Boot, saddle, to horse, and away! — Robert Browning
Horseback Riding Through Windsor Great Park
A crisp autumn day, the sun shining with a determined effort, as if it knew winter was coming. We mounted up at the edge of the park and waited for the horse crossing light to turn green. Into the park we went, led by Ed — a veteran guide with Wayside Stables who has been riding in Windsor Great Park for over 30 years. There was no better person to show us what lay ahead.
A few strides to settle into our saddles, each horse and rider taking those early steps to find each other, knowing we would spend the next two hours as partners navigating the park. The sky was impossibly blue for autumn, the pastures still green.
As we rode further in, Ed asked if we wanted to trot, then canter. Our small group were seasoned riders, comfortable at both paces. Wayside matches riders to groups by ability, so the pace always feels right — whether you’re a nervous novice or a confident hand. (If you’d rather have the whole itinerary built around your ability level, inquire with Equestrian Destinations.)
Riding through the park, Ed shared stories of occasionally seeing the late Queen Elizabeth II out with her trusted head groom, Terry — and told us that Terry could not retire until the Queen gave up riding, a fact he perhaps hadn’t fully considered when he took the job, given that the Queen planned on riding for the rest of her life. It was Ed who told us, quietly and without ceremony, that she had taken one of her last rides here in Windsor Great Park, not long before she left for Balmoral, where she passed away weeks later.
To ride until the very end. It is a dream most of us quietly hold. Hearing it said aloud, on horseback in this park, made it land differently.
We stopped so Ed could photograph us in front of a massive herd of deer and stags spread across the meadow. The antlers on some of the older stags were extraordinary — almost too large to be believed. Ed told us to move a little closer for a better shot. The horses, seasoned in the park, didn’t flinch. We tried our best to follow their lead.
After another lovely canter, we crested a hill and there it was: the Long Walk, stretching toward Windsor Castle. A view familiar to anyone who has seen photographs of the park — and breathtaking in person. But on horseback, something shifts. Instead of standing at the edge of the scene taking photographs, you become part of it. The tourists and pedestrians stopped to photograph us. It’s easy to forget, as an equestrian, how extraordinary this is — until strangers stop to remind you. These are the moments that make you grateful for the view between a pair of ears.
To book the whole trip — stables, hotel, and castle tickets — inquire with Equestrian Destinations.
Lunch at The Ivy Royal Windsor Brasserie
A short drive to Windsor’s centre, and we settled in at The Ivy Royal Windsor Brasserie — a landmark in its own right, with a front-row view of Windsor Castle just across the street. Warm butternut soup, duck liver parfait with caramelised hazelnuts, cranberry chutney, and toasted brioche. The castle framed in the window the entire time. Not a bad table.
The Fairmont Windsor Park
The Fairmont Windsor Park sits on a sprawling 40-acre property at the edge of Windsor Great Park, where heritage and modern elegance meet without fuss. In partnership with Wayside Stables, the hotel offers a genuinely royal equestrian experience — the kind that can be tailored to exactly what you want from a Windsor visit.
After a morning in the saddle, afternoon tea at the Fairmont is exactly the right next move: finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, and seasonal pastries in a setting that makes the whole thing feel effortless rather than performative.
You may also choose to plan your stay around one of the year’s great horse events — Royal Ascot, the Royal Windsor Horse Show, or a polo afternoon at the Guards Polo Club. The hotel is well placed for all three and happy to assist with the planning. Beyond horses, the spa, riverside boat trips, and falconry all make the case for staying longer than intended.
See the full destination page at Fairmont Windsor Park & Wayside Stables on how to book this trip. This ride is also one of three featured in “Three Luxury Horseback Riding Experiences: Windsor, Ascot & Hyde Park” — alongside a champagne ride at Coworth Park and a canter down Rotten Row. Looking further afield for royal, castle, or palace equestrian escapes? Don’t miss our ride through the gardens of Versailles.
Horses and Windsor
Horses have a rich history in Windsor, stretching from the Tudor era — when they were central to royal hunts — through to the establishment of Windsor Racecourse in the 19th century. That tradition is very much alive today, from the Windsor Greys seen in ceremonial processions throughout the year, to the internationally renowned Royal Windsor Horse Show.
War Horse Memorial, Ascot
On June 8, 2018, Ascot unveiled the nation’s first memorial dedicated exclusively to the millions of horses, mules, and donkeys from the UK, Allied, and Commonwealth nations who served and lost their lives during the First World War. We rode past it on horseback — a view few visitors have.
Windsor Castle
No visit to Windsor would be complete without time at Windsor Castle — one of the historic homes of the British monarchy, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, and a thousand years of history under one roof. A self-guided audio tour could fill an entire day, and it very nearly did.
I went first to Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, where the queues can grow long later in the day, before moving through the State Apartments — still used by the Royal Family — where the Crimson Drawing Room and the Grand Staircase left me genuinely speechless. These are rooms that have hosted generations of royals, state dinners, and banquets, and they carry the weight of all of it.
Not to be forgotten is the devastating fire of 1992, which destroyed 115 rooms, including nine State Rooms. I remember watching the news coverage as a girl — the Queen standing outside in the dark, the sky lit up behind her, still and motionless as the fire engines worked to contain the blaze. Even a Queen is no match for a fire. The restoration took five years to the day, completing in 1997 on the 50th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
The guards stationed throughout the rooms welcome questions, and I found some of the best stories came from them — details not found on any audio headset. If timing works in your favour, the Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place around 11:00 AM on certain days: guards marching, the transfer of responsibility, tradition made visible.
Since I visited on a Sunday, St. George’s Chapel — where the late Queen and Prince Philip are buried, and the site of many royal weddings — was open only to service attendees. I chose to see that as a reason to return.
Photography is not permitted inside the Castle. Interior images here are reproduced with the kind permission of the Royal Collection Trust. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Images are not to be copied or shared further.
Photo credits: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust
Plan Your Own Royal Riding Weekend
Windsor is one stop on a much longer list of equestrian escapes we’ve ridden and vetted ourselves. Browse all destinations, read more on our Stories blog — including “Three Luxury Horseback Riding Experiences: Windsor, Ascot & Hyde Park” — or inquire with Equestrian Destinations to have the itinerary — stables, hotel, and castle tickets included — built around you.
In collaboration with Wayside Stables, The Fairmont Windsor Park, and The Royal Collection
Photo credits in this article: The Fairmont Windsor Park, Equestrian Destinations, & © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust