Walk 18 : Sunningdale to Windsor

Windsor Great Park

Walking Instructions 

[1] Numbers refer to the map in the book.

1. [1] Coming out of Sunningdale Railway Station from Platform 2, exit the station by the ticket office, and turn left, your direction 125°. In 45 metres turn left again to go over the railway crossing, your direction 80°. At the other side of the crossing, turn left, your direction now 300°, on a tarmac path parallel to the railway lines, back past the station building on your left-hand side, and past new houses on your right.
2. In 60 metres the tarmac ends and you keep ahead now on an earth path, still parallel to the railway lines on your left, and soon gently downhill. In 150 metres ignore a path to your right into the recreation ground. In a further 135 metres you cross on a bridge over a stream and turn right alongside the stream, which is now on your right-hand side, with a playground and tennis court (Broomhall Lane Recreation Ground) coming up shortly on your left-hand side.
3. Ignore a footbridge to your right and after 180 metres you come out through a metal barrier to the B383 road, where you turn left, your direction 325°. In 100 metres turn right on to Station Road, your direction 10°.
4. In 200 metres, and with Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School on your right-hand side, turn right on Church Road, your direction 75°. You pass the entrance to the school on your right and after 250 metres you come to the entrance of Holy Trinity Sunningdale Church on your left. 100 metres beyond the church you turn half left up Whitmore Lane, your direction 355° (and not the sharp left fork – High Street).
5. In 320 metres ignore a byway sign to the left beside Sunningdale Bowling Club. In a further 200 metres you pass the entrance to Callaly House on your left-hand side, and then have Tittenhurst Park behind the wall on your left (the park is not yet visible).
6. In a further 190 metres, just after the road bends to the left, [2] take the signposted footpath to the right, through a wooden swing gate (with a wooden fieldgate to its left) and, in 20 metres, cross a bridge over a stream to go straight on, your direction 110°.
7. In 60 metres, as the wood ends, you enter Coworth Park. Cross a gravel track and continue ahead on a grassy way with a wooden fence on your right and a ditch on your left. In 450 metres, with a timber-framed building with a clock tower ahead to your left, and the renovated Belvedere Farm ahead to your right (undergoing further conversion, March 2010), you turn left, just before the bridge, on a tarmac car-wide bridleway, your direction 10°.
8. You pass a lake on your right and then the polo fields of Coworth Park Polo Club on your left, in 450 metres coming out on to the A239 road. Turn left, your direction 290°, down this road. In 150 metres turn right into the entrance of Blacknest car park, your direction 70°. In 15 metres, just before barriers, turn left through the motorcycle entrance to head due north. In 70 metres you enter Windsor Great Park through a wooden gate.
9. Cross a car-wide earth track and with park information boards on your left, go straight on, slightly to the right, your direction 40°. Stay on this main path and make your way, in 200 metres, to Virginia Water Lake, where you turn left, on to a tarmac path, your direction due west, with the Lake on your right-hand side.
10. In 220 metres go over a small brick bridge with stone parapet walls and bordered with large rocks. Turn sharp right with the path at the end of the bridge [3] to keep the water on your right-hand side, your direction now 20°, gently uphill.
11. In 75 metres fork right, to keep to the water’s edge. In 200 metres cross the Lake by a large five-arch bridge with stone parapets. 5 metres beyond the bridge [!] turn right onto a faint path, to go back along the lakeside to your right, your direction 125°.
12. In 270 metres you come to the fence of a small cottage and a sign saying “Private Area”. Here, turn left, away from the lake, your direction 330°. In 35 metres turn right along the front of the terrace of houses, your direction 45°. In 80 metres, veer left at Lakeside Cottage, onto a tarmac path. Then in 20 metres fork right over the grass, your bearing 40°.
13. In 100 metres you pass a “Crown Estate. Private” entrance gateway on your right, and keep on, without a very evident path, with the fringe of the wood on your right-hand side, going due north. 80 metres beyond this gateway, where the wood fringe goes sharply right, you can see the wooden railing on the tarmac lane by the lakes. Head towards this lane, across grass, on a bearing of 40°. In 160 metres join the lane as it swings right, between the upper and lower lakes, your direction now 100°.
14. Once on the other side of the lakes [4] as the lane swings to the left, turn right, then left, your direction 115°, to go uphill on a gravel path signposted Valley and Savill Gardens.
15. [!] Route following is relatively complex in Valley Gardens [!]. Should you be unable to follow the directions suggested below – or if you inadvertently go off piste – simply wander round the gardens to your heart’s content, then head down to the lake and turn left, which will take you in due course to the Totem Pole, where you rejoin the directions.
16. In 70 metres past the entrance signs to the gardens, take a left fork, uphill, on a gravel path, your direction 100°.
17. In 20 metres ignore the turn downhill to your right and continue uphill, as the path swings left. In 90 metres near the top, as the path levels out, first ignore a path down to the right (by post no 28) but then at a post with red and yellow bands at its top [!] turn right downhill on a grassy car-wide track, your direction 175°.
18. In 6 metres you pass a wooden bench over to your left. In a further 20 metres, [!] you fork left uphill on a grass track, on a bearing of 155°.
19. In 40 metres bear right, merging with a car-wide grassy track, to go downhill, due south. In 45 metres, and 30 metres before a sandy lane T-junction below [!] turn left on a grassy car-wide track, your direction 85°.
20. Carry straight on, ignoring other ways off. In 110 metres ignore a grassy car-wide fork going up steps on your left (by post No 53) and keep on, now downhill, on a bearing of 80°.
21. In 25 metres, as you come out into the open, [!] bear half right from the oak tree and a bench, downhill, your direction 140°, to cross a gravel path then head for a wooden bridge. In 80 metres go down steps to cross the bridge, go up steps on the other side then keep ahead, uphill, your direction now 110°.
22. Keep on uphill across the open grass of Azalea Valley, between a near bench to your right and a far bench to your left. [!] Once the left-hand bench is facing you, 30 metres over to your left, go half right onto a car-wide earth road, gently uphill, on a bearing of 145°.
23. In 60 metres, by a post with a yellow band on its top, you cross a path, to continue straight on. In 30 metres at another path crossing, keep ahead (slightly left) now gently downhill as the path swings to the left. The lake is now visible through the trees below on your right-hand side, and your path onwards will be roughly parallel to its edge.
24. In 100 metres you come down into a green valley – Valley Garden – with the Plunkett Memorial (a little pavilion with four columns) some 250 metres away to your left at the top of the valley.
25. Cross the valley bottom to go up the other side on railway sleeper steps, your direction east. At the top of these steps keep straight on (slightly right). Then in 20 metres at a T-junction, go left onto a grassy path, your direction 350°.
26. In 15 metres ignore a fork downhill to the right and in a further 60 metres ignore forks downhill to the left then right. Your path is now a gravelled car-wide track.
