Can you stay in Windsor & do London & Highclere Castle as day trips?

Hello,

Highclere Castle is pretty far from Windsor.

I would try and see if there’s a B&B nearby.

There aren’t many dates left for the Castle in October:
https://highclerecastleshop.co.uk/categories/special-guided-tours

Just a thought,
I would maybe do Stonehenge on Day 1.
Day 2 Highclere Castle
Day 3 Windsor Castle- could return the car and head into London for the evening.

You should take your Mother to afternoon tea too.
https://www.olivemagazine.com/guides/best-afternoon-tea-london/

Whatever you end up doing it will be memorable and fun. Have a great adventure!

Greetings,

A quick Google search indicates that Windsor is 45 miles from High Clere Castle. The Google estimated driving time is 54 minutes, however, I would expect it to be closer to a 90 minute drive. Round trip, that's three hours of driving, assuming you don't get delayed by traffic, road works, taking a wrong turn, or getting lost.

Personally I enjoy a nice drive, but will your mother be able to enjoy touring High Clere after an hour and a half drive? Will you both be exhausted at the end of the day?

It is not my intention to put a damper on your plans, as this idea could work very well. I did similar day trips, both with a car and by public transportation, when I visited Scotland. Your trip sounds fun and I know you both will love it! elisa

There are some great bus tours to Highclere from London. That’s what I would do instead of attempting to drive.

Another possibility is to take the train from Windsor to Newbury and then taxi to Highclere, reverse the process to get back to Windsor. Round trip from Windsor is just under 15 pounds each off-peak return and the taxi ride in July was 16 pounds each way. The train journey is anywhere from 56 minutes to 1 hour 23 minutes and does involve two train changes but should not be too difficult - much easier than trying to navigate the journey by car in my opinion. I have driven many miles in England but do not relish driving anywhere within 50 miles of London! Getting to London from Windsor by train is also fairly easy with one change of train and reasonable off-peak ticket prices. Staying in London would be nice especially if your plans include a show or other late evening activities. But if not, it might be easier to just stay in Windsor with such a short trip.

I would say the rental car vs. public transport depends on your mother. I took my mom to England over the summer and I was SO glad we rented a car. It gave my mom a definite place to go and rest when she needed. Driving in England is not that bad. We thoroughly enjoyed it and I will absolutely rent a car again next time I go. GPS is advised though.

If the main goal is to enjoy Highclere Castle, I recommend that you stay in Newbury. We stayed at the Hare & Hounds, which is pretty much at the other end of town from Highclere, but it is a nice place and not too expensive. You could definitely get a taxi from there to Highclere and then call for them to come back and fetch you at the end of your visit. The Hare & Hounds has a very good restaurant. In Newbury on the high street near the station there are also several restaurants and casual eateries to choose from.

If you rented a car, you could drive to Stonehenge for a day from Newbury. We visited both Stonehenge and Avebury in one day with our rental car. We spent most of our time at Stonehenge so by the time we got to Avebury we only had enough time to walk the stone circle -- not to see the museum or other sights.

I'd recommend renting out of Heathrow. You could still visit Windsor. For example, drop off your car at the airport a day or two early and take public transport to Windsor, stay there, then fly home.