Berkshire’s best attraction as voted for by BerkshireLive readers

Windsor Castle has been named Berkshire's best attraction. The results follow a BerkshireLive poll which has run since the beginning of June.

After an initial poll, the longlist was whittled down to seven contenders: Windsor Castle^[1]; the River Thames^[2]; Dinton Pastures; Beale Park; walking along the Newbury^[3] canals; Hurley; and Reading^[4] Abbey.

Windsor^[5] Castle is one of the most famous Royal Residences, but it has so much more to offer than that alone. St George's Chapel and Windsor Great Park^[6] leading to the castle are also well worth enjoying.

The castle itself is packed with history and visitors can expect a fun and informative day should they decide to visit. The original castle was built late in the 11th century following the Norman Conquest and has since been home to 40 monarchs, with plenty of tales to be told along the way.

Numerous aspects to enjoy include changing the guard or simply wandering through the immaculately laid out halls and staterooms, many of which are packed to the rafters with old paintings and gold fittings. For children, a free multimedia guide narrated by Scorch the Dragon makes wandering the castle all the more interesting whilst interactive activities can also be enjoyed.

Between March and the end of October, Windsor Castle is open from 10am until 5.15pm with last entry being 4pm. From November to the end of February the opening hours are shortened to 10am until 3pm with last entry at 4.15pm. The castle is closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Advance tickets range from £15 for a child (aged 5-17) to £28 for an adult if booked in advance. Family booking options are also available.

References

1. ^{^} Windsor Castle (www.getreading.co.uk)
2. ^{^} River Thames (www.getreading.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Newbury (www.getreading.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Reading (www.getreading.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Windsor (www.getreading.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Windsor Great Park (www.getreading.co.uk)
7. ^{^} New Japanese-style pancake shop to open in Reading this summer (www.getreading.co.uk)