Exploring the Thames Valley
The Thames Valley gets its name from
the famous River one sees running through London. It meanders from
there through the countryside. During Henry VIII's time the river
provided an alternative route to his country homes, namely, Hampton
Court Palace and Windsor Castle. This area has 5 counties, or shires as
they are known in the UK, with the two best-known cities being Windsor
and Oxford. The area is packed with historic sites and wonderful
stately homes and gardens some of which you can tour and others having
been converted to country home hotels in which you can stay. Everything
is in easy driving distance for day trips, however, should you choose
to move around the valley trying different country house hotels, you
can do that too.
The Thames Valley is a good touring
area from a driving perspective since it is the closest country area in
the proximity of Heathrow airport. And do remember that the British
drive on the left. Sometimes when you embark on a new driving mode it
is better to not go too far that first day. If you are arriving from
Gatwick check back for our coming section on the Downs for hotels and
touring from there.
 If you are arriving from Heathrow, Windsor is a good place to base
yourself. You can do day trips throughout the area from here. For the
country home experience we recommend either the Christopher Wren House
Hotel in Windsor or the Oakley Court Hotel just outside of the city of
Windsor. The Christopher Wren House was the original home of the famed
architect who built St. Paul's in London. It is located right on the
river in good proximity to the many sites, shops and restaurants of
Windsor and Eton, and lovely view of the river and Eton. Ask for the
room with the walk out porch overlooking the river. If you are there
during the school terms you will see the Eton boys rowing and the
graceful swans floating on the Thames. If you prefer to stay a short
distance out of the city, Oakley Court is lovely. The detailed plaster
work, fine architectural details and cosy fireplaces put you in the
mode of the true country experience. Their high tea in the afternoon is
very well done. And, in the evening relax with your favorite drink in
the richly panelled English bar or out on the terrace overlooking the
gardens and the river, then on to a delicious dinner in the fine dining
room, followed by coffee and desert in one of the many superbly
appointed sitting rooms. After dinner it's off to your bedroom for a
good night's rest.
Windsor has many activities going on throughout the year to add to your
enjoyment. Should you arrive in mid June it's a great location to stay
and attend the famous Royal Ascot races nearby, in May, it is the home
of the Windsor Horse Show, both of which the Queen attends. And in
September, the Windsor Festival of the Arts goes on for two weeks of
music, literature and theatre. Each of these events will go a long way
to immerse you into the culture and feel of life in the country. Don't
be put off, if you are not into horses, ladies day at Ascot will be
something that you will remember forever but don't forget that special
hat which can be bought at Caley's on the High Street. The Windsor
Horse Show also has something for everyone.
You can easily spend more than one day in Windsor itself, depending on
your time. Windsor and Eton are two picturesque little cities facing
each other on the River Thames. We think Windsor is the best little
city in the UK, but then we live close to it and it holds a special
place in our hearts. It is steeped in history, interesting
architecture, and a charming plethora of shops, good restaurants and a
top-notch theatre. Of course, the jewel of the town is Windsor Castle.
It was built in 1070 by William the Conqueror and has been modified by
many monarchs through the centuries reflecting their taste; an exhibit
on the way in gives you a detailed description of these modifications.
The state rooms are exquisite and the art, architecture and antiques
are among the best in the world. Don't pass up Queen Mary's doll house
on the way in; it's the most intricately detailed doll house you will
ever see. And as you stroll the grounds do tour the moat gardens if
they are open, you can get some great photographs in this area. St.
George's Chapel and the Albert Memorial chapel were built back in the
1500's and are outstanding examples of late gothic works.
