When we were down in London in February for a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, we decided to make the most of our time in the capital and squeeze in a little day trip while we were there.

Having visited London plenty of times over the years, we’re always on the lookout for something a little different to do, and Windsor seemed like the perfect option. It’s close enough to London to make an easy day trip, but far enough away to feel like you’ve actually escaped the city for a few hours.

So, one February morning, we headed to Paddington station, ready to swap the hustle and bustle of central London for royal history, castle exploring and, naturally, a couple of pub stops along the way.

Getting the Train from London to Windsor

We took the train from London Paddington to Windsor, which is a really easy journey and one of the reasons Windsor makes such a convenient day trip from London. The train goes from Paddington to Slough, where you change to a spur line for Windsor & Eton Central, which is the end of the line, so you can’t miss your stop. The whole journey takes around 40 minutes.

Once we arrived, it was just a short walk into Windsor and towards the castle. We’d booked a self-guided tour of Windsor Castle, but we had a little time to kill before our entry time. We had a short wander round Windsor itself, which is a pretty little market town with quite the imposing castle. I can see why the Royals like it here!

Naturally, our wander eventually led us to a pub, where we felt it was probably the right time for a little beverage.

A Pre-Castle Drink at The Horse and Groom

Our first stop of the day was The Horse and Groom, which is a traditional English pub first listed in 1719. We settled in for a drink or two before heading off to explore Windsor Castle.

There is something quite enjoyable about starting a day of sightseeing with a leisurely drink in a pub. It makes the whole thing feel slightly less like a tourist excursion and more like a normal day out – although I’m not sure a visit to Windsor Castle can ever really count as a normal day out.

Once we’d finished our drinks, it was time to make our way towards the castle.

Exploring Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is one of those places that feels instantly familiar. Even if you’ve never visited before, you’ve probably seen it countless times on television or in photographs, so finally getting to explore it in person was something I was looking forward to.

We opted for a self-guided tour, which meant we could take our time and explore at our own pace. This is generally my preferred way of doing things anyway – I like being able to stop and look at something that catches my eye without worrying about whether the rest of the group has moved on.

You aren’t allowed to take photographs inside the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel, which is fair enough. After all, Windsor Castle is still a working royal residence rather than simply a tourist attraction.

There is plenty to see, from the grand State Apartments to St George’s Chapel, with its centuries of royal history. We also got to visit the final resting places of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, along with those of ten other monarchs and many other members of the Royal Family. It’s a fascinating place to wander around, with magnificent interiors, impressive architecture and, unsurprisingly, quite a lot of history to take in.

Even if you’ve seen Windsor Castle plenty of times in photographs, there’s something different about actually being there and seeing it up close. It’s an impressive place, and it’s easy to understand why it has played such a significant role in British history.

We spent a few hours exploring before eventually making our way back outside.

Walking the Long Walk

Once we’d finished our tour, we weren’t quite ready to head back to London just yet, so we decided to walk a little of the famous Long Walk.

The Long Walk stretches out from Windsor Castle towards Windsor Great Park, and while we certainly weren’t planning on tackling the entire route, we walked far enough to enjoy the views and get a different perspective of the castle.

It was a lovely way to round off our visit, particularly after spending a few hours indoors. The February weather was suitably wintry, but it was still good to get some fresh air and stretch our legs before heading back into Windsor.

And, thankfully, we didn’t have to walk the entire Long Walk to say we’d done it.

A Drink at The Two Brewers

After all that sightseeing and walking, it was time for another drink.

Naturally.

We stopped at The Two Brewers for a drink before making our way back towards the station. It’s a cosy pub just a stone’s throw from the Long Walk, and there was even a fire burning, so I could quite easily have stayed there all night.

By this point, our day in Windsor had become a rather enjoyable combination of history, sightseeing and pub stops – which, if I’m honest, is a pretty good recipe for a day out.

Eventually, though, it was time to head back to the station and catch the train into central London.

A Little Escape from London

Our day in Windsor was a lovely little escape from central London. It’s incredibly easy to get to, and within a relatively short time you can swap the busy streets of the capital for a castle, historic streets and the open space of Windsor Great Park.

For us, it was a lovely addition to our London trip. We had a self-guided wander around Windsor Castle, walked part of the Long Walk and, most importantly, managed to fit in a couple of pub stops along the way.

And with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall still to come, we had plenty more to look forward to when we returned to London.

If you’re spending a few days in London and fancy doing something a little different, Windsor is an easy option. It’s straightforward to reach by train and gives you the chance to see somewhere completely different without having to travel too far from the capital.

Just make sure you leave enough time for a drink or two along the way. After all, what’s a day trip without a good pub stop?