We were in Reading for the weekend & decided to go to the castle at the last minute. Sadly the state apartments were closed (although the price was reduced to cater for this) & they don't do the changing of the Guard on Sundays. St Georges Chapel is also closed on Sunday. As a visual spectacle the castle is magnificent & there seems to be plenty of effort going on to keep it in tip top condition. The staff are very friendly & helpful, willing to chat & share their local knowledge if asked. The grounds were spotlessly clean & there were great views over Windsor. Windsor & Eton are also lovely to just wander round. What disappointed me was that there was so little displayed information about the history of the castle. I hadn't bothered with the audio guide & expected there there to be a wealth of literature/boards to read as I went round but there was so little. By the time I realised I was half way round & it was too cold a day to back track & start all over again. So partially my fault for not finding out & expecting it to be like other castles I have been to but they could mentioned this in 10 seconds when buying the tickets, that it is essential to get the audio guide. Tickets can be converted into a 12 month pass & they welcome UK tax payers filling out a gift aid form.
Tip : Plan your visit (better than I did) by using the link below.
www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=34
