hi all,

I have an 11 hour layover in london (LHR) on Dec 23rd, saturday. Was thinking of taking a taxi to windsor for a few hours. we get in around 10 am, and leave around 9:30 pm.

How cold will it be there, would it be a good idea to make the trip. around what time does it start getting dark there at that time of the year?

There will be myself, my wife and my 3 year old.

Any tips/suggestions.

is it easy enough to get a taxi ride back to LHR?

Also can someone please suggest a good place for lunch in windsor, or across the bridge to eaton. we plan on walking across to eaton.


Thanks,
Sam.

It will get dark around 4pm. Also the place full of floppy haired fops is called Eton. Not being picky - but you'll need the right spelling if you're googling.

sorry about the spelling error. i guess i wont make that mistake again

Sam.

The Crooked House is right by the castle and is a fun spot. Very popular, though.
http://www.crooked-house.com/
In addition, there is an arcaded area near the castle that has several restaurants, mostly chains (Cafe Rouge, for example) that are fine for dining with a 3 yo. There are pubs, of course, but some of them will be smoky.
As for weather, if the last two years are anything to go by (I live a few miles from Windsor), it could be below freezing or almost mild (high 40s F). Could be damp/rainy.
Taxis to/from Windsor/LHR are easy to get. If you think your 3yo would enjoy a train ride, you could always catch the train from Windsor to Slough, then catch a taxi to LHR from there. It will be dark, though.
That's a long layover with a 3 yo! Hope everybody manages to get some sleep on the plane.

thanks a lot for the wonderful suggestions. would you know how long the train ride will be to Slough from windsor, and then how long would the taxi ride be from there to LHR?

Also is the train station in windsor at a walkable distance?

Sam.

There are two train stations in Windsor...you want the Windsor/Eton Central station which is in the same area as the arcaded shops/restaurants I mentioned above and is close to the castle. The other station, Windsor/Eton Riverside is not as close to the castle and takes you to Waterloo station in London; it doesn't stop in Slough.
The train ride from Windsor to Slough should be about 10-15 minutes and then it's another 15 minutes or so to LHR (depending on traffic) by taxi. Give yourself a minimum of 45 minutes just to be safe (actually, I would give myself an hour to be extra safe).
Everything in Windsor should be nicely decorated for Christmas. Don't forget, most shops will close by 5:30 pm, unless they're keeping special hours in the run-up to Christmas.
If your 3 yo isn't interested in the train ride, then the best thing is to catch a taxi from Windsor straight to LHR.
Note: once you get out in the burbs, the taxis are not all in the same style as London black cabs (many of which aren't black anymore, but...).

There are also buses from Heathrow to Windsor every half hour with a journey time of 40 minutes.
The train journey from Windsor & Eton Central to Slough takes 6 minutes. From Windsor & Eton Riverside station, trains go to Feltham which has frequent buses to Heathrow.

The OP will probably heading back around evening rush hour. We've had some very heavy traffic jams in the Windsor/Maidenhead area around that time lately. Maybe it will be better near Christmas, but my own experience with the local buses (including the Courtney Coach bus between Maidenhead and Windsor) is that the ride usually takes longer than scheduled. Sometimes a LOT longer--I have called the bus company about that and they said they plan to redo their schedules soon to reflect the reality of the situation.

Rush hour traffic anywhere in the London area can be a problem. Allow plenty of time, whether you're in a car, taxi or bus. Windsor-Heathrow is possible by train (by changing at Slough and Hayes) but it's a complicated and expensive journey.

I've just noticed that Sam007 will be travelling on a Saturday, so comments about the evening rush aren't so relevant. Saturday traffic can be bad because of shopping and sports fixtures, so always allow a margin for delays on the road.

BTilke
Thank you so much for your post and the info on the crooked house tea room. We are planning our trip to London in November with some friends and will be going to Windsor. Thanks again!

Just a followup...a branch of the popular Wagamama restaurant chain will be opening on Windsor's High Street on Feb. 5.