A foggy morning walk in Windsor: the castle, the deer and a Hurricane

This one’s a bit of a holibob, but not one of mine! A friend came to stay, and living in Berkshire, there was only one place I was taking her for a proper walk: Windsor. Castle, river, deer, a bit of history and a lot of fresh air. What more could you want?

Up and out at 7am

We went first thing, setting off at 7 o’clock in the morning, and it was so worth the early alarm. The Long Walk opens at 7am, so we had it almost to ourselves. Well, us and a lot of runners, plus lots of hunky soldiers out running and training. Windsor is a proper army town, with barracks right in the middle, so you often see them out first thing. Quite the sight to start the day!

Going early also meant no crowds at the castle end, which can get really busy later in the day once the tourists arrive.

Parking: easier than you’d think

Parking in Windsor has a bit of a reputation, but it was really easy at the leisure centre, right by the river. From there it’s a short walk into town and up to the castle, and it’s perfect for finishing with a riverside stroll back to the car.

The Long Walk

Our 6-mile out and back took us past Windsor Castle and down the famous Long Walk. If you’ve never been, it’s that dead-straight, tree-lined avenue running away from the castle, almost two and a half miles long. It was laid out by King Charles II back in the 1680s, so people have been strolling down it for over 300 years.

It was really foggy, so we couldn’t see far, but honestly that made it even prettier. The autumn colours were stunning, with orange and gold leaves everywhere, and the castle disappearing into the mist behind us. Very moody, very romantic, very Instagram.

The tree-lined Long Walk in Windsor Great Park stretching away into morning fog — The Long Walk disappearing into the fog

The deer!

The highlight for me was the deer. We saw loads of them wandering across the path in the fog, including some big stags with impressive antlers. It honestly felt like something out of a nature documentary.

They’re red deer, and there are around 500 of them living in the Deer Park. The herd was started in 1979 with just forty hinds and two stags, so they’ve been busy! Autumn is rutting season, when the stags roar and square up to each other, so give them plenty of space. The park asks you to keep your distance, stick to the main paths and never approach or follow them.

The Copper Horse

At the far end of the Long Walk, up on the hill, is the Copper Horse: a huge statue of King George III on horseback, put up in 1831. Seeing it loom out of the fog with the deer crossing in front was one of those “stop and take a photo” moments. If you walk all the way up, you get a cracking view back down to the castle on a clear day.

Back through town and along the river

We came back through the town, past the gorgeous cobbled streets all decked out in Union Jack bunting, and then down to the river to walk back to the car.

A cobbled street in Windsor town centre hung with Union Jack bunting — Union Jack bunting everywhere in Windsor town

On the way we found a full-size plane up on a pole. I thought it was a Spitfire until I read the sign! It’s actually a replica Hawker Hurricane, a memorial to Sir Sydney Camm, the Windsor lad who designed it. He went to school in the town and, as a boy, sold his model aeroplanes to the Eton College boys, delivering them after dark so they wouldn’t get caught! The Hurricane first flew in 1935, and Hurricanes shot down more enemy aircraft in the Battle of Britain than everything else combined. Camm went on to design the Hunter and the Harrier jump jet too.

A replica Hawker Hurricane fighter plane mounted on a pole against the sky — Not a Spitfire! The Hawker Hurricane memorial

Information sign explaining the Hawker Hurricane replica — The sign that put me right!

My friend loves planes, so she was thrilled. I like planes too… but I prefer being on one, heading somewhere hot!

My tips for walking the Long Walk

Go early. The Long Walk and Deer Park open at 7am and close at dusk. First thing is peaceful, and the deer are about.
Park at the leisure centre. Easy, and handy for both the river and the castle.
Respect the deer. Keep well back, especially from September to early November, and bring a zoom lens if you want close-ups. The Deer Park can close at times, so check the Windsor Great Park website before you go.
Bringing the dog? In the Deer Park, dogs must be on a short lead.
Wear comfy shoes. The Long Walk is long (the clue’s in the name!), and the paths can be wet.
Don’t miss the Hurricane. It’s by the river near Alexandra Gardens, an easy add-on at the end.

Even in the fog, it was one of the prettiest walks I’ve done in ages. Have you walked the Long Walk? Let me know in the comments!

Party on,
Paul x