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A day by the River Thames in the Royal Borough of
Windsor and Maidenhead starting in the picture postcard
old feudal village of Dorney visiting the lake where Team
GB rowed to Olympic glory then choose a walking tour
through Eton to the river or a Thames villages coach tour
with a stop at the Queen’s very own farm shop.
In the afternoon we cruise up stream past the sumptuous
homes of the stars and a true Hammer House of Horror
to Maidenhead.
The day begins at 10.30am at Dorney village in the walled
garden café of the manor house to buy morning refreshments.
Dorney was once a little patch of high land in marshy fields
regularly flooded by the River Thames. The name means island
of bumblebees. Whenever possible on the day we’ll take you
to see neighbouring Dorney Lake, owned by Eton College,
which was the venue for the rowing and canoe sprint events
in the 2012 London Olympic Games. When we can’t do that
because of school or corporate events we will take you to see
the 12
th
century church where Kate Middleton’s upwardly
mobile parents married.
A short drive takes us to Eton to step down outside the most
famous school in the world for a walking tour that explores
the historic street leading to the River Thames where we break
for lunch. You can stay on the Eton side, choose a riverside
pub or cross the bridge to Windsor; it is entirely up to you.
This walk rates a 2.5 on our Olympic Track guide.
The alternative is a Thames villages guided coach tour to
include Eton, Old Windsor and Datchet with a stop at the
Windsor Farm Shop before arriving in Windsor for lunch.
After lunch we depart from Windsor for a cruise lasting one
and three quarter hours. We set off past the only island
The Royal River Explorer
racecourse in the UK and then sit back to enjoy some
beautiful scenery. You’ll hear about the turncoat Vicar of
Bray and see the beautiful riverside homes of the stars.
A striking gothic mansion housed the French government in
exile later becoming the film location for many Hammer
House of Horror and St Trinian’s films. Edwardian
Maidenhead had a risqué reputation where fashionable
Londoners motored to let their hair down. Marvel at Brunel’s
famous Sounding Arch immortalised in JMW Turner’s painting
“Rain, Steam and Speed”.
There’s a bar on board serving teas and coffees or perhaps
a nice glass of wine or a gin & tonic for a sunny summer
afternoon. We arrive at Boulters Lock Pier at 4.00pm and
having had the opportunity to enjoy a cuppa on board this is
a day where you can steal a march on the traffic and head
home well ahead of the rush hour.
This trip is available every day from April to the end
of September.
You can bring up to 57 people on this cruise.
Adults & Seniors: £19.95
Coach Mileage: 15 or 25
Eton
Walking Tour
Thames Villages
Coach Tour
info@cityandvillagetours.com