Royal County of Berkshire

Considering its proximity to London, this home county is big on old English charm. With its leafy villages, wild pastures and horse-drawn canal boats, you can hop off the train and feel as though you’ve travelled back in time a few hundred years. 

The county lies well within the Great West Way touring route, so all of its amazing attractions are within easy reach whether you’re travelling by bus, bike, car or train. You can visit Windsor Castle, Legoland Windsor, Basildon Park, Reading Abbey, Caversham Court and more in a flash. And with the Thames running along its northern border, you can also enjoy perusing peaceful waterfront towns and villages such as Cookham, Sonning, Bray and Bisham.

Wondering why Berkshire is deemed a Royal County? Well, this is a county full of royal connections. None greater than those to Queen Elizabeth II who accorded the county royal status as home to Windsor Castle. Berkshire is also home to Eton College, where both Prince Harry and Prince William went to school. And it’s the location of Cliveden - the historic house and hotel where Meghan Markle stayed the night before her big day. 

If you’re into sports, there are lots of Berkshire events guaranteed to attract a right royal crowd. For a start, it’s home to Royal Berkshire Polo Club where you can watch the hockey-like game played on horseback by well-heeled types. Then there’s Newbury Racecourse, Royal Windsor Racecourse and of course Ascot Racecourse - which hosts the premier horse racing event in the country each summer, Royal Ascot (the one with Ascot Ladies Day and all the enormous hats). 

Take a look below for ideas of what to do in the Royal County of Berkshire or visit our See & Do pages. Alternatively, take a look at visitsoutheastengland.com.