. The settlement of Old Windsor largely shifted to New Windsor (officially renamed Windsor in 1974) just three miles away and as a result of royal residence in the area, the town of Windsor enjoys the facilities usually found in larger cities with two railway stations, a theatre and many hotels.
Set in the heart of Thames Valley this little town, less than thirty miles from Central London and eight from Heathrow, is dominated by some of the most charming scenery in the kingdom. Encircled by historical Towers and villages as well as royal heritage the Thames River seems completely imbedded in a frame work of wooded surroundings. The town is enfolded by unspoiled rural areas, the loveliest of countryside in the Middle Thames and some of the finest reaches of this legendary water course. The landscape, buildings and general atmosphere of the place combine to reflect the special character which is the epitome of the area. Each village has its own distinct personality with boutiques and fine arts and crafts, augmented by enchanting scenic dexterity where one can enjoy a perfect repose. The delightfully mild and genial weather and friendly local population make this place further tourist friendly giving it a fair share of public patronage.
We had gone to Windsor to see the Castle and that is what this place is all about. It is the second most important official residence of the British monarch after Buckingham Palace in London, Holybood palace in Edinburgh coming next. Set in the picturesque Thames Valley it is the largest inhabited castle in the world, with continuous occupation, dating back to the times of William the Conqueror. It has been a garrison fortress, a royal home, official palace and even a prison for the royalty at times. Castle’s history and that of the British monarchy are extricabely linked.
Sprawling over thirteen acres of scenic landscape on a steep hill side this one thousand years old castle contains magnificent state apartments furnished with treasures from the royal collection and St George’s Chapel, one of the most beautiful buildings in England. Ten British Monarchs also lie buried in its premises. Queen Mary’s doll house in the Castle Museum is a masterpiece in miniature. I have seen another miniature royal doll house in Rijks museum in Amsterdam and I find it difficult to compare between the two as both are a class in their own.
One of the top twenty visitors’ attractions in the UK this castle in south east England has more to it than just being a working royal palace. It has been divided into state and private quarters where many attractions have been added for the tourists. The change of guards, for example, is what the tourists love to see. These very guards ‘frozen’ like statues without even blinking their eyes are a great attraction for the kids who like to get photographed with them. They watch in disbelief if these guards in red could be living human souls. The Windsor Great Park surrounds the Castle making it a perfect place for picnics, walking, cycling and horse riding. Developed on 4800 acres this vast parkland, once an old hunting forest with the Saxon Kings, is only partly open to the public. Rest of the park is in official use. Another attraction of the area, the Windsor Race Course, set in the beautiful countryside on the banks of River Thames and overlooked by the imposing Windsor Castle, offers a delightful blend of traditional and modern charms and comforts.
A visit to Windsor is incomplete without a trip to the Safari Park in the outskirts of the town. This park, billed as ‘African Adventure’, no longer exists and has been replaced by another novel enterprise, the Lego land, but I still carry fond memories of the place that I visited twice over the years. This park included drive through animal enclosures where the wild animals roamed around freely, an enchanting aviary with a saga of colourful birds, a dolphinarium with trained dolphins, a killer whale and beefy sea lions and a number of theme park rides for the brave. Dolphinarium was a popular family attraction where dolphins and the killer whale performed acrobatic shows to the packed audience. My second visit to the park, crammed into the car with my family, rekindled the memories of my first trip as a student. The chimpanzees’ enclosure was the one the kids enjoyed the most and we stopped to see their gymnastic feats. This was a mistake. These boisterous animals, unleashing all their energies, swarmed around our stationary car and toyed with the rubber nozzles of the windshield washer, wiper blades, wing mirrors and the aerial and in the process the rubber nozzles became history like the Safari park itself a few years later.
Founded in 1969 this Safari park was disbanded in early nineteen nineties due to financial crisis and a child-oriented park, themed around the Lego toy system, was erected on this location in 1996. Trained dolphins were sent to a marine park in the Netherlands. Other animals were relocated elsewhere. Another safari park at Knowley near Liverpool in North West England built in 1971 is still functional but having seen both, and comparing the two, I personally feel the one at Windsor was set in better environments.
The famous public school at Eton across the Thames is another place of significance in the area. Built originally for the poor scholars it is one of the most exclusive public schools in the world which has been an alma mater to eighteen British Prime Ministers, the luminaries including Macmillan and Douglas Home. Shopping as usual is at its best in this small tourist town with street retailers, antique shops and souvenir display centres sitting quaintly with designer labels and departmental stores. It is an ideal place for contemporary shopping. Boating in Thames is thoroughly enjoyed by the visiting tourists. It is the surrounding scenery that they relish sitting in the leisure boats. No wonder this place is frequented by millions of visitors from around the world every year.
The writer is a dental surgeon and can be reached at: dsq006@gmail.com
Published by Alisha Khuram
