(S) From Windsor & Eton Riverside Railway Station, cross over Datchet Road using the zebra crossing and turn right. After 75 yards, and on approaching a junction, turn left into Thames Street. At 0.25 miles, cross straight over Castle Hill.
NOTE : To the left hand side after Castle Hill there are a few old quaint streets in this small area of the town containing gift & antique shops, tearooms, restaurants, old pubs and much more. If you wish to see for yourself, then the short walk around them is really worth it.
Stay straight on along the High Street past Windsor Parish Church, then at the junction veer left into Park Street.
(1) Go past the Two Brewers and straight on through Park Street Gate into the Home Park. Turn right along the Long Walk and continue straight for 2.5 miles towards the Copper Horse in the distance. After three-quarters of a mile the Long Walk crosses over Albert Road (A308), at 1.2 miles and enters Windsor Great Park. Just under half a mile later a large metal gate signifies the entrance to the deer park. Luckily entrance is achieved via a side pedestrian gate.
(2) At the end of The Long Walk turn left for just a few yards, then turn right onto a path uphill across the grass and past the Copper Horse. Note: You can just go on straight up to the Copper Horse, but it's very steep. Stay straight on soon crossing over a sandy track along a well-defined path (at 3 miles). After half a mile follow the path as it veers left and past Ox Pond to your right and soon to a road.
(3) Turn sharp right along the road. At Y-junction stay left and after another 580 yards, at crossroads, turn left onto Duke's Lane (at 4.1 miles). Then straight on at crossroads.
(4) Follow Duke's Lane for almost a mile. Then, just after reaching a small wood to your left (at 5.1 miles), turn left onto a wide horse track through woods.
(5) After another 0.68 miles turn left, off the main track onto a path over a stream then straight on along a wide path going east and to the north of Virginia Water Lake. Half a mile later the path comes out onto a road.
(6) Turn right over Five-Arch Bridge and after 250 yards turn left onto the tarmac path. At this point you are almost 6.5 miles into this leg of the walk The route from here to the Virginia Water Pavilion is very straightforward as it follows the main path/cycle track around the south and east-south side of Virginia Water Lake.
The path soon passes a tea-hut and continues along the south shore of the lake. In another 0.7 miles the past comes out to an opening with the lake a short distance to the left and old ruins away to the right. Continue along the main path around the lake. After 100 yards the path divides in two, stay right. Follow the main path downhill, over a small bridge (at 8 miles), and as it climbs steeply back up to the lakeside. Turn right, keeping the lake to your left, and 250 yards further on is the Virginia Water Pavilion.
(7) After 750 yards follow the main path as turns left over a causeway bridge between the lake and Wick Pond. Then go straight on to the Totem Pole. From the Totem Pole turn left and enter The Valley Gardens. Go straight on, and gradually uphill, along a sandy path named “Canadian Avenue”.
(8) After another 700 yards past refreshments kiosk “CAFFE” to the right, then at a major junction of six paths turn right, signed Savill Garden 1 mile (soon past an entrance to The Valley Gardens Car Park to your left hand side).
After half a mile at the junction (Carter's Bar) go straight over onto a wide metaled path, signed Savill Garden ½ mile (now along Rhododendron Ride). As you follow the path around the pond a clearing with a refreshment’s kiosk is reached (at 10 miles). Stay right keeping the kiosk to your left.
Continue straight on past the Savill Building and soon after turn right through a gap onto a path / cycle-way along the northern edge of the Savill Gardens coach park and exit past the vehicle barrier onto a road (Wick Lane).
(9) Turn left along Wick Lane and follow for 600 yards. Note: There is no pavement so please take care. Just past what was The Sun Inn (closed July 2018), ignore Kings Lane to the right, and turn right up Prospect Lane, an unmade road.
(10) At its end, continue straight on through a wooden kissing gate onto a footpath between hedges. After 300 yards follow the enclosed path as it bends right, then left. Then 100 yards later left into a field. Follow the path diagonally across the field for 200 yards, then turn right onto the path into the trees (at 11 miles). After 230 yards the footpath leads out onto Northcroft Road.
(11) Cross over and turn left along the pavement. Follow Northcroft Road - it turns left, then right after 370 yards leads to Englefield Green.
(12) Turn right and past the Barley Mow pub and finish 90 yards later at the T-junction of Englefield Green and St Judes Road (A328).(E)
