Rendez-Vous Blue Badge Tourist Guides

Guided walking tours of Windsor, surrounding area and Windsor Castle. Coach tour commentaries, guest speaking, treasure hunts and comedy costumed ghost walks. Foreign languages spoken. Group tariffs are available.

2009 Programme:

SUNDAY 5TH APRIL to SUNDAY 19TH APRIL: EASTER TREASURE HUNT - (free of charge - aimed at children aged 10 and below)

All you need is a pen or pencil. Pick up your clue sheet at Windsor Tourist Information Centre and follow the instructions on the sheet. By doing this you will be guided around town to look for answers to the clues and at the same time, hopefully learn one or two things about Windsor and enjoy the scenery. Allow around an hour to find all the answers and if all goes to plan, you will finish back at the Tourist Information Centre.


SATURDAY 25TH APRIL - 11am: WINDSOR TOWN WALK. Meeting place: Windsor Tourist Information Centre

This walk is for anyone wishing to get a nice, tidy overview of Windsor, without having to read an entire guide book! We cover the history of Windsor from its birth to current times, whilst delving into what it's like to live here, the pageantry and the presence of royalty. We also touch on the importance of the river and explain a little about swan-upping and the special relationship we have with swans.


SUNDAY 26TH APRIL - 11am: "MEDIAEVAL HIGH JINKS!" - a comedy costumed walk with a Shakespearean bent. Meeting place: Windsor Tourist Information Centre

Windsor has a very colourful history, no more so than during the Mediaeval period. It was the time when the longbow reigned supreme and the castle became the stone fortress that we know today. Walk along streets which were already being used at that period and hear tales of kings, playwrites, poets and ordinary people who lived during those times and helped to shape the history of Windsor and of the nation.


SUNDAY 3RD MAY - 11AM: PUBS AND PEOPLE - starting point: Windsor Tourist Information Centre

Like many towns, Windsor has a large number of pubs and hostelries but few visiting them know the vast history that lies behind such establishments. Weaving our way up into the town, we stop at pubs that have an interesting and colourful history, along with many shops and restaurants familiar to all that started life as alehouses many centuries ago.


SUNDAY 17TH MAY - 11AM: SOLDIERS AND SIEGES - starting point: Windsor Tourist Information Centre

With its castle and two barracks, Windsor's present and past are inextricably linked with the lives of soldiers. This walk incorporates stories from the early castle days, when local unrest and sieges were typical, to civil war, to foreign wars where disease became an unexpected adversary. We also touch on pageantry and the way theHousehold Division has a special place in our hearts.


SUNDAY 31ST MAY - 11am: RIVERSIDE WALK - WINDSOR AND OUR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SWAN. Meeting place: Windsor bridge

As we walk along the river, learn about the history of swans on the River Thames and the part they played in the history of the town. The furthest point of the walk is Swan Lifeline, the swan rescue centre at Cuckoo Weir Island, where, if the custodians are not engaged in any emergencies, we can enjoy a tour of the rescue centre and learn what an important role Swan Lifeline plays in protecting this most beautiful and historic bird.


SATURDAY 18TH JULY - 11am: GEORGIAN WINDSOR. Meeting place: Windsor Visitor Information Centre

This walk covers the area around the central train station, the Long Walk, Batchelor's Acre and bits in between! The focus is on the Hanoverian kings' influence on Windsor, what happened here during their reigns and also covers their personal activities and interests here.


SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER: "HIGH SPIRITS!" - the original comedy ghost walk - starting point: outside the Christopher Wren Hotel; starting time to be posted nearer the time

This walk is normally only available to groups, but for one night only the ghoulish Cesca Pitt and her ghastly friends are at large in Windsor as part of their Hallowe'en haunting activities. Join them for nocturnal nonsense and learn about hauntings and horrid happenings over the centuries. Dress warmly, bring a torch and a clove of garlic.


SATURDAY 21ST OR 28TH NOVEMBER: LAUNCH OF THE CHRISTMAS TREASURE HUNT

All you need is a pen or pencil. Pick up your clue sheet at Windsor Tourist Information Centre and follow Santa's instructions on the sheet. By doing this you will be guided around town to look for answers to the clues and at the same time, hopefully learn one or two things about Windsor and enjoy the wonderful Christmas scenery. Allow around an hour to find all the answers and if all goes to plan, you will finish back at the Tourist Information Centre.