Windsor Castle

Decided to use the day we had kept up our sleeves to visit Windsor Castle, which was not quite so straightforward (or cheap) as you might expect. It involved driving to Salisbury station, convincing the ticket seller that there was a cheaper fare than 120 pound each (isn't research on the internet wonderful!), taking a train to Basingstoke (45 min), a connection to Reading (25 min), a local train to Slough (15 min), then a two carriage shuttle to the Windsor Castle station.

A coffee to celebrate our arrival, then we joined the long ticket queue at the castle, managing to get in just as the changing of the guard was taking place. Looked through St George's Chapel first, saw the nave, and the graves of Henry VIII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth amongst a whole stack of others.

Viewed the seats, shields and swords of all the Knights Of The Garter in the Chapel which was quite different, then filed past Queen Mary's Dolls' House, before touring the Royal Apartments. It's been completely restored since the devastating fire of 1992, and the Grand Staircase and St George's Hall where the huge state banquets take place are suitably regal. There's a full roll call of Garter Knights on the wall, including a number of Australians (Sir Ninian Stephen, Lord Casey and Sir Paul Hasluck). Prince William is recipient #1000, and there have been 11 ladies including a couple of foreign queens and Thatcher.

The Round Tower and moat gardens completed the tour, and following a lunch break we walked down the road to Eton College. Couldn't get in, but it was nice to see from the outside.

Took the four trains in reverse back to Salisbury, had tea in a park overlooking the river as the sun went down, and then a quiet evening sorting out the next few days.