27. In 90 metres you come to a three-way junction, all car-wide tracks. [!] Go sharp right, on the rightmost (gravel) one, your direction 130°, to head gently downhill as the path swings left. In 45 metres you pass a bench on your left-hand side and in a further 30 metres another bench, with the lovely grassy valley of the Punch Bowl falling away to your right. 55 metres past the second bench ignore a fork off to the right and keep ahead on the car-wide earth track.
28. In 40 metres cross a car-wide earth road by a giant Wellingtonia tree, to keep straight on. 15 metres beyond this tree, you come to a car-wide earth road, where you turn right, on a bearing of 95°. In a further 25 metres ignore a fork to the left, to keep ahead, gently downhill.
29. In 400 metres you come right up to the Totem Pole [5]. 10 metres beyond it, turn left, with the lake now on your right-hand side, your direction due north, across grass (with no path as such). In 50 metres you cross a stream on a four-plank bridge, with the lake still on your right-hand side.
30. In 110 metres do not go over the bridge with white railings but instead cross a path and go straight on, your direction 10°, through a lightly wooded area. In 115 metres you come out onto a tarmac road (where to the right is signposted “Vehicle Exit”) where you turn left, your direction 285°, gently uphill.
31. In 160 metres at a path crossing, and 80 metres before fingerpost signs ahead, turn right onto a gravel and earth car-wide track, between rhod­odendron bushes, your direction north. In 300 metres your path crosses a stream and starts to ascend. In a further 120 metres, near the top, go left, your direction 225°, to come out in 35 metres to Obelisk Pond. Here you turn right, onto a tarmac car-wide path.
32. In 200 metres fork left and in 40 metres you come to the Obelisk. To continue on, return to the tarmac path and by a sign to “Savill Garden and Shop”, you follow this sign’s direction along the tarmac path, in 200 metres coming to the entrance on your left to Savill Gardens and the Savill Garden Restaurant, the suggested lunchtime stop.
33. After lunch, return to the tarmac path and turn left, to continue in the same direction as before (when approaching the restaurant), on a bearing of 15°. In 70 metres ignore a turn to the right.
34. In 225 metres, as the path swings left past double storey greenhouses, take the gravel, car-wide track ahead – Rhododendron Drive – your direction 340°, past a sign saying “No Cycling”.
35. In 360 metres cross a stream on a bridge with brick headwalls. In a further 40 metres [6] at a crossing of paths, turn left, due west, to Cow Pond with its water lilies. Carry on around the pond, still keeping it on your right-hand side. Where the gravel track swings to the left, keep ahead, now on grass, your bearing 340°. At the far end of the pond, when the wide green path comes to an end, turn left over the stream on a tree trunk, and continue ahead, through light woodland, your direction 300°.
36. Follow the indistinct path through the trees in this lightly wooded area, heading in the direction of the car road soon visible ahead, and keeping the bogs and marshes over on your right-hand side. In 120 metres you exit the wood and turn right immediately, to keep the fringe of the wood to your right, your direction due north.
37. The path swings right and in 100 metres you turn right on to a car-wide horse ride covered with sand, your direction 50°. In 290 metres, at a faint path crossing, [!] turn left, to cross a ditch in 10 metres. Now head across the grass towards the pink gatehouses of the Royal Lodge, crossing paths on your way.
38. In 80 metres you come to a tarmac estate road and turn right on it as the road swings to the left. In 160 metres you cross the entrance road to the Royal Lodge, over to your left [7] and go straight on (slightly left), your direction 335° – the road is clearly marked “Deer park. No commercial vehicles”.
39. In 85 metres you go through the gates to the Deer Park. You now have a choice of way forward:

40. A) The Copper Horse route

    1. Keep ahead on the tarmac estate road. In 55 metres ignore the path on your right (the SWC Book route) and keep ahead as the road swings to the left and right.
    2. In 600 metres cross a bridge with stone parapet walls. 10 metres beyond the bridge turn off the road and head half-left, uphill, up a grass bank, your direction due west, towards the statue of King George III on a copper horse. In 90 metres you come to the Copper Horse.
    3. Once at the statue, turn right to head downhill, down the grassy bank, in the general direction of Windsor Castle on the horizon, due north.
    4. In 120 metres you arrive at the start of the Long Walk, a straight tarmac path which takes you all the way to the castle. In 2.6 km you re-join the SWC Book route at point 8A below.

41. B) The SWC Book route

    1. From the gates to the deer park, in 55 metres take the fork to the right off the tarmac estate road, your direction 320°, on a narrow but fairly well used footpath.
    2. Keep straight on along this undulating path. In 140 metres go right on a path which starts grassy but soon becomes sand and earth, down towards pine trees, your direction 40°.
    3. In 200 metres after entering the lightly wooded area you come to a very wide, gravel and sandy avenue for horses. Turn right on this avenue, your direction 85°.
    4. Keep ahead along this avenue. In 240 metres a track joins from the left. In a further 80 metres, at a major crossing of tracks, cross over and keep ahead (slightly to the left) along the sandy, car-wide bridleway, your direction 35°, to pass a Crown Estate notice on your right.
    5. Stay on this sandy bridleway for the next 450 metres. Now look out for two large oak trees on your left-hand side, numbered 880 amd 881. [!] You now turn left off the bridleway [!] and walk between the two trees [!], ignoring the more obvious path to the left of tree number 880
    6. Walk ahead on a compass bearing of 260° (half right from the sandy bridleway), through brush and trees, with no obvious path to start with, but you soon pick up a clear, narrow path.
    7. In 100 metres, with the remains of two tree stumps on your left, and some 40 metres before the wood’s valley and stream below, veer right with the path, your direction now 310°.
    8. In 140 metres turn left off the path to cross a ditch where it goes through a concrete pipe under your path. On the far side, turn right with the path and head uphill, your direction 320°.
    9. In 130 metres exit the wood and turn right on a car-wide track, your direction 25°. In 160 metres your track joins an access track and you keep ahead. In 60 metres you pass the entrance driveway to scout huts on your left-hand side.
    10. In 70 metres you cross a stream and 5 metres beyond it [8], fork left , your direction 300°, in 75 metres coming to a notice board for Bears Rails Pond, on your left. A track joins from the right and you keep ahead along it.
    11. In 85 metres go through deer gates and carry on, your direction 225°, along the hedge then fence to your right, avoiding muddy areas as best you can.
    12. In 300 metres you have a fine view of the Copper Horse on the hillock away to the left and you follow the bend of the fence to the right, your direction 310°.
    13. In 100 metres or so you can see Windsor Castle ahead of you. Now head towards the tarmac path ahead of you and in about 180 metres you join it – the Long Walk – turning right along it: if you prefer you can walk along the grass verges either side of the tarmac.
    14. In 1.8 km you exit the park by passing though the swing gate to the left of white double gates, with Double Gates Lodge on your right.
42. [8A] In 600 metres you cross the main road, the A308 [9]. You are now on the Three Castles path, a virtual continuation of the Long walk, as you head towards Windsor Castle. You now have a near constant din of aeroplanes overhead as they come in to land at Heathrow airport.
43. In 1.1 km you reach a set of gates to Windsor Castle, Here you turn left to exit Windsor Great Park through side gates on to Park Street, passing the Two Brewers pub on your right-hand side. In 85 metres fork right uphill on St Alban’s Street, keeping the castle walls on your right-hand side.
44. In 90 metres you pass the Parish Church of St John the Baptist on your left-hand side. In a further 25 metres you pass Church Lane to your left, and then in 50 metres, turn left and walk 10 metres to be by the Henry VII gatehouse entrance to Windsor Castle.
45. Turn left, exactly opposite the gatehouse, to go down Church Street, coming in a few metres to the Carpenters Arms pub. Continue to the end of the street, with Maloney’s Irish Bar directly ahead. Here turn right down Church Lane.
46. At the end of Church Lane turn right, by the Three Tuns pub, down the passageway beside Market Street, passing the Guildhall on your left-hand side. In 25 metres, by the old leaning Market House, turn left on Queen Charlotte Street, supposedly the shortest street in Britain.
47. Turn right in the High Street (signposted to Central Station and Riverside Station). In 35 metres you pass Queen Victoria’s statue, to keep straight on. In a further 60 metres, you come to the approach road on your left-hand side to Windsor Central Station (for trains to London Paddington, changing at Slough). For Riverside Station, keep straight on along the High Street, in 75 metres passing the King & Castle Wetherspoon’s Freehouse on your left-hand side.
48. In 75 metres, ignore River Street to the left, to keep on with the castle walls on your right-hand side. 30 metres on, you pass the Theatre Royal Windsor on your left-hand side. In a further 60 metres you pass the statue to Christian Victor, Queen Victoria’s grandson.
49. In 40 metres, cross straight over the main road (Datchet Road) on to Thames Street, with the Bel & The Dragon pub on your right-hand side. In a further 40 metres you pass Sir Christopher Wren’s House on your left-hand side.
50. In 30 metres, just before the bridge over the River Thames, go down steps on the right-hand side, to follow the riverside walk, along the Thames on your left-hand side.
51. In 40 metres turn right by a modern building marked “Thameside”, up Farm Yard, which leads in 80 metres to the entrance to The Old Ticket Hall Restaurant, and then to Windsor & Eton Riverside Station (for trains to London Waterloo).