As you leave the Castle, walk straight ahead down the cobbled stone
street to some fine shops showcasing English products like Moorcroft
pottery, Scottish sweaters and shortbread, English China and more. As
you come around the block you'll be heading back to the High street, to
your left is the Guildhall designed by Sir Christopher Wren and the
recent location for Prince Charles' wedding. To your right is the
statue of Queen Victoria, continuing down the High Street you will find
the train station shopping area. This too is a great place for English
products, especially in the little market place. It's also a great
place for lunch, if you like French there's the Cafe Rouge, if you like
Italian there's Carlucci's and if you’re into Spanish there's the
tapas restaurant. The HaHa Cafe is worth a peak inside and a cup of
coffee or lunch, it's the site of the original train station. As you
exit the train station turn left and head down the High Street to the
first street where you turn left again and go straight to the river
Thames. On a nice day a walk along this river with it's graceful swans
is a relaxing and scenic diversion. As you look to the other side of
the river you see Eton, home to one of the most famous schools in
England, Eton College. Also in this area you will see boat tours for 1
or two hours down the Thames, a great way to get a feel for life along
the river. The two hour tour takes you on a romantic meander down the
leafy riversides through the locks and down to the stately country
house hotel Oakley Court featured in many movies. One of the best
pictures of the Castle can be taken on these boat trips from the water.
 Cross the bridge to Eton and you will be on the High Street there on
the way to the College. There are several antique shops here and an
assortment of collectible shops and restaurants. If Eton College is
open for tours it is great way to see the campus. The history of the
college and the famous people who went there is fascinating. The Chapel
at Eton has some of the finest Burne Jones tapestries you will ever
see. If the tours are not running stop by the museum of life at Eton
College for a shorter peak into history.
Going back to Windsor, another good shopping street is Peascod Street,
which runs perpendicular to the High Street at the Castle. If you
continue up the High Street away from the River you will reach the
front view of Windsor Castle and the Long Walk. This is a wonderful
tree lined walk that goes to the Great Park and to the Frogmore area
where Queen Victoria's mausoleum, and the Frogmore House is located.
These places are open at various times throughout the year. If it is
open when you are there do stop by, the gardens circle a lake making a
tranquil setting. The mausoleum is beautiful with detailed architecture
and marble work. Frogmore House, a favorite retreat of the royals since
the late 1700s is another wonderfully preserved historic home giving
one a good glimpse into the royal lifestyle.
Returning to the Long Walk, you venture further into the Great Park,
the walk terminates in the park at the Copper Horse that you can see
from the beginning of the walk. If you like to walk and want to get a
good feel for a truly wonderful park spend the day in the Great Park.
The views from the Copper Horse are worth the walk; on a clear day you
can see all of the Thames Valley below. There is a wonderful area
reserved for the royal deer that are magnificent with prominent antlers
atop their heads; there are lakes and 500 year old oak trees that look
like they just stepped out of Sleepy Hollow. Several quaint little
villages complete with village greens abound in the park. If you like
gardens the Savill Garden is one of the best you will see in the
countryside. There are also Roman ruins, a statue of Queen Elizabeth on
her horse completed for her recent jubilee and some stately royal
residences. The Great Park is also home to the royal cows, sheep and
vegetable gardens used by the Castle.
Windsor and Eton both have some good restaurants so if you opt to stay
in town for dinner some good spots along the river include, Browns for
a moderate priced dinner, the House on the Bridge and Monty’s
(last 2 on the Eton side of the river). Both Brown's and the House are
a little slow on the service side. We like the Spice Route just off the
High Street in Windsor near Starbucks for fantastic Indian food by one
of the TV chefs and Thai Square near the Windsor Theatre. And speaking
of the theatre, if you want a real slice of British life attend one of
the performances here. It is top notch theatre in an intimate historic
setting (not a bad seat in the house). Many West End shows stop here
before moving to the West End. The best of Noel Coward, Oscar Wilde,
Jane Austen, and many modern English playwrights works are performed
here.
If you are ready to take to the road, there are a number of day trips
you can make from Windsor. And if you would rather take the train,
Windsor has 2 train stations and a very quick 10 minute ride to Slough,
where connections abound to places like Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
But for now, we'll focus on driving. Our first trip takes us to the
town of Richmond, about a 30 minute drive to Hampton Court Palace. This
was a former palace of Henry VIII, it has a delicious blend of Tudor
and Classical interiors depending on the monarch's taste after Henry.
The gardens are outstanding and include a maze. Most all of the palaces
and country houses on tour have gift shops and tearooms for cream teas
and light lunches. Also in the vicinity are Marble Hill House and Ham
House, well preserved houses of the nobility from the 18th and 17th
centuries respectively.
