On Sunday 3rd November, sixteen of us met up in Old Windsor for a walk that would include a number of unusual art installations and many historic monuments. We started from the recreation ground car park and walked through a few roads before joining the Thames Path.
Unfortunately, one of our group hurt his leg after tripping on a tree root in the path. Feeling unable to complete the walk, he decided to go home. A few of us walked with him to the road and one of us waited with him until a taxi arrived.
The rest of the group continued along the Thames Path as far as the Magna Carta Tea Rooms at Runnymede. We stopped for an impromptu tea/coffee break while the others caught us up. By the cafe, there was a set of willow sculptures called Haymaking, and another set of tall figures nearby (also made from willow) called The Last Survivors.
We followed the Thames Path further into Runnymede, passing several plaques giving information about the Magna Carta, and a statue of Queen Elizabeth II. We left the Thames and doubled back across fields to the Magna Carta monument.
Our route then took us to a large concrete cylinder, which was an art installation called Writ in Water. It contained a circular pool of water below a circular skylight. We stopped here for a short while in this place of reflection.
Now came the first and only uphill section of the walk. We followed a stepped woodland path up Coopers Hill to the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial. We stopped here to look around and have our packed lunches in the grounds.
After lunch it was downhill back to the Magna Carta Tea Rooms, stopping on our way to look at the John F Kennedy memorial.
Technically we were on American soil, as an acre of land was given to the US by the UK in memory of the assassinated president, who powerfully championed the ideals of freedom.
The last part of the walk was to retrace our steps back along the Thames to Old Windsor. See our route on Google Maps. While returning, our leader got a phone call confirming our injured fellow walker had got home safely.
Thanks go to Kathy for leading this walk and Rob for writing it up.
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