Fri 18th May - Staines to Windsor

In contrast to yesterday, today's walk was a bit boring - possibly the most boring stretch we've done so far. The constant drone of planes landing at nearby Heathrow didn't help - how people who live round here put up with the constant noise is beyond me. Before we had gone far a local said not to be fooled and that Staines didn't usually look quite this spick and span. The whole area has been tidied up in preparation for a ceremony on Saturday to celebrate it soon becoming Staines-on-Thames. Even before we had left behind the riverfront properties we were crossing under the M25. We approached Runnymede (National Trust) but that meant walking between the river and a busy road. After a stop at the NT tea room we had a short time walking in relative peace before being beside the road again as we approached Datchet. We saw some posh looking cars with police outriders with blue lights flashing. There is a big ceremony tomorrow in Windsor so we assumed they were VIP's of some description making their way into town. After a lunch stop beside the river in Datchet we made our way along the edge of Home Park as we approached Windsor. We were being serenaded by this point. We could hear massed bands and choirs in the distance - obviously busy practising for tomorrow's celebration by the armed forces in celebration of the Queen's diamond jubilee. When we got to Windsor it was even busier than usual. Tomorrow a lot of roads will be shut from 9:30am and I can see us fighting our way through the crowds back to the Thames Path. The hotel gave us a BOGOF offer for a local Italian restaurant which we were able to use this evening despite it being a few days out of date. The restaurant gave us another BOGOF voucher for their sister restaurant in Maidenhead which is where we are off to tomorrow. I was trying to work out the mileage earlier. The Garmin has conked out a couple of times so I don't have the actual mileage any longer. But from the guide book and map it looks like we've covered 56.5 miles since Sunday. Another short-ish 6.5 mile stretch tomorrow so that should mean 63 miles for the week.  Not bad for a trio of oldies! :)