 To get a different feel of the countryside you should devote a day to
the Cotswolds, up the M40 toward Oxford. This is one of the most
romantic parts of England. The blond stone buildings with slate roofs,
the stucco thatched roof cottages, gardens blooming behind every
building, window boxes bursting with color are a few of the thoughts
that come to mind. Sitting on the edge of this wonderful escape is the
stately Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill. This is about
a 75-90 minute drive from Windsor. You could spend a good deal of time
here touring the palace and the grounds resplendent with gardens, a
maze, and a Capability Brown landscaped park. Built for the first Duke
of Marlborough in the 18th century it is nothing short of magnificent.
The current Duke still lives in a portion of the palace and when he's
away on holiday you can even tour his current residence. The history of
the family has interesting ties to America and even Winston Churchill's
toy soldier collection is on display. You may have time to see one of
the two Cotswold villages mentioned here or skip Blenheim in favor of
both. Burford and Broadway are each about a 30 minute ride from
Blenheim (every drive in the UK takes longer than you imagine due to
the small roads and limited motorways). If you like antiques, art, nice
restaurants and a charming atmosphere you will enjoy these two towns.
Burford has changed little since Georgian times and was an important
coach stop between Oxford and the West Country. Broadway truly gets its
name from the wide street but is most picturesque. In the heart of town
is the Lygon Arms, a worthy stop for high tea, and a peak at the
outstanding architecture inside. Should you decide to spend the night,
it's a good bet and the restaurant is celebrated in the area.
The third day I would recommend St. Albans and Woburn Abbey; take the
M4 to the M25 to the M1. This trip will acquaint you with the Roman
history of England. Here stood an important Roman settlement called
Verulamium and the walls still stand as well as the foundations of a
Roman Theatre. The Verulamium Museum is an excellent museum to glimpse
this era with artefacts, mosaic floors and a Roman room painstakingly
recreated. St. Albans Cathedral is also worthy of a look as it dates
back to 1077 exhibiting Norman and early English architecture. From
here head north to Woburn Abbey, home of the Dukes of Bedford. One of
the great stately homes of England, it includes an important art
collection including works by Reynolds and a large number of
Canalettos. And for the antique lovers, the mews has been converted to
an antique mall with quality antiques for sale.
If you are ready for some Napoleonic history, the fourth day should
take you west to Stratfield Saye, home of the 1st Duke of Wellington
near Reading. The home has a fabulous entrance hall displaying much of
the art and antiques taken from his victory over Napoleon as well as a
fine Roman mosaic floor. The house is much the way it was in his time.
Also on the property is a detailed exhibition of Wellington's life
enriching one's understanding of a most important time in British
history. The gardens are exceptional. From here it's on to Newbury to
see Highclere Castle, a building that bears a remarkable resemblance to
Parliament and designed by the same architect, Charles Barry. This
stunning residence is the home of Lord Carnarvan. The family has been
prominent in history. The 5th earl along with Howard Carter found the
tomb of Tutankhamen. An interesting Egyptian collection owned by him is
housed in the basement of the house. The art lover will find many old
master paintings here. And as all of the stately homes mentioned above,
the antiques abound. The walled garden is said to have inspired the
play 'Secret Garden'.
If you have more time in the Windsor area you will enjoy a day at
Marlow and Henley. These lovely river towns are a pleasure to tour.
Stop for lunch at the Compleat Angler, a hotel in Marlow with a good
restaurant and river view. Another nice drive is to Aylesbury to visit
the Rothchild's Waddeson Manor with naturally, a French flair. While
you are up that way a great hotel for high tea is Hartwell House. This
is also a super place to stay if you decide to try another country
house hotel. The plasterwork in the public rooms is truly a work of
art. The home served as the court of Louis XVIII during his exile from
France.
The last trip to mention is a day trip to Oxford. It's a little more
than an hour's drive and well worth the time. The university is open
most days in the mid afternoon. The city abounds with outstanding
architecture, interesting museums, shops, and good restaurants. We will
have a detailed tour of Oxford included in a future narrative
highlighting the Cotswold area only.
Your trip through the Thames Valley will span history from the time of
the Romans through the Tudors, the Georgians, and the Victorians. You
will see a wide range of architecture, fabulous art collections and
stately country homes full of antiques and loaded with history. We hope
you enjoy it as much as we do living there.
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