The 45th Weekend - Saturday 9.45am Windsor - Runnymede Magna Carta Walk 5 miles
Saturday 03 October 09:45 - 13:00
From £0.00
Listed by Spice National
Overview
Join Alan for a beautiful 5 mile walk next to the River Thames
Walk from the Hotel and find out more about the Magna Carta.
The Magna Carta was sealed at Runnymede, a meadow near Windsor, on June 15, 1215. It was a peace treaty between King John and rebel barons that limited royal power and set the rule of law.
The Meeting Near Windsor
- The Location: King John stayed at nearby Windsor Castle during the negotiations, while the barons camped nearby before meeting at Runnymede meadow next to the River Thames.
- No Signature: King John did not sign the document with a pen; he used his royal wax seal to approve it.
- Quick Failure: The peace did not last, and Pope Innocent III cancelled the charter just a few months later, leading to a civil war.
Why It Matters
- Rule of Law: It stated for the first time that the king must obey the law just like everyone else.
- Fair Trials: It gave free men the right to justice and protection from unfair imprisonment.
- Lasting Symbol: Later kings reissued the text, and it became a global symbol for human rights and liberty
We will walk along the Thames Path, passing the statue of Queen Elizabeth II.
We will then cross Runnymede meadow and go up to see the first memorial overlooking the Thames, the magnificent and poignant Air Forces Memorial with wonderful views of the River Thames .
We will then go downhill through woods to Writ in Water and the Magna Carta Memorial.
Please bring water with you; however, there is also a National Trust cafe en route that we will make a pit stop at.
If anyone just wants to walk to the cafe and to the River Thames it is only a 20 minute walk each way
Includes
- Guided walk
- Optional Tea Room Stop
National Trust Magna Carta tea-room at Runnymede TW20 0AE OPEN 9-4pm
The tea-room at Runnymede serves a range of hot and cold drinks, light meals, snacks and cakes. The menu changes seasonally, with lighter meals and ice creams available in summer, and warming soups and jacket potatoes for those cool winter days. You’ll also find freshly made sandwiches available year-round.
Sweet treats
It wouldn’t be a visit to the National Trust without sampling a slice of cake. The Magna Carta tea-room serves traditional cakes and traybakes all year round, from Victoria sponges and fruit scones to fruit flapjacks and chocolate brownies.
Indoor and outdoor seating
There’s plenty of seating inside the tea-room, as well as outdoor picnic benches enjoying views over the meadows and by the North Lodge.
Remember your reusable cup
Every time you bring a reusable cup to the tea-room, we’ll give you 25p off your hot drink as a thank-you for helping the environment by reducing the number of disposable cups used.
Toilets available
Parking Available - Free to National Trust members. Otherwise Approx £1.50 per hour
Host & Everything Else
Gallery
