Things you can do now

Following the Government announcement on 4 January, the Royal Borough, along with the rest of England, returns to full lockdown from 5 January in order to reduce social contact. 

So, regrettably, many of our lovely attractions, accommodation providers, shops and restaurants have had to close again for a while and events that were due to take place have been postponed or cancelled.

This isn’t ‘goodbye’, just ‘see you in a while’ and we hope very much that this period will be a safe one and will pass as quickly as possible for our residents, visitors and staff.

Don’t forget #WindsorIsWaitingForYou.  Why not sign up for the official Visit Windsor Enewsletter?  We’ll keep you updated and whet your appetite for a future visit!

You will also find links to our social channels at the top right of every website page; please follow us digitally until you can visit us again in person. #StayAtHome and #StaySafe

What you can do now

Please follow government advice to stay at home and leave only if you have a specific reason to leave.  People can exercise outdoors alone, with their household or with one other person, once a day.

Enjoy outdoor exercise in the Royal Borough

Exercise and fresh air are incredibly important for our physical and mental wellbeing, especially so at unsettling times such as lockdown.  Winter is a great to time to wrap up and get out and about and admire the landscape in its barest form, with the hope of spring in the not too distant future.  Enjoy the great outdoors whether you are walking, running or cycling.  

You can exercise in a public outdoor place once a day:
•    by yourself
•    with the people you live with
•    with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
•    in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
•    or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household

Public outdoor places include:
•    parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
•    public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them)
•    the grounds of a heritage site
•    playgrounds

When around other people, stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household - meaning the people you live with - or your support bubble. Where this is not possible, stay 1 metre apart with extra precautions (eg wearing a face covering).

Find out more about exercising and meeting other people on the government website here.

National Trust: Cliveden and Runnymede

Following the government announcement of a lockdown in England, the National Trust is pleased to say they’ll be keeping open the outdoor spaces they care for including countryside sites and car parks, as well as gardens and parklands. You can still enjoy takeaway food and drink from their cafés and food outlets, and outdoor play areas will stay open in line with government guidance.

Please book tickets in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends, school holidays and bank holidays. Every Friday they release new tickets for the following week.

Windsor Great Park

Sweeping historic parkland, award-winning gardens, ancient woodland and forest trails – there is something for everyone at Windsor Great Park.  View the website for seasonal inspiration and do make sure you check the latest visitor updates before you visit.

Find out more about exploring the countryside.

Check out Visit Windsor’s blogs

Our blogs are informative and, hopefully, inspirational!  You may not be able to visit right now but we hope that as you read our blogs you will be inspired to add us to your Windsor wish list later later this year. 

Did you know Eton’s hidden gems include a kakapo and an ‘elevated’ statue by Anthony Gormley?  Or that Windsor has a full-size replica of a Hurricane plane suspended in the air?

We’ll be adding to our blogs regularly; one of our team is a professional blue badge guide with a wealth of local knowledge just waiting to be shared with you!  Check out our blogs here.

Make learning fun

If you are stuck for things to do to keep younger children occupied then some of our famous attractions have come to the rescue.  If you can’t visit in person then the next best thing is to be inspired by some of the resources they are posting online.

Windsor Castle may be closed but the Royal Collection’s online resources are full of historical facts insights and fun learning opportunities including games and creative ideas.  It’s not all for the children; there are lectures and podcasts that adults will also find fascinating.

Eton College Natural History Museum have just launched their new online exhibition Creatures of the Wild Wood!  This new exhibition explores the richness of our local woodland and allows you to learn more about the nature on your doorstep. 

Get creative with Norden Farm's half term line up

Norden Farm Centre for the Arts have a whole host of activities this half term to keep the family entertained. Although the venue’s doors are temporarily closed due to lockdown, you can still join them online this school holiday to come together, get creative and have some fun!

Film and TV locations

With its fair share of gorgeous outdoor spaces, history and heritage, it stands to reason that the Royal Borough has featured as a location in many TV programmes and films and been host to many famous faces from the acting world over the years.  We’ve had everything from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) to ITV’s Belgravia (2020) with plenty in between!

Why not explore the locations on our Film and TV page and sit back with a good film to while away a few hours, perhaps with a locally-brewed Windsor and Eton beer in hand?

Virtual events

Explore a range of events that are taking place online.

Food and Drink

Some of our local restaurants and food retailers are adapting their offering to include takeaway and delivery; please support them if you can.  You’ll find a current list here.

Retail

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.  You can find a full list of businesses and venues permitted to remain open on the government website here.

Libraries

The local RBWM libraries may be closed but the wonderful world of e-books and audiobooks is still very much open to you and there’s a wealth of free content available from their digital resources.

To access the resources you’ll need a library card, but you can get a temporary number if you join online.

You’ll get free access to the following:
•    Press Reader – Featuring e-magazines and e-newspapers from the UK and around the world 
•    RB Digital App Newspapers - e-magazines, e-comics, audiobooks and e-books
•    Ancestry at home – get free access while libraries are closed 
•    Naxos Music streaming – Listen to more than two million songs from classical, jazz, folk, blues and world artists, where you will also find a study area for music students.

These are just a few of the resources available – you can see all the digital resources on our website.